Mars is becoming increasingly difficult to spot in our evening sky due to Earth’s faster orbit. As a result, Mars is now the only planet visible in the west after sunset, while Mercury has vanished from view.
Mercury’s reduced visibility is primarily due to its proximity to the sun and its fast descent into the morning sky. Currently, it’s a fine sliver of light visible from Earth, but it’s setting mere minutes after sunrise and is lost in the sun’s glare.
This week, Mars will be paired with the crescent moon, appearing as a decent combination to the west on Monday, July 28. The pair will set two hours after sunset. On Wednesday, July 30, the moon will move across Virgo and appear near Spica, the brightest star in that constellation.
The pairing of the moon and Spica will be stunning as they emerge from the twilight’s last gleaming. Watch them move westward through the evening, with their closest approach occurring before midnight.
In contrast, a minor meteor shower, the Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower, will peak on Thursday, July 31. Although it’s a minor event for us in the northern hemisphere, its appearance is worth observing, especially after the moon sets. The meteor shower originates in the constellation Aquarius and offers around a dozen meteors per hour from our latitude.
The Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower occurs when Earth encounters debris left behind by passing comets. As Earth passes through these trails of space debris, particles burn up as they enter our atmosphere, creating what we know as meteor showers.
Mercury’s close proximity to the sun and its subsequent disappearance is an opportunity for observing other celestial objects. On Thursday night, Mercury will be at its closest position to the Earth during this orbit.
Source: https://worldjournalnewspaper.com/lunar-pairings-and-meteor-showers