Mars - is located in Cancer and Leo this month. The "red" planet is about 20 degrees high in the west at sunset during early July but only 10 degrees up by month's end. Look for it only 0.7 degrees from Regulus on the evenings of July 21 and 22. Mars is magnitude 1.8 and its gibbous disc is only 4 arc-seconds in diameter this month.

Saturn - located in Cancer, the ringed planet is about 3 degrees from the Beehive Star Cluster (M44) during early July. Saturn can then be seen about 20 degrees up in the west at sunset. By month's end, Saturn will be too close to the Sun to see. Saturn will be 0.4 magnitude during July with an apparent diameter of 16 arc-seconds. The rings will be 35 arc-seconds across and are currently tilted 17 degrees to our line-of-sight.

The Cassini spacecraft continues its observation of Saturn and its many moons and rings. For the latest images from Cassini, see:

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.cfm

For detailed postions of Saturn's Moons try this interactive javascript utility.

Jupiter - is located in Libra this month. The "King" of the planets can be seen in the south at sunset and is well placed for viewing till 12 am EDT. Jupiter will be magnitude -2.2 with an apparent diameter that ranges from 41 to 37 arc-seconds. Jupiter's Great Red Spot, a large anti-cyclone, can be seen centered on the planet's disc at the following times (EDT):

07/02/2006, 10:03 pm; 07/04/2006, 11:41 pm; 07/07/2006, 09:11 pm; 07/09/2006, 10:50 pm; 07/14/2006, 09:59 pm; 07/16/2006, 11:38 pm; 07/19/2006, 09:08 pm; 07/21/2006, 10:47 pm; 07/26/2006, 09:56 pm; 07/28/2006, 11:35 pm; 07/31/2006, 09:05 pm

A smaller anti-cyclone, which has appeared in recent years as a white oval, has changed its color to reddish-orange. This has led some to call it "Red Spot Junior". This "new" red spot is located a little south of and trailing the GRS by about a half-hour.

For detailed postions of Jupiter's Moons try this interactive javascript utility.

Venus - can be seen in the morning sky. Look for it 20 degrees up in the ENE just before sunrise. Venus will be magnitude -3.8 for most of the month. Through a telescope, the planet will appear gibbous and have a diameter that decreases from 12 to 11 arc-seconds during July.

Neptune - is located in Serpens this month, having passing through opposition to the Sun on June 16. Pluto will be due south around 11 pm EDT and 33 degrees above the horizon. At magnitude 13.9, a 6 inch scope or larger will be needed to see Pluto. A finder chart for Neptune can be found on page 66 of the May issue of Sky & Telescope.

Uranus - located in Aquarius. Look for it 42 degrees up in the south around 5 am EDT during mid-July. At magnitude 5.8, Uranus can be glimpsed with the naked eye from a moderately dark site. Through a telescope, Uranus has a 3.6" greenish disc. A finder chart for Uranus can be found on page 66 of the May issue of Sky & Telescope.

Pluto - is located in Serpens this month, having passing through opposition to the Sun on June 16. Pluto will be due south around 11 pm EDT and 33 degrees above the horizon. At magnitude 13.9, a 6 inch scope or larger will be needed to see Pluto. A finder chart for Pluto can be found on page 66 of the May issue of Sky & Telescope.

Asteroid 2004 XP14 - will make a close flyby of the Earth on the morning of July 3. At its closest (around 12:30 am EDT), this small rock will pass only 270,000 miles from us. It will then be moving at a rate of 8 degrees/hour across the sky. Through a telescope, this equals 8 arc-seconds/second, fast enough to see it move in real-time! The asteroid will be 11th magnitude, so a 6 inch or larger scope is recommended for the best view. A finder chart for this rare event can be found at Sky & Telescope.