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, Sept. 8-15: Moon occults Pi Scorpii, Sept. 9

The sky, Sept. 8-15: Moon occults Pi Scorpii, Sept. 9

Special to CosmicTribune.com, September 9, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 ■ Right after nightfall, the thickening crescent Moon shines low in the southwest. Look almost two fists upper left of it for orange Antares. Two thirds of the way from the Moon to Antares is the near-vertical row of three stars marking the […]

The sky, August 18-25: Blue Moon and supermoon on Monday

The sky, August 18-25: Blue Moon and supermoon on Monday

Special to CosmicTribune.com, August 19, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, AUGUST 18 ■ Whenever bright Vega shines nearest your zenith, as it does right after dark now. Two hours later, when Deneb passes the zenith, it’s the turn of little Delphinus and boat-shaped Capricornus down below it to stand at their highest due south. After […]

The sky, Aug. 4-11: Here come the Perseid meteors

The sky, Aug. 4-11: Here come the Perseid meteors

Special to CosmicTribune.com, August 5, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, AUGUST 4 ■ New Moon (exact at 7:13 a.m. on this date EDT). ■ The T Cor Bor Watch continues. Have you been checking Corona Borealis overhead these clear evenings? The recurrent nova T Coronae Borealis could erupt to 2nd magnitude anytime this summer. Or fall. […]

The sky, July 28-Aug. 3: Open clusters M6 and M7 in the South

The sky, July 28-Aug. 3: Open clusters M6 and M7 in the South

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 29, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SATURDAY, JULY 27 ■ Last-quarter Moon (exact at 10:52 p.m. EDT). The Moon, in Pisces, rises around 11 or midnight tonight below the head of Andromeda and the Great Square of Pegasus. SUNDAY, JULY 28 ■ Starry Scorpius is sometimes called “the Orion of Summer” — […]

The sky, July 14-21: Planets on parade

The sky, July 14-21: Planets on parade

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 15, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, JULY 14 ■ Uranus is in conjunction with Mars fairly low in the east before dawn on Monday morning July 15th. The two planets are magnitudes 5.8 and 0.9, respectively. Just before dawn Monday morning, use binoculars or a telescope to spot Uranus 0.6° to the north […]

The sky, June 9-16: Saturn re-emerges at dawn, rings edge-on

The sky, June 9-16: Saturn re-emerges at dawn, rings edge-on

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 9, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, JUNE 9 ■ The Big Dipper has now swung around to hang down by its handle high in the northwest after dark. The middle star of its handle is Mizar, with tiny little Alcor right next to it. On which side of Mizar should you […]