THE PLANETS

Saturn and Mercury are low in the twilight at the start of the month, but vanish after the first week. Only Neptune and Uranus remain: they set around 00:00 EST and 02:00 EST mid month respectively. Mars erupts into the pre-dawn sky around 02:30 EST, followed by brilliant (mag. –1.7) Jupiter about 30 minutes later. The crescent Moon is in conjunction with Mars on 14th and Jupiter on the 15th. Mercury returns quickly to the morning sky, rising around the start of twilight by month end.