Eye on the sky: With winter's grip, sun starts slow march south

Snow-sprinkled paddocks at Highlands Station, south of Rotorua. Photo / Stephen Parker

With the grip of winter truly upon us, we see the freezing nights slightly shortening as the sun starts to slowly track south after having stood still on June 22 for the winter solstice.

Now the solstice is behind us we start the long slow climb towards the hot days of summer another six months ahead of us.

July is a good month for conjunctions. Magnificent Jupiter and Venus still make a dazzling pair in the western sky. Having been at their closest on June 28 they now release their embrace and drift apart. The bright star Regulus joins them around the 18th of this month where they form a beautiful triangle in the evening sky. Two days later the trio entertain the crescent moon, all making for a magnificent grouping in the north-west setting a couple of hours after the sun. Venus and Jupiter then remain at about the same separation as they start their descent towards the west. Like the king and queen of the night they walk arm and arm towards the sun, disappearing into the evening gloom by the end of next month.

Saturn is well placed for viewing now that it rises well before the sun sets. It is almost overhead after sunset.

Look for the distinctive hook of the constellation Scorpio.

At its most northerly end find a straight line of stars and on the bottom left you will find Saturn.

The morning sky welcomes the return of Matariki (Pleiades) and the beginning of the Maori new year.

Look for this distinctive cluster rising in the east just before sunrise.

As for the planets, Mars makes a return to the morning sky only to be joined by fleet-footed Mercury during the last few days of July.

•For more information about the planets or anything else astronomical contact the Rotorua Astronomical Society. You can find them on Facebook.