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 21-28

The sky, July 21-28

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 22, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, JULY 21 ■ This evening you’ll find that the low Moon forms a huge, nearly vertical line with Altair about three fists above it and Vega the same distance above Altair, near the zenith. ■ Look a finger-width at arm’s length above Altair for its […]

The sky, July 8-14: First quarter Moon occults Spica

The sky, July 8-14: First quarter Moon occults Spica

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 8, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, JULY 8 ■ Hercules crosses the zenith these evenings. And in the western edge of the Hercules Keystone, how many times have you pointed a scope at old friend M13, the great globular cluster? You do that not just because it’s one of the finest globulars in […]

The sky, June 17-23; Happy Solstice on the 20th

The sky, June 17-23; Happy Solstice on the 20th

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 17, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, JUNE 17 ■ Have you ever knowingly seen even a bit of the constellation Centaurus? Famous Alpha Centauri never gets above the horizon unless you’re as far south as San Antonio or Orlando (latitude 29° N). But fairly easy from much farther north is Theta Centauri, […]

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 […]

The sky, May 27 – June 2

The sky, May 27 – June 2

Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 27, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, MAY 27 ■ With the Moon gone from the evening sky, can you see the big, dim Coma Berenices star cluster? Does your light pollution really hide it, or do you just not know exactly where to look? It’s southwest of the zenith these evenings, 2/5 of the […]

The sky, May 19-26: Full Moon occults Antares on May 23

The sky, May 19-26: Full Moon occults Antares on May 23

Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 19, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, MAY 19 ■ The Moon continues to illuminate Virgo’s part of the sky. Early this evening look about 3° or 4° lower left of the Moon for Spica, Virgo’s brightest star. By midnight the Moon moves closer to Spica, which then will be directly to […]

The sky, May 12-19: How old are the stars we can see?

The sky, May 12-19: How old are the stars we can see?

Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 12, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, MAY 12 ■ The thickening crescent Moon shines just left of Pollux this evening. About twice as far to their right, Castor lies nearly on the same line. MONDAY, MAY 13 ■ After dark, use binoculars or a good finderscope to look 3° lower left of […]

The sky, April 28 – May 5: Jupiter sets for the season

The sky, April 28 – May 5: Jupiter sets for the season

Special to CosmicTribune.com, April 28, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, APRIL 28 ■ Hydra’s dim, irregular body and tail stretch all the way to Libra just risen in the southeast. He carries Crater and Corvus on his back. Below Crater, in Hydra’s most southerly part, is the new 12th-magnitude supernova in the 10th-magnitude galaxy NGC […]