EarthSky Tonight—August 28, Ophiuchus is part of the Zodiac, too
Ophiuchus is sometimes called the 13th or “forgotten” constellation of the Zodiac.
EarthSky Tonight—August 27, moon near Jupiter – not Mars
Currently, both the moon and planet are in the constellation of Pisces the Fish. They are not far from the circular pattern of stars known as The Circlet in Pisces.
EarthSky Tonight—August 26, Jupiter and moon in east by late evening
In fact, astronomers of past centuries were originally able to rank the planets by distance based on the speed of their motions in front of the fixed stars.
EarthSky Tonight—August 25, Orion the Hunter and Sirius the Dog Star
Orion will be visible in the evening by winter, but right now the Hunter lords over the southeastern sky at dawn’s first light.
EarthSky Tonight—August 24, August full moon is smallest, farthest full moon in 2010
The August 2010 full moon is the smallest, farthest full moon of the year.
EarthSky Tonight—August 23, Venus points way to fainter Mars
Shining at magnitude -4.4, Venus easily pierces the northern hemisphere’s thick summer air.
EarthSky Tonight—August 22, Almost full moon lights up Capricornus
Look for the three brilliant stars of the Summer Triangle high above the moon tonight.
EarthSky Tonight—August 21, Summer Triangle high overhead on summer evenings
The three stars of the Summer Triangle shine so wonderfully brilliantly that you can see them from light-polluted cities or on a moonlit night.
EarthSky Tonight—August 20, Star-hop from Big Dipper to Arcturus and Spica
pica and Arcturus descend westward throughout the evening hours. Spica sets beneath the west-southwest horizon by mid to late evening. Arcturus sets beneath the west-northwest horizon after midnight.
EarthSky Tonight—August 19, Venus’ greatest evening elongation favors southern hemisphere
As seen from Earth, Venus stays closely tethered to the sun. These next few evenings, however, will find Venus at the end of its tether, at 46 degrees east of…