Moon Phases

Q 680

Moon Phases

June 2005 ~ The Sixth Month

Mercury, by midmonth, becomes a very low evening star right after sunset. A bit higher up, Venus improves while crossing into Gemini. The Moon joins it on the 7th, forms a triangle with Venus and Saturn on the 8th, floats alongside Saturn on the 9th, is near Jupiter on the 15th, and joins brightening Mars in the early hours of the 29th. A super three-way meeting of Mercury, Venus, and Saturn happens 30 to 60 minutes after sunset on the 24th, low in the west. Venus and Mercury get even closer together on the 25th, and on the 26th they seem to merge into one dazzling "star," with Saturn just below. Summer arrives with the solstice on the 21st, at 2:46 a.m. EDT. Moon phase times are based on Eastern Time.

New Moon: 6th day, 17th hour, 55th minute
First Quarter: 14th day, 21st hour, 22nd minute
Full Moon: 22nd day, 0 hour, 14th minute
Last Quarter: 28th day, 14th hour, 23rd minute

June 2005 Moon Phase Calendar

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July 2005 ~ The Seventh Month

The month begins with Venus and Mercury still very close together, in Cancer, low in the west at dusk. They continue their eye-catching side-by-side performance until the 10th, after dangling beneath the crescent Moon on the 8th. Venus crosses into Leo at midmonth and is near its main star Regulus on the 22nd. Saturn has slipped behind the Sun and can not be seen, while Jupiter is low in the southwest at dusk and visible until midnight. The real news is Mars, now seriously brightening to magnitude zero as it slips into Pisces after nipping a corner of the lesser-known constellation Cetus. Rising by 1:00 a.m., it dominates the wee hours. Moon phase times are based on Eastern Time.

New Moon: 6th day, 8th hour, 2nd minute
First Quarter: 14th day, 11th hour, 20th minute
Full Moon: 21st day, 7th hour, 0 minute
Last Quarter: 27th day, 23rd hour, 19th minute

July 2005 Moon Phase Calendar

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August 2005 ~ The Eighth Month

Mercury, returning to the predawn east at midmonth as a morning star, dangles just below Saturn, which has reemerged in its new home of Cancer; the pair is best seen from the 20th to the 27th. As evening twilight fades, Venus brightens and is now conspicuous, if low; it closely meets the Moon on the 7th. Jupiter sinks farther into the west and is near the Moon on the 9th. Venus approaches Jupiter the final week of August and hangs out spectacularly close to it on the 31st. Mars doubles in brightness as it clips Cetus en route into Aries. The year's best meteor shower, the Perseids, will be wonderful on the night of August 11–12, especially after midnight. Moon phase times are based on Eastern Time.

New Moon: 4th day, 23rd hour, 5th minute
First Quarter: 12th day, 22nd hour, 38th minute
Full Moon: 19th day, 13th hour, 53rd minute
Last Quarter: 26th day, 11th hour, 18th minute

August 2005 Moon Phase Calendar

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