Observing the Planets and the Moon in 2006

April: Orion and the surrounding constellations congregate in the southwest.
LYRIDS - April 22.

May: Say goodbye to Orion’s brightest stars as they vanish into the solar glare.
ETA AQUARIDS - May 6.

June: Celebrate the Summer Solstice on the 21st. On the 27th the Moon, Mercury, Saturn, and Mars converge in the Teapot (Cancer), low in the evening twilight.

July: Good time to catch up on Lunar geography 
 

August: Tough Luck! The PERSEIDS (August 12) may be washed out by Moonshine this year.

September: Luna (our Moon) at apogee on the 22nd - 248,000 miles. Autumn equinox September 23rd. Best nights for viewing the Milky Way are September 18-24 as it splits the night in half.

October: Not a good month for viewing planets.
Stay up for the ORIONIDS on the 21st.

November: Mercury transit visible throughout North America on November 8. Orion and the brilliant winter stars return this month before midnight.
LEONIDS - 19th

December: Rise early in the predawn hours on the 9th to see a tight Mercury/Mars/Jupiter conjunction low in the twilight hour. Get ready for the Geminids on December 13 and 14. Winter solstice on the 21st.

Observing the Moon in 2006

January: Moon at perigee, on the 2nd: it’s closest to the Earth for the Lunar month at 361752 km; again on the 31st, it’s closest to the Earth for the Lunar month at 357778 km. The Moon parks in Saturn's backyard on the 14th.

February: The thin crescent moon sets on the 28th serenading Mercury just above it to the right.

March: There will be a penumbral Lunar Eclipse on the 14th.

April: The crescent Moon plays Big Sister to the Pleiades on the 1st , meets Mars on the 3rd and Conjuncts with Saturn on the 6th and with Jupiter on the 14th. On the 24th, Luna joins Venus and Uranus in a close conjunction.

May: Observe The Moon cavorting with Saturn on the 3rd and Jupiter on the 11th, and then with Venus on the 24th. It will conjunct Mercury on the 27th and then comes back to visit Saturn again on the 31st. Here’s something interesting: the odd tilt of the lunar orbit keeps the Moon extremely low during mid-month and the folks in the northern parts of Canada and Alaska won’t see it at all.

June: On the 27th, the Moon, Mercury, Saturn, and Mars all come together in the Teapot and are fairly low in the fading evening twilight. All you CCD Imagers, now is your shining moment to get that much desired shot. for all to admire!

July: Luna passes below Jupiter on the 5th. From the 6th to the 12th it rides low in the sky while passing through the lowest earth-riding constellations. The crescent Moon has an early morning greeting for Venus on the 22nd and 23rd. Great time to study Lunar geography.

August: The Moon hovers over Jupiter on the 1st and the 29th.

September: Partial Lunar eclipse on the 7th, not visible from North America. At apogee on the 22nd - 248,000 miles.

October: Challenge yourself to search out the lowest and hardest to see crescent moons in 18 years. On the 23rd, the one day old moon is so far south that it sets before the sun.

November: Since most planets are out of view, take time out for Lunar geography

December: Nice pairing of Luna and Saturn on the 9th.

Observe the Planets 2006

Mercury:

• · JANUARY: Mercury at superior conjunction at the far side of the Sun.
• · FEBRUARY: Observe elusive Mercury from the 10th to the 23rd. Look for a small, bright white "star" near the western horizon after sunset.
• · MARCH and APRIL: Too close to the sun.
• · MAY: Conjunction with Jupiter on the 27th.
• · JUNE: Mercury shows off in the first two weeks of June in evening twilight.
• · JULY: Mercury disappears into the Sun’s glare until the 30th when it becomes a predawn planet.
• · AUGUST: Mercury and Venus hover together with the twins (Gemini) for the first two weeks of the month. On the 20th and 21st. view the conjunction of Mercury and Saturn with a washed out Venus, supervising from above. Luna joins the party on the 22nd.
• · OCTOBER: Barely visible above the horizon. Meets with Venus on the 20th and 31st- yet this will be hard to observe.
• · NOVEMBER: Prepare to view the Transit of Mercury in North America.
• · DECEMBER: On the 10th, Mercury and Jupiter are extremely close together in the predawn twilight. Mercury remains visible during the first half of the month.

