In the Sky This Month

Vega, the fifth-brightest star in the night sky, is enthroned at the top of the sky tonight. The name Vega is from an ancient Arabic name that means “swooping eagle.” Vega is in the constellation Lyra, the harp.

The Northern Cross is another name for Cygnus, the swan, which sails high overhead on summer evenings. When we look at Cygnus, we’re looking down the spiral arm that contains our own solar system, so we see many amazing celestial objects.

Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, stands just below the Moon this evening and looks like a brilliant star. Binoculars reveal Jupiter’s biggest moons, which look like tiny stars near the planet.

Spica is the bright star to the lower right of the Moon tonight. Although it looks like a single star, it is at least two stars. One of them is more than 11 times the mass of the Sun, while the other is about seven times the Sun’s mass.

Skywatchers at far-southern latitudes can see Lupus, the wolf, leaping low across the sky on summer evenings. You need dark skies and a clear horizon to find him. The wolf is below the more prominent constellation Scorpius.

Cassiopeia the queen sits low in the north-northeast at nightfall, then wheels high to the north at first light. Its stars form a bright letter W, so it’s one of the easiest constellations to pick out.

Delphinus, the dolphin, is in good view in the east at nightfall. This tiny pattern of stars really does look like a dolphin. Look for it swimming into view in the east as darkness falls, and climbing high across the south during the night.

Venus, the dazzling “evening star,” lines up close to the crescent Moon this evening. Venus shines so brightly in part because it’s quite close, and in part because it’s blanketed by brilliant clouds.

The Moon, two planets, and a bright star line up in the west as night falls. The planet Mercury is close below the Moon. Venus, the “evening star,” is to the upper left of the Moon. Regulus, the heart of Leo, the lion, lines up between the Moon and Venus.

Teapot-shaped Sagittarius is in the southeast at nightfall. The steam above the teapot’s spout includes two nebulae that are giving birth to new star clusters: M8 (the Lagoon Nebula) and M20 (the Trifid Nebula).