Don’t forget that the Perseid Meteor Shower peaks on Aug. 12. Even though that time is a full moon, it sets close to 4 a.m., so then we can go out and view them.

We’ve been so cloudy, and I hope that the clouds go away for that day. Even though we had a lot of rain, thunder, and lightning recently, the sky cleared out overnight. So, I hope it continues to do that.

Mercury is visible low in the west after the Sun sets. It will be visible most of this month. You’ll just have to look low in the west for Mercury.  So, this is an evening viewing.

Jupiter is 2 1/2 times Mar’s distance from Earth, but it’s 8 times wider than Mars. Plus, its gaseous atmosphere reflects more sunlight than Mars, 50% vs. 15%. All of that makes Jupiter the second-brightest object in the sky these mornings. Of course, the moon is the brightest. It currently rises at 11 p.m. By the end of this month, it will rise before 9 p.m.

Saturn rises in the east by 9 p.m. It reaches visible opposition on Aug. 14. So, it’s visible all night in the south. Mars is visible in the southeast in the morning. Venus is a brilliant morning star. It rises 2 hours before the Sun in the east.

The Studio Tour is coming up this Saturday, Aug. 12. There are three of us in South Fork, and more in Creede. It occurs from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. There will be signs around, but you should first drive up the highway that goes to Creede. Before you go over the bridge there will be a left turn for you to take. That’s Ponderosa Drive. A little past the Train Station there will be a road on the right (Deer Run) that you need to turn onto.

Just be careful that you look at the railroad tracks to make sure there are no railbikes coming. Then you can cross the railroad tracks. The road will turn left and go up a little hill. There are three houses above the hill, and mine is the middle one with a three-car garage. There will be signs there, and my studio is behind the garage, so you have just go around it to the back of the house. There will be three steps to get up to the deck, and then the door to my studio is just on the right. Hope to see you!