The constellation Virgo the Maiden is easy to find by using the handle of the Big Dipper to arc to Arcturus in Boötes, then speeding on (or spiking down) to Spica, Virgo’s brightest star. Image via EarthSky.Millions come to EarthSky for night sky news and trusted science. Your donation keeps it free and accessible for all.| EarthSky
You’ll see Leo the Lion in the sky in 2 parts. First, the stars making up a backward question mark represent Leo’s head. That part is known as the Sickle. Second, the triangle at the back represents the Lion’s hindquarters. Also, the bright star Regulus is the period at the bottom of the backward question mark. Chart via EarthSky.Leo the Lion is one of the easiest of the 13 constellations of the zodiac to see. You can start by finding the bright star Regulus. And then trace out a distin...| EarthSky
The Astronomical Calendar is back! It was popular as a printed book from 1974 to 2016, used by thousands of sky-lovers in more than 100 countries. It then continued as an electronic book. For 2023 onward it has reappeared, in both forms, printed and electronic. Printed book: $22 (it was $29.95 for the previous printed … Continue reading "Astronomical Calendar 2025"| Universal Workshop
EarthSky’s Marcy Curran introduces you to the Pleiades, or 7 Sisters, in this video.| EarthSky
The constellation Boötes the Herdsman is an excellent target for June nights. Arcturus is the brightest star in the constellation. Chart via EarthSky.Boötes the Herdsman is a Northern Hemisphere constellation best seen in the late spring or early summer. It’s one of the largest constellations in the sky, ranking 13th out of 88. Boötes is most famous for its bright star Arcturus, which is the 4th brightest star in the night sky.| EarthSky
The star Arcturus is easy to identify. Use the Big Dipper to follow the arc to Arcturus and then speed on to Spica.Help! EarthSky needs your support to continue. Our yearly crowd-funding campaign is going on now. Donate here.| EarthSky
The Teapot asterism in the constellation Sagittarius marks the direction in our sky to the center of our Milky Way galaxy. The green line marks the ecliptic, or sun’s path across our sky. And we’ve marked the winter solstice point, where the sun resides around December 21. Chart via EarthSky.Come to know the Teapot of Sagittarius| EarthSky
The constellation Scorpius the Scorpion. If you have a dark sky, look for M4, a globular star cluster, near red star Antares.Scorpius is among the most distinctive of constellations in the zodiac. With a little imagination, you can see its stars tracing the shape of a scorpion. The brilliant red star Antares lies at the Scorpion’s Heart. The constellation has the shape of the letter J, with the curved bottom of the J representing the Scorpion’s curved Tail. There’s even a Stinger, consi...| EarthSky
Use this “handy” guide to measure degrees – or sky measurements – on the dome of the sky. Image via timeanddate.com. Used with permission.How do you describe how far apart something is in the sky? The fact is, the handiest measuring stick for the sky’s dome is the one on the end of your arm. You can use the width of your pinky, fist and more to gauge the distance between sky objects. That comes in handy when you’re observing conjunctions between planets, or close planets and stars...| EarthSky
The full moon, opposite the sun in its orbit, shows us its sunlit side. The moon appears full a couple of days before and after the exact moment of full moon.| EarthSky | Updates on your cosmos and world
This chart shows the 3 stars of the Summer Triangle, in the east in the evening in July. Note Vega’s constellation, Lyra. The Summer Triangle is big! A 12-inch (1/3-meter) ruler, placed at an arm’s length from your eye, will span the approximate distance from Vega to the star Altair. And an outstretched hand will fill the gap between Vega and Deneb. You can see the Summer Triangle in the evening from around May through the end of every year.The Summer Triangle| EarthSky
Our Editor-in-Chief Deborah Byrd works to keep all the astronomy balls in the air between EarthSky's website, YouTube page and social media platforms. She's the primary editor of our popular daily newsletter and a frequent host of EarthSky livestreams. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a ...| earthsky.org
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Sagittarius the Archer has a Teapot shape and is the constellation of the zodiac that contains the center of the Milky Way. If you live far enough south, you may spot the arcing shape of Corona Australis below Sagittarius. Image via EarthSky.If you’re outside on an August or September evening, you can glimpse the zodiacal constellation Sagittarius the Archer. From our northerly latitudes, it never climbs high in the sky. Yet when you’re looking toward Sagittarius, you’re looking in the ...| EarthSky
The constellation Scorpius with the red star Antares at the Scorpion’s Heart. It’s visible in the evenings for the next few months around the June solstice. Chart via EarthSky.Antares is an eye-catching star, shining with a distinctive bright red sparkle on northern summer evenings. Indeed, in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s a red beacon in winter evening skies. This star, also known as Alpha Scorpii, lies about 550 light-years away. It’s the brightest star in the zodiacal constellation...| EarthSky
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Cecille Kennedy from Oregon shared this image on October 17, 2024, and wrote: “The Hunter’s Supermoon is the largest of four supermoons in 2024. The full moon’s effulgence shone through the thin fog cover. Its lower rim, the lower edge is deep crimson.” Thank you, Cecille!What’s a supermoon?| EarthSky
At superior conjunction, Venus or Mercury are behind the sun from Earth. At inferior conjunction, Venus or Mercury are between the Earth and sun. At greatest elongation, Venus or Mercury are most to one side of the sun. Around greatest elongation, these inner planets, Mercury and Venus, are at their greatest distances from the sun on our sky’s dome. Chart via EarthSky.What is an elongation?| EarthSky
