• Timothy Johnson

Planets and the Moon

The planets Venus and Mercury are close buddies this week but they part company later in the month.
    
Venus is easiest to spot, low in the southwestern sky after sunset. Venus is brilliant and above the horizon, amid the light of twilight.

If you can find Venus, you should be able to find the fainter Mercury just above it.
    
If you spot Mercury, count yourself as one of a small number of stargazers who have seen the planet. Many have seen Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, but Mercury is always so close to the horizon it is always hard to find amid the light of twilight.
    
A thin crescent moon appears in the same area of the sky next week and it is worth taking note, especially on Monday. New Moon is tomorrow.
    
It is very unlikely you will see the thin crescent moon setting in the west on Sunday night as it will be under Venus and just too close to the horizon after sunset. A clear unencumbered southwestern sky is essential. Menemsha Beach would give such a view with the moon visible just above the Elizabeth Islands.     
    
More will see the moon on Monday night when it forms a tight triangle with Venus and Mercury. The moon is to the left of the two planets.     

Even more Vineyarders will spot the moon on Tuesday night, when it is a good deal higher in the sky.
 

Sunrise and Sunset
Day Sunrise Sunset
Fri., June 7 5:07 8:13
Sat., June 8 5:07 8:14
Sun., June 9 5:07 8:14
Mon., June 10 5:06 8:15
Tues., June 11 5:06 8:15
Wed., June 12 5:06 8:16
Thurs., June 13 5:06 8:16
Fri., June 14 5:06 8:17
Temperatures and Precipitations
Day Max (Fº) Min (Fº) Inches
May 31 80 58 0.00
June 1 85 59 0.00
June 2 75 60 T
June 3 71 62 0.19
June 4 66 55 0.75
June 5 72 53 0.00
June 6 71 51 0.00

Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 69º F.

 

Comments

Comment policy »

YOU CAN HELP SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS

Subscribe or become a Friend of the Vineyard Gazette and receive our free newsletters and free and discounted tickets to Gazette events along with our award-winning news and photography.