Today:
Early risers tomorrow morning are treated to a thinning Crescent Moon surrounded by celestial treasures. Below and to the left of the Moon is Pollux, the lower of the twin stars of Gemini, with the other, Castor, above. Meanwhile, Mars glows brightly to the Moon’s upper right, with Aldebaran higher and more to the right. By 5 o’clock, in the blush of twilight, Mercury appears low to the horizon and below Pollux.
Monday:
Low in the east-northeast, tomorrow morning holds a curious view for early risers. A thin Crescent Moon will rise above the horizon at around 2:45 AM. By 4:20 AM, the planet Mercury will do the same, appearing just below Pollux, of the Gemini Twins. It’s best view comes from 4:30 to 4:40, before fading into the growing twilight.
Tuesday:
The next two nights mark the peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower, centered around the constellation Perseus, which rises in northeast after dark. A few Persieds are visible by the middle of July, but rates go from 10 meteors per hour to 50 per hour tonight, and up to 100 meteors per hour tomorrow night. Ideally, the Moon will be new, meaning that no moonlight will interfere. That new Moon creates a partial eclipse during tomorrow afternoon.