More Moon and Regulus
The star Regulus perches to the lower right of the Moon as night falls. Regulus is the brightest star of Leo, the lion. The lion’s head and mane curl to the right of the Moon, forming a hook or a backward question mark.
Moon and Regulus
Regulus, the bright star that marks the heart of the Lion, stands to the upper left of the Moon in early evening. Regulus is 79 light-years away, so if anything dramatic were to happen to the star tonight, we wouldn’t know about it until 2103.
Cygnus Loop
About 10,000 years ago, a giant star in the swan blew itself to bits. Its remains form the Cygnus Loop, a colorful bubble more than 100 light-years across. It is in the east-northeast at nightfall, to the lower right of Deneb, the bright star at the swan’s tail.
Little Guys
Delphinus, the dolphin, climbs the eastern sky on July evenings. Its five brightest stars outline the dolphin. In mythology, the dolphin rescued a poet and musician who jumped into the sea after he was threatened by the crew of his ship.
The Arrow
Sagitta, the arrow, is a third of the way up the eastern sky at nightfall. It’s the third-smallest of the 88 constellations. Under dark skies, it does look like an arrow. It stands between the stars Altair, to its lower right, and Deneb, farther to the upper left.
Aphelion
Earth is farthest from the Sun for the entire year today and tomorrow. As a result, our planet is receiving almost seven percent less energy from the Sun than it did when it was closest to the Sun, in January.
Unsteady Giant
Supergiant star RW Cephei, which recently faded after it expelled a huge cloud of gas, is low in the northeast at nightfall. It is halfway between Deneb, the star at the tail of the swan, and W-shaped Cassiopeia. Even at its best, you need binoculars to see it.
Moon and Jupiter
Look for Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, to the right or lower right of the Moon at dawn tomorrow. Jupiter looks like a brilliant star. The star Aldebaran is farther to the lower right of Jupiter, and is tougher to see through the twilight.
Moon and Planets
The planets Mars and Jupiter appear near the Moon at dawn tomorrow. Mars looks like a bright orange star to the upper right of the Moon. Jupiter is even brighter, and it crouches below the Moon, low above the horizon.
Moon and Mars
Bright orange Mars is close to the Moon the next two mornings. The planet will perch directly below the Moon at dawn tomorrow, and to the upper right of the Moon on Tuesday.