Earthsky Tonight — Moon between Capella and Betelgeuse
The rather wide waxing crescent moon will be shining in between two brilliant stars tonight. Capella, the brightest star in the constellation Auriga, will be beaming north of the moon,…
Earthsky Tonight —Saturn closest, brightest, opposite the sun
The planet Saturn is at opposition today. That means Saturn is opposite the sun in Earth’s sky. At opposition, Saturn rises in the east at sunset and sets in the…
Earthsky Tonight —The 2010 equinox comes on March 20
The March equinox marks that special moment when the sun crosses celestial equator, going from south to north. It happens today at 17:32 Universal Time, or 11:32 p.m. Mountain Daylight…
Earthsky Tonight — On eve of equinox, moon between Pleiades and Ram’s Head
Just after sunset tonight you will spot the crescent moon above the western horizon. The moon floats between the faint head stars of the constellation Aries and the mythic sisters…
Earthsky Tonight — March 18: Venus in Pisces, moon in Aries
Tonight, as soon as it gets dark, the waxing crescent moon can help you locate the small constellation Aries the Ram. Look to the west, just above the place where…
Earthsky Tonight — Young moon and Venus low after sunset
It is nearly spring in the northern hemisphere. The March equinox - when the sun crosses the celestial equator from south to north – will fall on March 20.
Earthsky Tonight: March 15—The westward shift of Orion and all the stars
We got this question: “Orion seems to have moved and turned considerably in the last two weeks. Will Orion disappear before summer?” The answer is that all the stars and…
Earthsky Tonight—March 14, Leo loses his tail, we gain a constellation
Tonight’s chart again shows the evening sky high to the east. Below and to the left of the constellation Leo the Lion are dozens of very faint stars. They are…
Earthsky Tonight—March 13, Use the Big Dipper to locate the Hunting Dogs
You can locate the Big Dipper in the northeast in mid- to late evening around now. The Big Dipper is part of the constellation Ursa Major, the Greater Bear. In…
Earthsky Tonight—March 12, Tangle of stars in Berenice’s Hair
What we are about to describe requires a dark sky to be seen: a faraway cluster of stars known as “Coma Berenices.” How can you spot it? One way is…