The sky: March 19-17, featuring the Moon and Jupiter on the 13th

The sky: March 19-17, featuring the Moon and Jupiter on the 13th

Special to CosmicTribune.com, March 9, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SATURDAY, MARCH 9 ■ Sirius is the overwhelmingly brightest star of Canis Major. In a very dark sky the Big Dog’s realistic stick figure is fairly plain to see — the dog is in profile, prancing to the right on his hind legs, with Sirius as […]

The sky, February 25-March 3: Moon occults Antares early on March 3

The sky, February 25-March 3: Moon occults Antares early on March 3

Special to CosmicTribune.com, February 26, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25 ■ Another way Sirius is special: it’s the bottom star of the bright, equilateral Winter Triangle. The other two stars of the Triangle are orange Betelgeuse to Sirius’s upper right (Orion’s shoulder) and Procyon to Sirius’s upper left. The Winter Triangle perfectly balances on […]

The sky: February 18-25; Venus and Mars in close conjunction early on the 22nd

The sky: February 18-25; Venus and Mars in close conjunction early on the 22nd

Special to CosmicTribune.com, February 18, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18 ■ Canopus, the second-brightest star after Sirius, happens to lie almost due south of Sirius: by 36°. That’s far enough south that it never appears above your horizon unless you’re below latitude 37° N (southern Virginia, southern Missouri, central California). And near there, you’ll […]

The sky: February 12-18; Watch the Moon and Jupiter on 14th

The sky: February 12-18; Watch the Moon and Jupiter on 14th

Special to CosmicTribune.com, February 12-17, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12 ■ Orion stands his highest in the south by about 8 p.m. Under Orion’s feet, and to the right of Sirius, hides Lepus the Hare. Like Canis Major, this is a constellation with a connect-the-dots that really looks like what it’s supposed to be. […]

The sky: February 4-11; Subtle sights in the mid-winter nights

The sky: February 4-11; Subtle sights in the mid-winter nights

Special to CosmicTribune.com, February 4, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Today is the center of winter; we cross the midpoint between the December solstice and the March equinox at 10:16 a.m. EST (15:16 UT). That minute is the very bottom of the wheel of the year, astronomically speaking. In ancient Gaelic cultures this day […]

The sky: January 29-February 4; Center of winter

The sky: January 29-February 4; Center of winter

Special to CosmicTribune.com, January 29, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, JANUARY 29 ■ After dark the Great Square of Pegasus sinks low in the west, balancing on one corner. Meanwhile, the Big Dipper climbs up in the north-northeast, tipping up on its handle. ■ Algol shines at its minimum light, magnitude 3.4 instead of its usual […]

The sky: January 22-28; Full moon and springtime Leo in the East

The sky: January 22-28; Full moon and springtime Leo in the East

Special to CosmicTribune.com, January 22, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, JANUARY 22 ■ The gibbous Moon shines in a starry area of the winter sky. Face east in early evening. Upper left of the Moon sparkles bright Capella. A little farther upper right of the Moon is orange Aldebaran. Lower left of the Moon are Castor […]

The sky: January 15-21; Three planets before dawn

The sky: January 15-21; Three planets before dawn

Special to CosmicTribune.com, January 15, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, JANUARY 14 ■ The Gemini twins lie on their sides these January evenings, left of Orion. Their head stars, Castor and Pollux, are farthest from Orion, one over the other. Castor is the top one. The feet of the Castor stick figure are just left of […]

The sky: January 1-7; Jupiter’s moons put on a show on the 6th

The sky: January 1-7; Jupiter’s moons put on a show on the 6th

Special to CosmicTribune.com, January 1, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, JANUARY 1 ■ After the noise and celebration at the turning of midnight tonight, step outside into the silent, cold dark. The waning gibbous Moon will be shining high in the east, with the Sickle of Leo floating about a fist at arm’s length above it. […]

The sky: December 26 – January 1; Venus, a bright ‘morning star’ at -4.0 magnitude

The sky: December 26 – January 1; Venus, a bright ‘morning star’ at -4.0 magnitude

Special to CosmicTribune.com, December 26, 2023, 2023 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26 ■ Full Moon tonight (exact at 7:33 p.m. EST). Now shining above the feet of Gemini in the evening, the Moon forms a deeper triangle with Capella and Aldebaran than it did last night. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27 ■ As the stars come out, face due […]

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