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 […]

The sky, June 16-22: Shortest night on June 20

The sky, June 16-22: Shortest night on June 20

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 16, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, JUNE 16 ■ Mars and Regulus shine closest together in the west this evening, as shown below. Tonight they’re 0.8° apart (for the Americas), about the width of a pencil held at arm’s length. This is a great time to compare their contrasting colors in […]

The sky, June 8-15: Full ‘honey moon’ low in the sky

The sky, June 8-15: Full ‘honey moon’ low in the sky

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 9, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, JUNE 8 ■ The nearly full Moon (it’ll be full on Tuesday night the 10th) shines well to the upper right of Antares this evening, as shown below. MONDAY, JUNE 9 ■ Bright Arcturus, magnitude 0, shines pale yellow-orange very high overhead toward the south […]

The sky, June 1-8: Epsilon, the double double star near Vega

The sky, June 1-8: Epsilon, the double double star near Vega

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 2, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. The waxing Moon passes Mars and Regulus, which are equal in brightness this week but, as ever, different in color. SUNDAY, JUNE 1 ■ Now the Moon leaves Mars behind to get chummy with Regulus, shining only about 1° from it this evening (depending on your […]

China launches asteroid exploration-exploitation program with Tianwen-2 mission

China launches asteroid exploration-exploitation program with Tianwen-2 mission

Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 28, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher China’s first asteroid sample return mission on May 29, 2024, is set to begin a much larger program of asteroid exploration-exploitation to assist military-space ambitions. The program would also assist longer range Chinese ambitions to create outposts into the Solar System. On May 29, from […]

The sky, May 26-June 1; Jupiter sets for the season

The sky, May 26-June 1; Jupiter sets for the season

Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 26, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, MAY 26 ■ Catch the brightest asteroid, 4 Vesta, before it fades further. It’s nicely placed high in the south-southeast after the sky is fully dark (at least two hours after sunset now) in a moonless dark sky. It’s almost a month past opposition but still about […]

The sky, May 19-25: Saturn, Venus rising at dawn’s light

The sky, May 19-25: Saturn, Venus rising at dawn’s light

Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 19, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, MAY 19 ■ The brightest asteroid, 4 Vesta, is nicely placed in a moonless dark sky in late evening. It’s about two weeks past opposition and still about magnitude 6.0. It’s located 24° below Arcturus, near the Virgo-Libra border, and about 9° and 10° above Beta and […]

The sky, May 11-18: The rise of Vega

The sky, May 11-18: The rise of Vega

Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 11, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, MAY 11 ■ What is the oldest thing you have ever seen? For everyone in the world it’s at least the Sun and other objects of the solar system, age 4.6 billion years. (Virtually everything on or a little way under Earth’s surface is much younger.) Next […]

The sky, April 27 – May 4: Summer triangle appears in the East

The sky, April 27 – May 4: Summer triangle appears in the East

Special to CosmicTribune.com, April 28, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, APRIL 27 ■ Arcturus is the brightest star high in the east these evenings. Spica shines lower right of it by about three fists at arm’s length. To the right of Spica by half that distance is the distinctive four-star constellation Corvus, the springtime Crow. […]