Venus and Mars are slowly drifting apart as Mars continues to race eastward against the stars of Leo while Venus is slowing and dropping through the ecliptic on the way to its inferior conjunction in August, at which it will be significantly south of the ecliptic. Here, Mars is magnitude +1.74 while Venus is magnitude -4.47 and 39.2" in diameter. This chart shows the position of the planets during the first three weeks of July, marking today's position in particular. |