SATURDAY

In evening dusk, silver Saturn escorts Leo the Lion lower in the west and sets before midnight. Its edge-on rings reveal satellite moons. Saturn will be visible in the evening sky until August. Dim Ceres, largest asteroid, glides below the Lion's tail. Corvus the Crow leads Spica, in Virgo (Spring Maiden) into the southwest, followed by the stars of Libra. Huge Scorpius clears the southeastern horizon. Antares (red supergiant hundreds of times larger than our sun) is the 'heart' beating in the Scorpion's torso. The bright moon floats near Antares.

The Sagittarian Teapot rises in the southeast. Use binoculars to view several distant nebulas and clusters in the southeast -- the densest area of our Milky Way Galaxy. Pluto, visible in telescopes, hides in deep space above the Teapot. Arcturus, Herdsman, sparkles west of Zenith. Corona Borealis (stellar necklace) shimmers overhead. In the northeast, Hercules leads Vega, in Lyra the Harp, and the vast Summer Triangle toward the Zenith. The Summer Milky Way (River of Stars) arches from southeast to northeast.

The Big Dipper pivots into the northwest -- its 'bowl' faces Polaris, North Star. The Little Dipper's handle is 'attached' to Polaris. By 10:45 p.m. bright golden Jupiter rises in the southeast, surrounded by its four closest moons. Dim blue Neptune lies one degree to upper right of Jupiter in eastern Capricornus, Sea Goat. Blue-green Uranus, in Pisces the Fish, rises in the southeast around 11:45. By midnight, the Winged Horse (Great Square of Pegasus) peers over the eastern horizon. The Royal Family arrives low in the northeast.

TUESDAY

Thunder Moon becomes full at 5:21 a.m. After sunset the bright moon floats near the Sagittarian Teapot in the southeast.

THURSDAY

About 5:30 a.m., a celestial lineup occurs in Taurus the Bull rising in the east: the delicate Seven Sisters (Pleiades star cluster) lead dim ruddy Mars above brilliant Venus.

Aldebaran (red Bull's eye) winks from the V-shaped Hyades cluster just below the Morning Star that dominates the eastern sky. Blue-green Uranus lies in the southeast. Bright Jupiter dances with dim Neptune in the south. Fomalhaut, Southern Fish, twinkles below them. Use binoculars to view five planets in the predawn sky. Aries the Ram chases Pegasus overhead. The Royal Family reigns in the north: Queen Cassiopeia, King Cepheus, daughter Andromeda and Perseus the Hero. Vega leads the Summer Triangle across the northwest. The Sagittarian Teapot follows Scorpius lower in the southwest.

FRIDAY

By 10:30 p.m., the bright waning moon floats beside golden Jupiter rising in the southeast.

Summer Star Party: Weather permitting, Southern Cross Astros will arrange hi-tech telescopes from 8 to 10 p.m. at Schnebly's Winery, 30205 SW 217th Ave., Homestead.

Compiled by Barb Yager

305-661-1375 www.scas.org

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