Mercury appears in the western evening sky during the last three weeks of the month. Due to the shallow angle which the ecliptic makes with the western horizon this time of year, southern observers are more favored for this apparition of Mercury. Venus is the first object to appear in the western evening sky, but due to the shallow angle of the ecliptic with the western horizon, southern observers are more favored. On the evening of the 14th the waxing crescent Moon passes 6 degrees south of Venus. Mars is in the western evening sky moving from Leo into Virgo on the 19th of the month, and is less than half of the apparent diameter it was in February. It is a gibbous phase and is dimming due to increasing distance between it and the Earth. Jupiter rises due east near midnight, and for the first time in six years Jupiter crosses the celestial equator moving from south to north on the 8th, and north to south on the 31st. Retrograde motion begins on the 24th. Jupiter transits the meridian at 05:31 am local time on the 16th of the month. Saturn is in the western evening sky, and sets after midnight. Due to the shallow angle of the ecliptic with the western horizon this time of year, southern observers are more favored.