The sky, Nov. 25-Dec. 1, starring the Andromeda Galaxy and Perseus Double Cluster

The sky, Nov. 25-Dec. 1, starring the Andromeda Galaxy and Perseus Double Cluster

Special to CosmicTribune.com, November 25, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25 ■ The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and the Perseus Double Cluster are two of the most famous deep-sky objects. They’re both cataloged as 4th magnitude, and in a fairly good sky you can see each with the unaided eye. Binoculars make them easier. Did you […]

The sky, Nov. 18-24: Mars is brightening

The sky, Nov. 18-24: Mars is brightening

Special to CosmicTribune.com, November 18, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18 ■ The waning gibbous Moon rises within an hour after dark this evening. Watch for it to come up lower left of Jupiter. Another couple hours and Castor and Pollux will stand in good view to the Moon’s lower left, while Orion sparkles about […]

The sky, Nov. 10-17: Moon occults part of Pleiades late Friday

The sky, Nov. 10-17: Moon occults part of Pleiades late Friday

Special to CosmicTribune.com, November 10, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10 ■ The waxing gibbous Moon shines quite near Saturn this evening for the Americas. In fact, its dark limb will occult Saturn for southern Florida, Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of South America. For instance, seen from Miami, Saturn will slowly disappear at […]

The sky, Nov. 3-10: Jupiter’s Great Red Spot Friday

The sky, Nov. 3-10: Jupiter’s Great Red Spot Friday

Special to CosmicTribune.com, November 4, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3 ■ If you know a place with a very low view to the southwest horizon, bring binoculars after sunset to try for the very thin crescent Moon close to Antares. They’re deep in the bright twilight and thick air near the horizon! Look […]

The sky, Oct. 26-Nov. 3: Jupiter dominates the East

The sky, Oct. 26-Nov. 3: Jupiter dominates the East

Special to CosmicTribune.com, October 28, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 ■ Altair is the brightest star high in the southwest after dark. Brighter Vega is about three fists to its right, high toward the west. Above Altair lurk two distinctive little constellations: Delphinus the Dolphin, hardly more than a fist at arm’s length to […]

The sky, Oct. 20-27: Jupiter optimal for telescope viewing

The sky, Oct. 20-27: Jupiter optimal for telescope viewing

Special to CosmicTribune.com, October 20, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20 ■ For most Northern Hemisphere observers, this is the first evening in more than a week that offers a brief window of Moon-free darkness for spotting Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS between twilight’s end and moonrise. The comet should be about 4th magnitude now, much faded from a […]

The sky, Oct. 13-20: Welcome Comet T-A

The sky, Oct. 13-20: Welcome Comet T-A

Special to CosmicTribune.com, October 13, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13 ■ And now, even 60 minutes after sunset, the comet ‘s head is still a fine 9° high or so in the darkening sky. It’s about midway between Venus to its left or lower left, and Arcturus to its right or upper right. […]

The sky, Oct. 6-13: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS makes its appearance

The sky, Oct. 6-13: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS makes its appearance

Special to CosmicTribune.com, October 7, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. The low-riding waxing crescent Moon of early fall passes Venus, then Antares in the fading afterglow of sunset. Venus is plotted here at its position on October 5th (for North America), when it’s just 0.9° lower left of Alpha Librae, magnitude 2.8. Every day Venus moves […]

The sky, Sept. 30-Oct. 7

The sky, Sept. 30-Oct. 7

Special to CosmicTribune.com, September 29, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 ■ Face south and look high these evenings after dark. The brightest star there is Altair, the southernmost point of the Summer Triangle. The other two are Deneb and Vega more nearly overhead. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 ■ The starry W of Cassiopeia stands high […]

The sky, Sept. 22-29: Fall is here

The sky, Sept. 22-29: Fall is here

Special to CosmicTribune.com, September 22, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 ■ Goodbye to summer — at last! Today is equinox day. Earth passes the September equinox point in its orbit at 8:44 a.m. EDT (12:44 UT). This is when the Sun, in its six-month journey south, crosses the celestial equator — and equivalently, […]