THIS MONTH’S PLANETS
Mars is excellent viewing this month, while the majority of the outer planets take the morning watch
PLANET OF THE MONTH
This will be a good month for you if you enjoy seeing the Red Planet. It will be found in the rather star-starved constellation of Aries, rising around four hours before the Sun. At that time Mars will be shining with a magnitude of +0.4, making it quite striking to the naked eye, especially with its distinctive orange hue. As the days pass Mars will increase in brightness, making it appear even more obvious. Look out for a waning crescent Moon shining to the planet’s lower right on the morning of 21 July, and to its lower left the following morning.