When the Curves Line Up

June 8, 2022: Bright stars adorn the morning sky along with the string of four morning planets.  The evening waxing moon nears the star Spica. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, June 8: Morning Stars, Planets, Evening Waxing Moon

June 7, 2022: The gap between the four bright morning planets continues to widen in the eastern predawn sky.  During the evening, the moon is in western Virgo. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, June 7: Morning Planets, Evening Virgo Moon

June 6, 2022:  The nine classic planets are in the sky simultaneously during late June.  Ambitious sky watchers should begin looking soon for Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto before Mercury joins the morning parade. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, June 6:  Classic Nine Planet Parade Preview

June 5, 2022:  Saturn begins to retrograde today. It leads the morning planet parade before daybreak.  As night falls the crescent moon is near the star Regulus and approaching Eta Leonis This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, June 5:  Saturn Retrogrades, Evening Lion Moon

June 4, 2022: The four morning planets continue with their planet dance in the east before sunrise.  After sundown, the crescent moon, among the stars of Cancer is between Leo and Gemini. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, June 4: Morning Planet Show, Evening Crabby Moon

June 3, 2022: The four morning bright planets – Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn – are in the eastern sky.  Venus noticeably changes its place along the horizon.  The evening moon is with the Beehive star cluster. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, June 3: Morning Venus Eastward, Evening Moon, Star Cluster

June 2, 2022: The four morning planets – Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn – continue to spread out along the ecliptic in the eastern sky before sunrise.  The moon is near the Gemini Twin Pollux after sundown. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, June 2: Morning Planets, Evening Gemini Moon

June 1, 2022: Four bright planets are scattered across the eastern horizon before sunrise.  Evening crescent moon is near the dwarf planet 1 Ceres. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, June 1: Morning Worlds, Evening Moon, Ceres

May 31, 2022: Venus and Mars scoot away from Jupiter and Saturn in the eastern morning sky.  The razor-thin crescent moon is visible after sundown. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 31: Venus and Mars Rush Eastward, Evening Thin Moon

May 30, 2022: After yesterday’s conjunction, Mars is east of Jupiter trailing behind Venus.  In the evening four bright stars, leftovers from the winter evening sky are in the western sky. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 30:  Morning Planet Race, Evening Leftovers

May 29, 2022: Mars passes Jupiter this morning in a relatively close conjunction. The separation is 0.6°.  Morning Star Venus and Saturn are nearby. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 29:  Jupiter – Mars Conjunction

May 28, 2022:  The four morning planets – Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn – are in the eastern sky before sunrise.  As the moon leaves the morning sky, it is visible low in the east-northeast during bright twilight. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 28: Four Morning Planets, Departing Moon

May 27, 2022: The razor-thin lunar crescent is near Morning Star Venus in the eastern sky before sunrise.  Mars continues to close in on Jupiter before their conjunction in two mornings.  Saturn is nearby. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 27: Dazzling Venus, Lunar Crescent, Mars Nears Jupiter

May 26, 2022: The crescent moon nears Morning Star Venus. Mars closes in on Jupiter before their conjunction in three mornings.  Saturn is nearby. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 26: Morning Planet, Moon Spectacular, Evening Summer Triangle

May 25, 2022: The moon bunches with Jupiter and Mars this morning, making the closest gathering of this celestial trio until 2026.  NASA’s Martian rover Perseverance captured a solar eclipse by the moon Phobos on April 2. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 25: Rare Jupiter, Mars, Moon Grouping, Martian Solar Eclipse

May 24, 2022: The moon dances near bright Jupiter and Mars in the east-southeast before sunrise.  Venus and Saturn are nearby. During the evening, look into intergalactic space. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 24: Moon Nears Jupiter, Mars

May 23, 2022: The morning planets – Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn – and the moon appear as celestial stepping stones across the river of morning twilight. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 23: Morning Celestial Stepping Stones, Evening Star Color

May 22, 2022:  The moon is near Saturn in the southeast before sunup.  During the next few mornings watch it skip past Mars, Jupiter, Saturn.  After nightfall, spot star clusters with a binocular. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 22: Moon Visits Morning Planets, Evening Star Clusters

May 21, 2022: The moon nears the morning planets – Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn.  After sundown, find two star clusters near Leo – the Beehive cluster and the Coma cluster. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 21: Moon, Morning Planets, Evening Star Clusters

May 20, 2022: The moon approaches the morning planets that are scattered along the eastern sky.  Can the planets ever appear along a line that extends from the sun? This episode is also available as a blog post: May 20: Moon, Morning Planets, Planets Aligned?

May 19: This morning the moon is in the handle of Sagittarius.  The morning planets are in the eastern sky.  A gap grows between them.  The Big Dipper is in the northern sky after night falls. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 19: Morning Planets Separate, Evening Big Dipper

May 18, 2022: The bright moon is near the Teapot of Sagittarius before sunrise.  The four morning planets are in the eastern sky.  Hydra slithers across the May evening sky. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 18: Steamed Moon, Slithering Serpent

May 17, 2022:  Four bright morning planets – Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn – are in the eastern sky.  Venus’ veil of clouds hides its surface.  Farther westward, the moon is near Antares. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 17: Venus Gleams in Morning Sky, Moon in Southwest

May 16, 2022:  After the eclipse overnight, the moon is in the western sky.  Four planet gems are in the eastern sky.  The moon returns to the evening sky about two hours after sunset near Antares. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 16: Morning Planets, Jupiter Feature, Evening Moon

May 15, 2022: Look for a spectacular perigee lunar eclipse after sunset.  This occurs between the Scorpion’s pincers and forehead.  Before sunrise, four bright planets are in the eastern sky. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, May 15: Lunar Eclipse, Morning Planet Gems