In the Sky This Month

The Moon passes closest to Earth today for its current cycle of phases, at a distance of less than 227,000 miles, which is about 12,000 miles closer than average. Tides are higher at this point, known as perigee.

The constellation Cetus is entering the late-evening sky. Early star maps depict it as a fish with the head of a dragon or lion. Cetus had an appetite for young ladies, but when he tried to devour the princess Andromeda, he was slain by Perseus.

Look for Saturn near the Moon tonight. The Sun’s second-largest planet looks like a bright star to the right of the Moon in early evening, and farther below the Moon at dawn tomorrow.

Saturn stands close to the Moon the next couple of nights. The planet looks like a bright star. It is to the lower left of the Moon as darkness falls tonight, and about the same distance to the right of the Moon tomorrow night.

A total lunar eclipse will be visible around much of the world tomorrow, but not the Americas. We will see a beautiful full Moon, however. It’s known as the Fruit Moon or Green Corn Moon.

The Moon tonight will briefly cover Deneb Algedi, the brightest star of Capricornus. The vanishing act will be in view from much of the U.S. Deneb Algedi isn’t very bright, but binoculars will help you see it. From much of the western U.S., the Moon will just miss it.

The planet Jupiter will slide past Wasat, one of the brighter stars of Gemini, the next few mornings. They are well up in the east at dawn. Jupiter looks like a brilliant star, far to the upper right of even-brighter Venus. Wasat will stand below Jupiter tomorrow.

Draco, the dragon, twists high across the north at nightfall. One of its faint stars has a companion planet, which is bigger and heavier than Earth. Scientists say the planet could have a deep global ocean, making it a possible home for life.

If you are in a clear, dark country location before dawn over the next few weeks, you might see the elusive zodiacal light. Look toward the eastern horizon before twilight for a ghostly pyramid, which is sunlight reflecting off of dust grains between the planets.

Tau Ceti, a star in the Cetus, rises by midnight, far to the lower left of the bright planet Saturn. Tau Ceti is a bit smaller, lighter, and cooler than the Sun, but overall, it’s quite similar. The biggest difference is that it may be twice the Sun’s age.