Diary entries for the nights of Aug. 9-13 decribe the arrangement of Moon , Jupiter and Saturn at various times of the night. Jupiter at dawn is well up in SSW at start of August and drifts lower into WSW as month progresses. Saturn is very high at dawn, crossing from SE through S toward SW during month, nicely placed for telescopic viewing. Saturn's rings are tipped nearly 17 degrees from edge-on, our best view this year. Brilliant Venus on Aug. 1 rises nearly 2 hours before sunrise, or just before first light of dawn.
Mercury brightens rapidly in next week, to mag.
0.0 by Aug. 30. Once Mercury is easily seen at dawn in the last days of August, all five naked-eye planets can be simultaneously viewed in morning twilight. The best time to look may be about one hour before sunrise. Mercury appears highest on Sept. 1, as it widens to a maximum distance of 2.9 degrees upper right of Venus. Mercury will brighten further in early September and form a very compact grouping with Venus and Regulus, an impressive sight for binoculars.