From the Northern hemisphere, it’ll be tough to see the planets Mercury, Venus and Jupiter sitting in the glare of evening twilight. All three planets follow the sun beneath the horizon before darkness falls. Mars is near the sun, too, but in the predawn sky.
Here’s the view from Cape Town in the Southern Hemisphere. Although it’ll be difficult to spot Mercury in early August, there’s a chance of catching Jupiter and Venus as dusk gives way to darkness. These two brilliant worlds stay out longer after sunset in the Southern Hemisphere than they do in the Northern Hemisphere.
Meteors ahead! Everything you need to know: Perseid meteor shower
It’s unusual for Saturn – typically the least noticeable of the bright planets – to reign as the dominate planet in our night sky. But in August, 2015, Saturn does just that. Throughout this month, as seen from around the world, the ringed planet pops out first thing at nightfall and lights up the nighttime until late night. Saturn stays out until around midnight (1 a.m. Daylight Saving Time) at mid-northern latitudes. At mid-southern latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, the ringed planet stays out for a few hours past the midnight hour.
Venus and Jupiter rank as the third-brightest and fourth-brightest celestial objects, respectively, after the sun and moon. They’re the brightest planets in Earth’s sky.
But – despite their brightness – it’ll take a deliberate effort to see Jupiter or Venus in August, 2015. Both worlds swing from the evening to morning sky in this month. Venus passes between us and the sun on August 15, sweeping 8 degrees south of the sun as seen from our earthly perspective. Jupiter, an outer planet, is most directly behind the sun from Earth on August 26. So these worlds sit in the glare of sunset in early August and then in the glare of sunrise in late August, 2015.
The Southern Hemisphere has a leg up over the Northern Hemisphere in early August, for catching Venus and Jupiter at dusk.
Both hemispheres will probably see Venus returning to the morning sky by late August.
The Northern Hemisphere has the upper hand for catching Jupiter when it becomes a morning “star” in September 2015.
Mercury and Mars are near the sun for much of August, 2015, too. Mercury is in the evening sky, not far from Venus and Jupiter. It’ll languish in the sunset glare for Northern Hemisphere viewers until late August, but, throughout August, 2015, Southern Hemisphere observers enjoy a better view of Mercury in the evening sky.
Mercury will go on to have the Southern Hemisphere’s best evening apparition for 2015 in early September.
Mars is near the sunrise, not the sunset. It’ll probably come into view for careful observers, rising before the sun, in late August. Northern Hemisphere observers have the best chance of catching Mars in the morning sky as the month ends. Southern Hemisphere observers probably will have to wait until September to see Mars.
Bottom line: In short, all the visible planets – except for Saturn – lurk near the glare of twilight throughout August 2015.
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From the Northern hemisphere, it’ll be tough to see the planets Mercury, Venus and Jupiter sitting in the glare of evening twilight. All three planets follow the sun beneath the horizon before darkness falls. Mars is near the sun, too, but in the predawn sky.
Here’s the view from Cape Town in the Southern Hemisphere. Although it’ll be difficult to spot Mercury in early August, there’s a chance of catching Jupiter and Venus as dusk gives way to darkness. These two brilliant worlds stay out longer after sunset in the Southern Hemisphere than they do in the Northern Hemisphere.
Meteors ahead! Everything you need to know: Perseid meteor shower
It’s unusual for Saturn – typically the least noticeable of the bright planets – to reign as the dominate planet in our night sky. But in August, 2015, Saturn does just that. Throughout this month, as seen from around the world, the ringed planet pops out first thing at nightfall and lights up the nighttime until late night. Saturn stays out until around midnight (1 a.m. Daylight Saving Time) at mid-northern latitudes. At mid-southern latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, the ringed planet stays out for a few hours past the midnight hour.
Venus and Jupiter rank as the third-brightest and fourth-brightest celestial objects, respectively, after the sun and moon. They’re the brightest planets in Earth’s sky.
But – despite their brightness – it’ll take a deliberate effort to see Jupiter or Venus in August, 2015. Both worlds swing from the evening to morning sky in this month. Venus passes between us and the sun on August 15, sweeping 8 degrees south of the sun as seen from our earthly perspective. Jupiter, an outer planet, is most directly behind the sun from Earth on August 26. So these worlds sit in the glare of sunset in early August and then in the glare of sunrise in late August, 2015.
The Southern Hemisphere has a leg up over the Northern Hemisphere in early August, for catching Venus and Jupiter at dusk.
Both hemispheres will probably see Venus returning to the morning sky by late August.
The Northern Hemisphere has the upper hand for catching Jupiter when it becomes a morning “star” in September 2015.
Mercury and Mars are near the sun for much of August, 2015, too. Mercury is in the evening sky, not far from Venus and Jupiter. It’ll languish in the sunset glare for Northern Hemisphere viewers until late August, but, throughout August, 2015, Southern Hemisphere observers enjoy a better view of Mercury in the evening sky.
Mercury will go on to have the Southern Hemisphere’s best evening apparition for 2015 in early September.
Mars is near the sunrise, not the sunset. It’ll probably come into view for careful observers, rising before the sun, in late August. Northern Hemisphere observers have the best chance of catching Mars in the morning sky as the month ends. Southern Hemisphere observers probably will have to wait until September to see Mars.
Bottom line: In short, all the visible planets – except for Saturn – lurk near the glare of twilight throughout August 2015.
Enjoying EarthSky so far? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today!
EarthSky astronomy kits are perfect for beginners. Order today from the EarthSky store
Donate: Your support means the world to us
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1JCvFQf
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