SUNSET: 
Spot Titan's Shadow on Saturn!
Take advantage of Saturn's nearly edge-on orientation to see Titan and its shadow crossing Saturn's bright face during April, May, and June.
Sky at a Glance | April 10th, 2009
Saturn shines high in the evening, but more planetary action happens at dawn. The waning Moon passes Jupiter before sunrise and then, a few days later, occults Venus for parts of North America.
Sky at a Glance | April 10th, 2009
Saturn displays its rings for evening telescope users. Low in the dawn, Venus points the way to challenging little Mars. And there's an outbreak on Jupiter.
Sky at a Glance | April 3rd, 2009
The Moon and Saturn pose in the evening sky. At dawn the crescent Venus is visible very low, while Jupiter shines higher in easier view.
S&T's Audio Sky Tour for April 2009
Brilliant Venus is gone from the evening sky and Orion is on the wane in the west, while the mighty lion Leo, accompanied by Saturn, now dominates in the east. Meanwhile, the Big Dipper crowns the sky overhead. Knowing where to to look to find these sky sights is easy…
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If you were outside at 9:40 on Sunday evening, March 29th, between Maryland and North Carolina, you didn't even have to be looking up.
Sky at a Glance | March 27th, 2009
Thin-crescent Venus passes through inferior conjunction well north of the Sun, and already it's emerging very low in the dawn. Don't confuse it with bright Jupiter, far to its upper right before sunrise. Meanwhile, thin-ringed Saturn poses for your telescope in the evening, and the crescent Moon passes the Pleiades and Hyades.
Sky at a Glance | March 20th, 2009
Venus is plunging low into the sunset — and simultaneously rising low in the dawn. How is this possible? Thin-ringed Saturn is well up in the east by mid-evening, behaving very sedately by comparison.
Sky at a Glance | March 13th, 2009
Brilliant, thin-crescent Venus gets really interesting this week as it sinks lower in the western twilight on its way to inferior conjunction. Thin-ringed Saturn is well up in fine view in the east by late evening. And fading Comet Lulin once again has a dark moonless sky.
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.
