The sky, Aug. 31-Sept.7: Saturn in view all night

The sky, Aug. 31-Sept.7: Saturn in view all night

Special to CosmicTribune.com, September 1, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, AUGUST 31 ■ Now Antares and Delta Scorpii line up to the right of the Moon. The line points the same length the other way from the Moon to the spout of the Sagittarius Teapot. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 ■ September’s arrival means that Scorpius, that […]

The sky, Aug. 25-31: Winter preview before dawn’s light

The sky, Aug. 25-31: Winter preview before dawn’s light

Special to CosmicTribune.com, August 25, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, AUGUST 25 ■ While twilight is still fairly bright, can you catch the very thin Moon, not quite two days old, very low in the west-southwest? Bring binoculars. The Moon can help guide you to increasingly elusive Spica and Mars, as shown below. For a […]

The sky, Aug. 18-24: Moon, Venus and Jupiter together on the 19th

The sky, Aug. 18-24: Moon, Venus and Jupiter together on the 19th

Special to CosmicTribune.com, August 18, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, AUGUST 18 ■ Titan casts its shadow on Saturn tonight. Every 15 years, Saturn’s largest moon repeatedly crosses Saturn’s face from Earth’s viewpoint — and, more visibly, casts its very tiny black shadow onto Saturn’ face. A series of these events is now under way. They will […]

The sky, August 4-10: Perseid meteor shower begin

The sky, August 4-10: Perseid meteor shower begin

Special to CosmicTribune.com, August 4, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, AUGUST 3 ■ This evening the waxing gibbous Moon hangs hardly more than 1° below orange Antares, the 1st-magnitude heart of Scorpius. MONDAY AUGUST 4 ■ Now the thickening, brightening gibbous Moon shines midway between Antares to its right and the spout of the Sagittarius […]

Making the most of the International Space Station while it remains

Making the most of the International Space Station while it remains

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 30, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher While it could still be transferred to and operated by a consortium of “private” companies, it appears that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to end its operation of the International Space Station (ISS) by 2030, and to thereafter begin operations to deorbit […]

The sky, July 21-27: Milky Way views optimal on Thursday

The sky, July 21-27: Milky Way views optimal on Thursday

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 21, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. The waning crescent Moon in the dawn passes Venus, then Jupiter. Look before or during early dawn, while the sky is still pretty dark, to spot the horntips of Taurus a well as the rest of Taurus off the frame to the upper right. MONDAY, JULY […]

The sky, July 13-20: Venus brilliant at -4.1 magnitude

The sky, July 13-20: Venus brilliant at -4.1 magnitude

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 14, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY JULY 13 ■ Scorpius is sometimes called “the Orion of Summer” for its brightness, its 1st-magnitude red supergiant star, and its many blue-white giants. But Scorpius passes a lot lower across the southern sky than Orion does. So for those of us at mid-northern latitudes […]

The sky, July 7-13: Close neighbor Altair (only 17 light years) in southeast

The sky, July 7-13: Close neighbor Altair (only 17 light years) in southeast

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 8, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. The bright Moon crosses Scorpius and the Sagittarius Teapot for four nights. MONDAY, JULY 7 ■ To casual starwatchers or those with an obstructed northern view, Cassiopeia in July might sound as wrong as Christmas in July. But already Cas has passed its lowest evening position […]

The sky, June 30-July 6: Near Antares, 3 double stars and M4, the cluster

The sky, June 30-July 6: Near Antares, 3 double stars and M4, the cluster

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 30, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, JUNE 30 ■ After nightfall, look due south for orange Antares nearly on the meridian. Around and upper right of Antares are the other, whiter stars forming the distinctive pattern of upper Scorpius. The rest of the Scorpion runs down from Antares toward the horizon, […]

The sky, June 22-29; M13 and M92 globular clusters

The sky, June 22-29; M13 and M92 globular clusters

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 23, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, JUNE 22 ■ Late these evenings, look south-southeast to south for orange Antares, the Betelgeuse of summer. Both are 1st-magnitude “red” supergiants, which are actually more like bright orange. Around and upper right of Antares are the other, whiter stars of upper Scorpius forming their […]