Southern Skywatch August 2018 edition is now out!

Evening sky on Tuesday August 14 looking east  as seen from Adelaide at 19:09 ACST (90 minutes after sunset).  Venus and the crescent Moon are close. (The inset shows the telescopic view of Venus at this time, similar views will be seen Australia wide 90 minutes minutes after sunset).

Similar views will be seen throughout Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

The August edition of Southern Skywatch is now up.

This month still only 4 of the bright planets in the evening sky as  Mercury returns to the morning sky late in the month. Threr planets brighter than magnitude -2,  Venus , Jupiter and Mars are prominent in the evening sky and Saturn rises higher in the evening sky. Mars is just past Opposition.


Mercury is lost in the twilight and returns to the morning sky late in the month, but never rises much above the horizon.

Venus is close to the bright star Spica on the 31st. 

Jupiter is close to alpha Librae (Zubenelgenubi) at the beginning of the month, and is closest on the 15th-19th. Jupiter is close to the Moon on the 17th.

 Mars was at opposition on July the 27th, this is the best opposition since 2003. It is still a very good telescopic target. More details at my Mars opposition site. August 23, Moon and Mars close.

Saturn is within a binocular field of the the Trifid Nebula and Lagoon Nebula this month. August 21 Moon close to Saturn.

August 14-15, crescent Moon near Venus.

August 17; Moon close to Jupiter. August 21 Moon close to Saturn. August 23, Moon and Mars close.

August 11, Moon at Perigee; August 23, Moon at Apogee.