planets, the Moon, and winter circle stars

Event Date: August 11th
Time: 6:00 AM


Brief

  There are two things to observe looking east this morning, and even over the course of the next few weeks: The Winter Circle, consisting of the stars labeled below in small red, are accompanied by three planets and the waning crescent Moon.  Mercury (mag +1.0), which is brightening slowly each day as it reaches one of its better greatest elongations of the year, is low to the horizon; Venus (-4.4) is higher up, dominating the sky in brightness; Jupiter (-2.2) is highest, with the Moon only 3º away from it.  Here they are shown with the planets and Moon's labels in darker, bolder red.

click on image to enlarge: courtesy of Starry Night Pro Plus, version 6.4.3, by Simulation Curriculum Corp.

Detailed

   Eventually, Mercury will leave the scene, as (1) the circle is seen higher in the east each week, and the (usually) elusive planet sinks back towards the Sun.  Venus will stay high with an excellent apparition for a few months, and then start to slowly sink back to the horizon as it becomes further south of the Sun this winter.  Jupiter will continue to become closer to transit during dawn, and stay within the circle as it moves more slowly than the inner planets.  Jupiter is still in prograde motion, yet will reach stationary and retrograde this fall.  As a result, it will come back towards the Hyades, Aldebaran, and other stars within Taurus.  By this time, the Winter Circle becomes visible in the east near midnight, and later in the year, at the time of early evening shortly after dark.