SkyCaramba

Mars pushes into Gemini. Jupiter prepares to turn around. Venus enters Pisces. And with two dogs crossing the sky, why don't northern hemisphere residents call these the dog nights of winter?

Venus soars above Saturn. Jupiter and the Hyades are high at dusk. Mars passes Pollux. And how can scientists know when the Blaze Star in Corona Borealis will flare up?

The moon passes in front of Mars. Venus passes Saturn. The moon's near Pollux and Mars. And let's discuss how Gemini, the celestial twins, aren't full brothers.

Jupiter remains near the Hyades. The moon visits Venus and Saturn. Mercury continues on its way out of the morning sky. And Earth is getting farther away from the sun. But if you think that's why it's cold where you are now, you're wrong.

Venus is approaching greatest elongation and heading toward Saturn. Jupiter and Mars are good sights all night. Mercury's still a morning object. And this week is a good time to look for Quadrantid meteor showers.

Venus passes through Capricornus on the way toward Saturn in Aquarius. Jupiter heads toward the Hyades. Mars goes back toward Gemini. Mercury moves by the scorpion's head.

Lunistice and solstice in the same week. Venus approaches Saturn. The moon visits Jupiter and Mars. Mercury hovers near Antares. And these days, high noon to high noon takes the longest.

The moon occults Saturn. Mercury moves to the morning. Vesper Venus. Mars turns around. And it's Geminid meteor time. Some scientists think those meteors didn't come from a defunct comet's dust after all.

A new month and a new moon. Mercury at inferior conjunction. Jupiter at opposition. The moon passes by or in front of Saturn. and Mars turns around at the Beehive Cluster.

Mercury is hastily leaving the evening sky. Venus passes by the ladel. Saturn remains an evening wonder. Jupiter's up most of the night. Mars continues its trek toward the crab. And find out about Piscis Austrinis, the southern fish, and why it's only half the constellation it used to be.

Venus is in the archer's bow in Sagittarius and will pass by a couple stars it passed right in front of about four decades ago. Mercury begins its retreat from the evening sky. Saturn changes direction and Neptune is about to.

Mercury's at its best showing for the current evening display. Venus went by the feet of Ophiuchus last week. Now it's the messenger planet's turn. Two lunar occultations happen this week. Uranus approaches opposition.

There's plenty of planet watching that can be done any time of the night. You can start watching for Leonid meteors. And the moon will pass in front of two planets early next week.

The microscope gave us a lot more to see. But the constellation named for it isn't much to look at. Venus scoots farther into the evening sky. Saturn's slowing down. The Pleiades rise around sunset. Jupiter heads toward Cancer.

Very careful observers may see Leonis Minorid meteors. Mercury barely makes it into the evening. Venus and Saturn continue on opposite sides of the sky. A star in the scorpion's head should look a lot brighter than it does.

How much magnification would you need to see the astronauts' bootprints on the moon? Let's find out. Venus and Saturn are on opposite sides of the sky. Mars is about to slow down. Mercury barely makes it into the evening.

The celestial dragon could breathe out some fireballs this week. Meteor colors give us clues about what meteors are made of and what's happening as they pass through the air. Venus keeps inching its way into the evening sky. Jupiter holds still. Mars moves past the twins.

The moon passes in front of the sun for an annular eclipse this week. There's plenty of planetary action all night. And some people may be able to spot what's been called a false dawn, thanks to dust in the solar system.

Mars passed by Mebsuta and is now approaching Mekbuda. Both stars are named for parts of a lion's paw. Mercury's out of sight. Venus moves alongside Virgo. The September equinox starts the week. The moon is about as far north as it can get. And we have a meteor shower you're more likely to hear with the help of a radio than to see.

The moon passes in front of Saturn this week. Then it goes through Earth's shadow. Mars passes by Mebsuta, named for a lion in Arabian star lore. And why is red light right for astronomers at night?

Saturn's at opposition. Venus is near Porrima, whose name refers to a goddess of prophecy and normal, headfirst births. Mars passes by Propus in the feet of Gemini. And some observers get to see the moon pass in front of Antares.

Mercury's at greatest elongation this week. Saturn's at opposition next week. You can see these planets on opposite sides of the sky. Venus is in the evening sky. The moon passes in front of Spica.

Some people have claimed that Abraham Lincoln was so desperate to win a hopeless court case he fabricated evidence. Astronomy then and now can prove he was as honest as his reputation holds.

It's been more than four decades since a mysterious signal seemingly came from somewhere in Sagittarius. No signal like it has ever been found again. It didn't seem to contain any information. Mercury's in conjunction with the sun. Venus slowly heads deeper into the evening sky. The moon hides Saturn. Mars continues on its way after passing Jupiter.

The Perseid meteor shower peaks. Start looking for eclipses of Algol again. Mercury is near Regulus. Venus is nearby. Mars and Jupiter rise after midnight.