Sunrise Sunset

Fri., August 15 5:49 7:41

Sat., August 16 5:50 7:40

Sun., August 17 5:51 7:38

Mon., August 18 5:52 7:37

Tues., August 19 5:53 7:36

Wed., August 20 5:54 7:34

Thurs., August 21 5:55 7:33

Fri., August 22 5:56 7:31

Tomorrow night’s full moon appears in the zodiacal constellation Aquarius. The moon is called the Sturgeon moon by the Old Farmer’s Almanac. Prior to rising tomorrow night, observers in the Middle and Far East will see a partial lunar eclipse. The partial eclipse will be best visible from the Eastern Atlantic Ocean to as far east as India.

Planets

Four planets are visible low in the southwestern sky for the nights ahead, but it will be difficult to see all of them. Venus, the brightest planet in our evening sky, hangs low and can be a visual guide to finding at least two more planets — Mercury and Saturn. Binoculars will help.

This weekend the faint planet Mercury appears immediately under Venus, while the ringed planet Saturn appears just to the right of the two. The three form a nice tight triangle that changes shape every night as the planets move.

Further east, higher in the sky, the red planet Mars lies in the constellation Virgo.

A clear view of the western sky is essential for seeing the planets.

Jupiter will be the easiest planet to see. It appears high in the southern sky all night. In the zodiacal constellation Sagittarius, the planet can be seen at any hour at night.

But Venus, Mars and Saturn are so close to the western horizon that an observer only has a few minutes to see them before they set in the twilight. M.A.L