This Week's Sky at a Glance, September 3 – 11
Spica glimmers demurely under showy Venus in the western twilight. Try for Mercury way down to their lower right. Jupiter and Saturn dominate the evening south.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, Aug. 27 – Sept. 4
Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn are all getting a little higher in early evening. Vega passes the zenith soon after dark; Deneb does so two hours later. Andromeda is up in the east.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 20 – 28
Jupiter and Saturn are just past opposition, so they dominate the sky all night. They inhabit dim Capricornus, which pushes Sagittarius westward. Venus, even showier, owns the western twilight but sets by full darkness.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 13 – 21
The Moon waxes from first quarter to gibbous in the evening sky, offering some of its most interesting telescopic aspects. Venus grows more insistent in the western twilight. And Jupiter and especially Saturn pose well in the southeast to south by late evening.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 6 – 14
It's Perseid meteor week! Venus lights the western twilight. Saturn and Jupiter are up in the southeast by mid-twilight and await your telescope later at night. And explore the deep-sky glories of Sagittarius before moonlight returns.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 30 – August 7
Saturn is at opposition this week, and Jupiter is soon to follow. Will your scope show the Seeliger effect of Saturn's opposition rings? Venus continues to haunt the low west in twilight. And in the south, Sagittarius starts nudging Scorpius aside.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 23 – 31
Saturn and Jupiter shine in the southeast by late evening. The bright Moon passes them on the 24th through 26th. Venus continues to sit patiently, changelessly, low in the west in twilight. Bootes and the Big Dipper mark the western sky after dark; the Summer Triangle emblazons the east.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 16 – 24
Venus shines in the western twilight as Mars sinks away. Jupiter and Saturn rise in late dusk. And after dark, Scorpius shows off at its very best in the south.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 9 – 17
Bright Venus and tiny Mars come to conjunction low in the western twilight, as the crescent Moon stands watch. On the other side of the sky, Saturn and Jupiter rise after dark. And before moonlight comes back, delve the deep sky in Scorpius and Sagittarius.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 2 – 10
Bright Venus and faint little Mars close in on each other low in the western twilight. Scorpius, laden with interesting stars and deep-sky targets, is highest in the south right after dark. Sagittarius, even richer, follows behind. Saturn and Jupiter rise in late evening.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 25 – July 3
Showy Venus and shy little Mars draw closer together in the western dusk. In the east, the Summer Triangle holds sway after dark with the Milky Way behind it.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 18 – 26
Summer begins. The Honey Moon poses with Spica, Scorpius, and the Teapot as it waxes from gibbous through full this week. Venus lines up, briefly, with Castor and Pollux
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 11 – 19
The crescent Moon passes Venus, Pollux, Castor, and Mars in the evening twilight. The Big Dipper hangs down; the Little Dipper floats up. And greet the "Betelgeuse of summer."
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 4 – 12
Pollux and Castor slide down past Mars in the west, while Venus, shining brightly below, tries to hog attention. On the other side of the sky, the enormous arch of the Milky Way hoves into view after dark behind the Summer Triangle.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 28 – June 5
Venus and Mercury conjoin in the post-sunset afterglow as Mercury fades away; bring binoculars! Arcturus stands over Spica. The Scorpion rears up, and the Big Dipper floats on high.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 21 – 29
The Moon waxes from gibbous to supermoon-eclipse full. Low at dusk, Venus and Mercury close in on each other. Nova Cas has dropped back. And at dawn, Jupiter and Saturn climb a bit into slightly better view.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 14 – 22
The crescent Moon waxes across the evening sky, pairing with Mars in upright-standing Gemini and then, four days later, with Leo's forefoot Regulus. In a telescope, Jupiter and Saturn are becoming not quite so fuzzy as they gain more altitude in early dawn.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 7 – 15
Mercury and low Venus adorn the west after sunset, with the crescent Moon soon to join them. Night brings the big Diamond of Virgo and Summer Triangle. Nova Cassiopeiae rebrightens. And Comet Atlas is in evening view with a 6-inch telescope.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 30 – May 8
Mercury and Venus now show themselves better at dusk. After dark, Comet Atlas awaits telescopic skyhunters. And the waning Moon passes under Saturn and Jupiter in early dawn.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 23 – May 1
Day by day, Venus and Mercury creep up from the sunset horizon in bright twilight. High above as twilight fades away, trace out the Arch of Spring arching high over Mars. Meanwhile Arcturus dominates the east.