Planets poised for July performance

A crescent moon will be an added attraction as Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn put on a show for skywatchers

By Richard Stenger
CNN

(CNN) -- Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn will soon line up for a cosmic dance that should delight observers all over the world who look up into the skies before dawn.

The aesthetically intriguing celestial conjunction will include special appearances by the waning crescent moon.

The mid-July alignment features two sets of planets, Mercury and Jupiter, and Venus and Saturn, which will be in conjunction within one week of each other.

The show begins July 12 when Jupiter rises in the northeast before dawn. Mercury emerges just south of the gas giant, about one hour before sunrise.

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On July 15, Venus creeps over the horizon in the east-northeast, about three hours before dawn. It appears just south of Saturn, which also emerges about three hours before dawn, but remains low in the sky, a few degrees above the northeastern horizon.

In the Southern Hemisphere, Saturn appears slightly higher above the northeastern horizon at twilight.

The crescent moon will add to the mood, perched above and to the right of Saturn and Venus. Jupiter and Mercury will hug the horizon on the left.

On July 17, Venus and Saturn join up with the waning moon. To the lower left, Jupiter will hang above Mercury.

One day later, near the end of the celestial dance, the moon cuts in between Venus and Jupiter, while Mercury floats off the lower left. On July 19, Mercury will appear just above the horizon, with a thin moon sliver above it.