Venus:

• · JANUARY: Venus is at inferior conjunction on the 13th and transitions to "Morning Star" around the 19th just before dawn. As a beautiful crescent she can be located below Deneb in Cygus and Altair in Aquila. At the end of the month Venus is joined by Jupiter in the early dawn.
• · FEBRUARY through AUGUST: Venus is at peak brightness mid-month and will grace the morning until August when solar glare will obscure it from view until the end of the year.
• · APRIL: Binoculars reveal a close conjunction of dazzling Venus and faint Uranus from the 18th to the 20th. The most favored day is an hour before sunrise on the 19th. The Moon joins them on the 24th.
• · AUGUST: Venus and Saturn are paired around the 26th, yet may be hard to see in the early dawn.
• · OCTOBER: Venus vanishes into the sun’s glare.
• · NOVEMBER: Too low in the sky to see.
• · DECEMBER: Venus rides low in the evening sky during twilight.

Mars:

• · JANUARY: Mars appears brightest on New Year's Day, standing boldly in the constellation Aries. Only Sirius and Canopus are brighter in the sky, Mars is growing fainter each night.
• · FEBRUARY: On the 17th Mars plays with The Pleiades.
• · MARCH: The Moon and Mars delight us on the 5th.
• · APRIL: Mars greats Luna on the 3rd then moves in with the twins midmonth.
• · MAY: Mars reaches the Teapot at the end of the month where it rendezvous’s with Saturn.
• · JUNE: Mars hangs out in the Teapot with Saturn. The 14th-17th Mars and Saturn have moved into the BEEHIVE Cluster. On the 27th, Moon, Mercury, Saturn and Mars reunite in the Teapot low in the evening twilight.
• · JULY: Shines dimly with the Lion, low in the sky.
• · OCTOBER: Mars reaches conjunction on the 23rd and slips behind the Sun.

Jupiter:

• · JANUARY through APRIL: Observe Jupiter late at night through early am in the constellation Libra. The Moon conjuncts Jupiter on April 14th. On April 25th, look for Jupiter as the brightest object in the southeastern sky around 10 pm EST.
• · MAY: Reaches opposition on the 4th. Shines at -2.0 Mag. Jupiter is retrograde in Libra and will stay up all night. Jupiter greets the Moon on the 11th and Venus on the 24th. Conjuncts with Mercury on the 27th and Saturn on the 31st.
• · JULY-AUGUST: Good time to observe Jupiter.
• · SEPTEMBER: Jupiter is alone and sits low in the evening sky.
• · OCTOBER: Vanishes into the Sun’s glare.
• · NOVEMBER: Jupiter reaches conjunction with the Sun on the 21st.
• · DECEMBER: Jupiter emerges from the solar glare as a morning star and hangs out with the Scorpion.

Saturn:

• · JANUARY through MID JULY: An excellent time to view Saturn as it is a late-night/early morning item. Saturn tends bees near the Beehive Cluster (M44) and the Moon on January 14th and is at opposition on January 27th rising as the sun sets at a distance of a mere 765 million miles from the Blue Planet.
• · MID MARCH to EARLY MAY: Saturn shows itself with tipped rings at a 20 degree angle. This will reoccur in 2014. See it now, in case you're busy in 2014.
• · APRIL: Luna conjuncts Saturn on the 6th.
• · JULY: Obscured by the sun’s glare.
• · AUGUST: Saturn conjunctions the Sun on the 7th. On the 20th and 21st. view the conjunction of Mercury and Saturn with a washed out Venus, supervising from above. Luna joins the party on the 22nd.
• · SEPTEMBER: Saturn wakes up with the Lion in the morning twilight. Luna lights its way on the 18th.
• · OCTOBER: Easily visible about 2:30am EST.
• · NOVEMBER: Saturn rises midmonth with the Lion in the late evening.
• · DECEMBER: The Moon shines on Saturn on the 9th. Saturn rises late evening during midmonth.

Uranus:

• · It can be spied with the unaided eye under a clear, dark sky, however, I personally have never been able to see it without visual aides.
• · Observe URANUS April 18-20- most favorably on April 19th, an hour before sunrise. Great binocular viewing of a close conjunction of Venus and Uranus April 18-20th. Luna joins them on April 24th.
• · URANUS is magnitude +5.7 located in Aquarius at opposition September 5 and can be seen with binoculars, although the bright moon may be obtrusive.

Neptune:

• · An 8th magnitude object residing in 2006 in Capricornus at opposition August 11.
• · On August 11, Neptune is at opposition to the Sun, yet may be hard to observe even with a telescope.

Pluto:

• · Located in the constellation Serpens, Pluto is a magnitude 14 object, about 900 times fainter than the faintest star visible to the unaided eye. Pluto is at opposition June 16.

Evening Twilight
Mercury: first three weeks of January; late April to early May; last half of December
Venus: late February to early October
Mars: January to late June

Morning Twilight
Mercury: late June to early July; most of October
Venus: early November to December
Mars: October to December
Jupiter: early August to December
Saturn: July to mid-December

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