Bright Birds
Aquila, the eagle, is in the eastern sky on summer evenings. As night falls, it stands to the lower right of Cygnus, the swan, another celestial bird that soars through the summer Milky Way.
Far from the Sun
Earth is farthest from the Sun today for the entire year, a point in our planet’s orbit known as aphelion. We’re about 1.5 percent farther than the average distance of 93 million miles.
Tezcatlipoca
The Big Dipper is visible every night of the year, circling the North Star, Polaris. To the Aztecs, the dipper personified the god Tezcatlipoca, “He Who Can Enter All Places.” He reigned over the cardinal directions as well as the night.
Moon and Companions
The Moon is in the southwest as night falls this evening, with two bright companions. The star Spica stands below the Moon, with the brilliant planet Jupiter a little farther to the right or lower right of the Moon.
Moon and Jupiter
The Moon has a big companion tonight, the planet Jupiter. It looks like a brilliant star quite close to the left of the Moon. Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system — about 11 times the diameter of Earth.
Future Fireworks
Cygnus, the swan, soars across the east at nightfall. One of its stars may explode around 2022. The system’s two stars are spiraling closer together. They should merge, causing an outburst that will make the system one of the brightest in the night sky.
Sagittarius Rising
Sagittarius climbs low across the southern sky on summer nights. Its brightest stars form the shape of a teapot, which clears the southeastern horizon a couple of hours after sunset. The center of the Milky Way galaxy is above the teapot’s spout.
Moon and Regulus
The star Regulus perches just a whisker away from the crescent Moon this evening. It’s the leading light of Leo, the lion. The name Regulus means “the little king.” The star is also known as Alpha Leonis, 32 Leo, and more than a dozen other names.
June Milky Way
About an hour after nightfall, the Milky Way curves from the northeast to the south-southeast. In the northeast, look for cross-shaped Cygnus immersed in the Milky Way’s glow. And in the south, look for the scorpion and Sagittarius, the archer.
Summer Triangle
The Summer Triangle is in good view at nightfall. Its brightest point is Vega, in Lyra, the harp, which is high in the east-northeast. The faintest point, Deneb, is well to the lower left of Vega, with Altair farther to the lower right of Vega.