SUNSET: 
Sky at a Glance | March 6th, 2009
Brilliant Venus is moving lower in the western twilight, as it thins to an eerie crescent in a small telescope. Saturn is at opposition, shining high in the southeast by late evening. And in the same constellation as Saturn, the biggest asteroid, Ceres, continues its best showing of our lifetimes.
Tour March's Sky! | February 27th, 2009
Where in the sky will you find the ringed planet Saturn and a pair of cosmic twins? You'll spot them easily if you download our guided audio tour of the March evening sky.
S&T's Audio Sky Tour for March 2009
Brilliant Venus, still in the southwestern evening sky, makes its last stand this month. Orion and his cohort dominate in the south, but the mighty lion Leo, accompanied by Saturn, are gaining ground in the east. Knowing where to to look to find these sky sights is easy if you…
S&T's Audio Sky Tour for February 2009
Amid the sparkling midwinter are two planets that are a study in contrasts. Venus is a brilliant, unmistakable beacon in the southwestern evening sky. But to find Saturn you'll have to be a bit patient and know just where to look — it's easy to find by downloading our monthly…
Sky at a Glance | February 27th, 2009
Venus, shining in the western twilight, has a gorgeous naked-eye pairing with the crescent Moon on Friday Feb. 27th. Comet Lulin is fading this week but still visible in binoculars. And the biggest asteroid, Ceres, continues its best showing of our lifetimes.
Sky at a Glance | February 20th, 2009
It's a mighty busy sky week! Comet Lulin is now at its closest and brightest. The biggest asteroid, Ceres, is having its best showing of our lifetimes. Not just one but four of Saturn's satellites, and their shadows, will cross Saturn's face in one night. And Venus has a gorgeous naked-eye pairing with the crescent Moon.
Sky at a Glance | February 13th, 2009
Venus is shining the highest and brightest it ever gets! If your evenings are very dark, can you see your faint Venus-shadow on snow or a white sheet on the ground? Later in the night, nearly-ringless Saturn climbs into good view in the east. And Comet Lulin is almost at its nearest and best, now in a moonless sky.
Sky at a Glance | February 6th, 2009
Venus continues blazing high, Mercury is now up in view before sunrise — and for western North America, the full Moon undergoes a penumbral (weak) eclipse before sunrise on Monday the 9th.
Tour February's Sky! | February 1st, 2009
Download our popular MP3 audio tour of the night sky, and get easy-to-follow tips for spotting a brilliant Venus, a subdued Saturn, a smudgy lunar eclipse, and more!
S&T's Audio Sky Tour for December 2008
After listening to this podcast, you'll have no trouble spotting Venus, Jupiter, the Pleiades star cluster, and much more in the evening! Host: S&T's Kelly Beatty. (5MB MP3 download: running time: 5m 47s)
Sky at a Glance | January 30th, 2009
Venus is near peak brilliance, outshining everything in the evening sky but the Moon. Saturn shines high in the early-morning hours, when you can also try for the incoming Comet Lulin.
Sky at a Glance | January 23rd, 2009
Venus is nearing its peak brilliance, outshining everything else in the evening sky — until the Moon joins it late in the week. And Saturn is now rising as early as 8 or 9 p.m.
Sky at a Glance | January 16th, 2009
Venus dazzles high in the evening, with Uranus right near it but 15,000 times fainter. Still, you can spot Uranus with binoculars. And Saturn is now rising as early as 9 p.m.
Sky at a Glance | January 9th, 2009
Venus dazzles high in the cold winter dusk, and a telescope shows that it's almost perfectly half-lit. Before dawn, Saturn's rings remain the closest to edge-on that you can see them until 2038.
Tour January's Sky! | January 2nd, 2009
What's that brilliant beacon in the southwestern evening sky — a supernova? a UFO? Nope, it's Venus, this winter's dazzling "evening star." Learn more about Venus and other celestial showpieces by downloading our monthly guide to the night sky!
S&T's Audio Sky Tour for January 2009
What's that brilliant beacon in the southwestern evening sky — a supernova? a UFO? Nope, it's Venus, this winter's dazzling "evening star." Learn more about Venus and other celestial showpieces by downloading our monthly guide to the night sky! Host: S&T's Kelly Beatty. (7MB MP3 download: running time: 7m 55s)
Sky at a Glance | January 2nd, 2009
Venus dazzles ever higher in the cold winter dusk. If you brave the even colder early-morning hours, the Quadrantid meteors may reward you overhead. Before dawn, Saturn's rings remain the closest to edge on that you can see them until 2038.
Meteor Showers in 2009
Sky & Telescope predicts that 2009's best meteor showers should be the Quadrantids, Orionids, and Geminids — with the added possibility of a spectacular outburst from the Leonids in mid-November.
Sky at a Glance | December 26th, 2008
Venus shines ever brighter and higher in twilight, passing stars and Neptune and then pairing spectacularly with the Moon. Jupiter, far to its lower right, meets Mercury. Before dawn, Saturn's rings are the closest to edge-on you can see them for years to come.
Sky at a Glance | December 19th, 2008
Venus shines brighter and higher in the southwestern twilight, passing stars and Neptune. Jupiter is sinking down far to its lower right. After dark, Orion season is now in full force. And at dawn, Saturn's rings are the closest to edge-on you can see them for years to come.
