• In the great race of the planets, look for the red planet Mars to finally catch up with the ringed planet Saturn in mid-August 2012. From northerly latitudes - such as the US and Europe - these modesty-bright planets pop out into the southwest sky as darkness falls. (Or if you live at temperate latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, these planets come out into your northern to northwestern sky at nightfall.)
• Looking for info on meteor showers? Click here
• Mars and Saturn now reside in front of the constellation Virgo. Saturn shines

close to Spica, Virgo's brightest star, and ruddy Mars glowers by the fainter Virgo star Porrima. If your sky is beset by light pollution, you may need binoculars to spot Porrima.
• We draw in the ecliptic - the pathway of the planets in front of the background stars. Because the bright star Spica and the fainter star Porrima lodge close to the ecliptic, they serve as a great reference stars whenever the planets pass through Virgo.
• What is the ecliptic?
• Hold out an outstretched hand at an arm length away. If all works out well, you'll be able to touch one planet with your thumb and the other with your little finger. A week from now, Mars and Saturn will be about a fist-width apart. Two weeks from now, they'll be about three fingers apart, and in three weeks, the width of your thumb apart. When making these measurements, remember to hold your hand at an arm length.

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