At magnitude -3.9, Venus is at superior conjunction in August and, as its elongation from the Sun decreases, it is increasingly difficult to see in the dawn twilight sky. The planet is too low from northern temperate latitudes throughout July but observors in equatorial and southern latitudes may glimpse it low in the east-north-eastern sky for the first few days of the month before losing it in the brightening sky.

Observors in northern latitudes will have to wait until December for a true Venusian (evening) spectacle.

On the 8th June 2004, Venus was at inferior conjunction and transited the sun. Transits of Venus are rare, taking place at greater than 100 year intervals and usually in pairs. The last two transits of Venus were in 1874 and 1882. June's transit began at 7.20h and lasted 6 hours until 13.20h, the total event visible from Europe as a small black disc crossing the lower part of the Sun from left to right. The next transit will be in late June 2012. After that, transits of Venus won't occur again until 2117 and 2125.

Mars, at magnitude +1.4, is an early morning object, but still rather low in the east-north-eastern sky. Mars moves fairly rapidly against the constellation of Taurus during July. At the beginning of the month it is about midway between Pleiades and Aldebaran and by the end of July is approaching the border with neighbouring Gemini. There is no opposition of Mars in 2011.

At opposition on the 28th August 2003, Mars was only 56 million kilometres from the Earth. It showed a disc of 25.1 seconds of arc across which is almost as large as it can ever appear. Mars started 2003 at 310 million kilometres from the earth at 4.5 seconds of arc and 1.6 magnitude. By opposition it brightened 50 times to reach -2.9 magnitude but faded to 0 magnitude by December. Even to the naked eye Mars was a striking object in the summer and autumn sky, easily identifiable by its reddish hue in an area of sky poor in bright stars. Mars will not be as close again until 2018.

These favourable oppositions occur every 15 or 17 years but other oppositions occur at average intervals of 2 years 2 months during which time the planet makes a complete circle of the Earth. In general Mars is observable every other year, being too close to the sun for favourable conditions during other times. Brightness at opposition varies from -1.0 to -2.9 magnitude, and when furthest from the earth it fades to 1.7 magnitude. The planet can be identified by its orange-red colour.

As in 2003, Mars comes nearest to the Earth at oppositions at the end of August. At these times it can be brighter than Jupiter, although low in the sky in Aquarius for northern observors. In the northern hemisphere, the planet may be better seen at oppostions during autumn and winter months when it is higher in the sky.