Just Passing By

The planets Jupiter and Mercury pass by each other this week. Jupiter, which is the brighter of the two planets, starts the week higher in the sky, but it is dropping rapidly toward the Sun. Mercury moves up and past Jupiter on March 15, and will remain in view in the evening sky for another couple of weeks, although it quickly grows fainter as the month progresses. This diagram is looking due west about 30 to 45 minutes after sunset. [Tim Jones]