When the Curves Line Up

The Perseid meteor shower peaks on the morning of August 12. This year promises favorable observing without the moon in the sky during the shower. The meteors are the dust from comet that vaporize wh…

June 16, 2021:  A summer project is to build a sidewalk solar system model. The scale uses the sun’s size as the size of a basketball.  Earth’s distance is 88 feet.

This episode is also available as …

June 20 – June 23, 2021:  The bright moon appears near the classic Scorpion.  On the first two evenings, the lunar orb appears near the pincers and on the next two, it’s near the scorpion’s heart.

Th…

June 15 – June 22, 2021:  Brilliant Evening Star Venus shines in the west-northwest after sunset.  It continues to close the distance to Mars.  Venus shines from Gemini, beneath Castor and Pollux.  M…

June 18 – 19, 2021:  The waxing moon is moving through Virgo.  On June 18, it is near Porrima.  The next evening, the moon is above Spica.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whent…

June 15, 2021:  The Pleiades star cluster returns to the morning sky.  You may have observed the star cluster in the east-northeast during morning twilight.

This episode is also available as a blog p…

June 23, 2021:  Red Planet Mars appears to be in the Beehive this evening.  For clarity, it’s in the Beehive star cluster.  While low in the sky and in an unfavorable observing location, take a look …

June 20, 2021:  The sun reaches the summer solstice mark in the sky, to signal the beginning of astronomical summer in the northern hemisphere.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://…

June 17, 2021:  At mid-month, bright Jupiter and Saturn are in the southern sky before sunrise.  Saturn is retrograding in Capricornus.  Jupiter’s eastward direction is slowing as it turns westward t…

June 15 – June 17, 2021:  The evening waxing moon passes Leo the Lion.  On June 15, the moon is near Regulus and Eta Leonis.  The next evening, June 16, the lunar orb is between Regulus and Denebola.…

Mid-June, 2021:  As morning twilight begins – quite early this time of year – the great winged horse is in the south-southeast.  The Great Square of Pegasus is made of moderately bright stars.  The h…

August 18, 2021: During bright twilight, five planets and the moon are in the sky simultaneously after sunset.  This is a challenging observation made with the assistance of a binocular or spotting s…

June 10, 2021: From Eastern Canada to Eastern Russia, the moon incompletely blocks the sun.  A ring of sunlight is visible around the new moon, making an annular or ring eclipse.  From New England, a…

June 11 – 14, 2021:  After the solar eclipse, the crescent moon returns to the western sky after sunset appearing with Evening Star Venus on June 11.  Each evening the crescent waxes and appears high…

2021, June:  With a crescent moon in the eastern sky, bright Jupiter and Saturn are in the southern sky.  Saturn is retrograding in Capricornus, while Jupiter begins to slow its eastward progress in …

Early June Evenings, 2021:  Arcturus, with the constellation Boötes, is high in the south as evening twilight ends.  The constellation seems to follow or chase the Big Bear westward.  Most people rec…

June 3 – June 8, 2021:  Each morning before sunrise, look eastward for the waning crescent moon.  Each morning the moon is farther eastward and lower in the sky, while the phase wanes to a thin cresc…

June 1 – June 7, 2021:  Evening Star Venus shines in the western sky after sunset.  Mars is over 20° to the upper left of Venus during this week.  Venus cuts the gap to Mars during the month.  Use a …

May 31, 2021: The planet parade is cut to four bright participants as Mercury departs the evening sky after tonight’s final appearance.  “Goodbye, Mercury!” until it appears in the morning sky during…