In the Sky This Month

Fomalhaut, the “autumn star,” is low in the southeast as night falls. It stays low in the sky as it arcs across the south during the night. It’s the only bright star in its region of the sky, though, so it’s easy to pick out.

The Big Dipper is low in the northwest at nightfall, and in the northeast at first light tomorrow. And W-shaped Cassiopeia is just the opposite — in the northeast at nightfall, and northwest at first light.

The Moon slides down the southwestern sky this evening. It’s accompanied by Saturn, the second-biggest planet in the solar system. Saturn looks like a bright star to the right of the Moon.

yra, the harp, stands high overhead as night falls, marked by its leading light, Vega, one of the brightest stars in the night sky. The constellation slides down the western sky later on.

Jupiter shines quite close to the Moon tonight. The solar system’s largest planet looks like a brilliant star, and stands to the lower right of the Moon as darkness falls

The Moon has a couple of impressive companions this evening. The brilliant planet Jupiter is to the upper left of the Moon as night falls, with Antares, the brightest star of the scorpion, closer to the lower left.

The Moon is passing through Libra, the balance scales, early this evening. Antares, the heart of the scorpion, stands to the left of the Moon, with the brilliant planet Jupiter farther to the upper left of the Moon.

Orion is in the south at dawn. It’s identified by the hunter’s “belt” of three fairly stars. The brightest stars in the constellation flank the belt: orange Betelgeuse to the upper left, and blue-white Rigel to the lower right.

The planet Venus will stand to the lower right of the Moon shortly after sunset tonight, looking like a bright star just above the horizon. Venus will climb into better view by late next month, when it will reign as the “evening star.”

Venus is trying to climb into view in the evening sky. The planet is very low in the west at sunset and sets well before twilight fades. It’s the brightest object in the sky other than the Sun and Moon, though, so it’s worth a try.