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Skywatch: Look for planets & the Full Sturgeon Moon this week

Use the Moon to help you find the two largest planets in the solar system.
Credit: The Moon, Saturn & Jupiter

The Moon has a date with the two largest planets in the solar system early this week. 

On Sunday night Saturn & Jupiter will be just above and right of our satellite. Look in the southeast to find them. 

The trio will be visible Monday evening but our Moon will be a bit farther away from the two planets. Above is how you’ll find the three on Sunday night.

Credit: Courtesy: NASA

Mars will reach a milestone on Monday morning. At approximately 5:02 a.m. The Red Planet will reach something known as perihelion. 

Planets don’t move in perfect circles around the Sun. As a result, there are times when they are closer to and farther away from it.

When a planet is at its closest point to the Sun it’s at perihelion. Mars will reach perihelion Monday morning when it’s about 128.4 million miles from our home star.

Credit: The Full Moon

The Full Moon will arrive later in the morning at 11:59 a.m. This month’s Full Moon is known as the Full Sturgeon Moon because the large fish were easily caught this month. It’s also known as the Full Green Corn Moon.

Credit: The Moon & Mars

Speaking of the Moon, use it to help you find Mars on Saturday night. If you look in the southeastern to the southern sky before sunrise you’ll find a Waxing Gibbous Moon and Mars will be just above and left of it. 

It shouldn’t be tough to find. Happy hunting!

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