Time for some fabulous conjunctions

This is a week for some fabulous conjunctions. Let's start tonight, June 3, at about an hour after sunset facing west. Bright Venus will draw our attention right off.

Of the three planets visible in the early evening, Venus is the closest to the horizon. It is located in the middle of Gemini, but isn't going to stay there for long.

All planets move from night to night. That is how they earned their name. The ancients called them "The Wanderers" because their location changed so frequently. If you would like to observe the effect, watch Venus for the next few evenings.

It will move up and to the left until on the evening of June 11, it will form a straight line with the two brightest stars of Gemini, Pollux (the closest to Venus) and Castor.

By June 19, and 20, Venus will be visiting M44, the Beehive Cluster, in the middle of Cancer where Mars was just a few weeks ago.

By July 9, Venus will join Regulus, the brightest star in Leo and will continue her journey eastward until on August 8, when Venus will join Mars and Saturn.

But that is for the future. Speaking of Mars, it will be joining Regulus beginning the evening of June 4. The two will make a nice binocular object until June 8. This is another pair you can watch as Mars moves closer the passes Regulus.

Now, let's switch our attention to the morning hours. As you all know, I am not a morning astronomer -- unless there is something worth getting up for. I think you will find this a worthy enough opportunity.

Start at between 3:30 and 4 a.m. MDT looking east. The brightest object in the sky is Jupiter returning to the visible sky after being around on the far side of the Sun.

Using your faithful, trusty, pair of binoculars find Jupiter. Just to Jupiter's left, less than a degree away is a tiny speck of light. That speck is another of the outer gas giant planets, Uranus.

The two will be at their closest on June 8. On June 6, they will be joined by a crescent moon.

Of course any time Jupiter is observed you will want to pay attention to its four tiny moons. Changes in their location can be noted from night to night or even hour to hour. While the moons can be seen in binoculars if they are far from the planet, the best way to observe them is through a telescope. Even a small one will show the moons of Jupiter nicely.

If you want a binocular challenge this week, be out early, no later than a half-hour to 45-minutes before sunrise, looking east. Find a place with a clear, flat, unobstructed horizon.

Your target? The elusive, fleet-footed, first planet out from the Sun, Mercury. The planet will be no more than five degrees above the horizon. That is about as high as it will get on this apparition. You will have viewing opportunities all this week and part of next.

SKY WATCH: Fourth quarter moon, June 5.

NEXT TIME: More astronomical blathering.