When the Curves Line Up

September 6, 2021:  Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn shine in the evening sky.  The moon is at its New moon phase at 7:52 p.m. CDT. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/29/2021-september-6-evening-planets/

September 5, 2021:  Venus passes Spica this evening in a widely-spaced conjunction. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/28/2021-september-5-venus-spica-conjunction/

September 4, 2021:   The moon’s star cluster tour continues this morning with the Beehive star cluster.  In the evening sky, just one day before its conjunction with Spica, find the brilliant planet in the west-southwest after sunset. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/27/2021-september-4-moons-morning-tour/

September 3, 2021:  Before sunrise, the crescent moon is in the eastern sky near the Gemini Twins.  Three bright planets shine during evening hours. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/26/2021-september-3-am-crescent-twins-pm-planets/

September 2, 2021: Three bright planets are easily observed in the evening sky.  In the western sky, Venus is approaching Spica for a wide conjunction in three evenings.  Before sunrise, the crescent moon is in the eastern sky with Castor and Pollux. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/25/2021-september-2-venus-on-final-approach-to-spica...

September 1, 2021:  Before sunrise, the crescent moon is near a star cluster that is visible.  In the western evening sky, Venus targets Spica before their conjunction in four evenings. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/24/2021-september-1-morning-moon-venus-targets-spica/

August 31, 2021:  The morning moon is caught between the Bull’s Horns.  During the evening three bright planets – Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn – sparkle in the sky. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/23/2021-august-31-morning-moon-evening-planet-spectacular/

August 30, 2021:  The morning moon is near Aldebaran and the Hyades star cluster. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/22/2021-august-29-last-quarter-moon-hyades/

August 29, 2021: Before sunrise, the gibbous moon appears near the Pleiades star cluster. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/21/2021-august-29-morning-moon-pleiades/

August 28, 2021: Before sunrise, the moon is high in the south.  It is in Aries, approaching the Pleiades star cluster and Taurus.  Three bright planets – Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn – are easy to spot after sunset. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/20/2021-august-28-morning-moon-evening-planets/

August 27, 2021:  The bright moon is near Aries in the morning sky.  Look for Venus and Mercury shortly after sunset. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/19/2021-august-27-morning-moon-evening-inner-planets/

August 26, 2021:  Brilliant Venus shines in the western sky after sunset.  Watch it close the gap to Spica, leading up to their conjunction during early September.  Look for Jupiter and Saturn in the southeast at the same time Venus is in the western sky. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/18/2021-august-26-venus-heads-toward-spica...

August 25, 2021: Evening Star Venus, bright Jupiter, and Saturn are visible during the early evening hours.  Brilliant Venus is in the western sky.  Jupiter and Saturn are in the southeastern sky. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/17/2021-august-25-retrograding-saturn-and-jupiter/

August 24, 2021:  The bright moon is in the southwestern sky before sunrise, casting its lunar glow across the sky.  Bright Jupiter is to the lower right of the lunar orb and near the horizon. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/16/2021-august-24-morning-moon-jupiter/

August 23, 2021:  Later during the evening the moon appears in the region of stars that have tail names. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/15/2021-august-23-moons-star-tails/

August 22, 2021:  Brilliant Evening Star Venus continues to step through Virgo after sundown.  It is to the lower left of Spica and near Porrima and Zaniah. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/14/2021-august-22-evening-star-venus-steps-through-virgo/

August 21, 2021: Bright Jupiter is near the Blue Moon this evening.  The lunar term has several definitions. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/13/2021-august-21-jupiter-blue-moon/

August 20, 2021: Five bright planets are visible after sunset this evening.  During the next few evenings, a month before the Harvest Moon, get a preview of the harvest moon effect. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/12/2021-august-10-five-planets-harvest-moon-effect/

August 19, 2021: The moon, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter span the sky this evening shortly after sunset. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/11/2021-august-19-moon-five-evening-planets/

August 19, 2021:  Jupiter is at opposition this evening.  It shines brightly in the sky nearly all night long. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/10/2021-august-19-jupiter-at-opposition/

August 17, 2021:  One evening before their close conjunction, Mercury moves toward Mars.  The gap between them is 1.1° this evening. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/08/2021-august-17-mercury-targets-mars/

August 16, 2021:  Mercury and Mars are visible through a binocular during bright twilight.  As night falls, Venus, Saturn and Jupiter are visible.  The gibbous moon is near Antares. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/07/2021-august-16-five-evening-planets-moon/

August 15, 2021: This evening the moon seems to hit the Scorpion’s head.  Meanwhile, the five naked-eye planets are visible leading up to the very close conjunction of Mercury and Mars. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/06/2021-august-15-moon-hits-scorpions-head/

August 14, 2021: This evening the waxing moon is near Zubenelgenubi, the southern claw, that is a stellar double.  Use a binocular to see both stars that are in a gravitation dance. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/05/2021-august-14-waxing-moon-stellar-double/

August 13, 2021: This evening the crescent moon appears between Evening Star Venus and Spica as the lunar slice dances eastward.  Jupiter and Saturn are in the southeastern sky. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/08/04/2021-august-13-evening-sky-bright-planets/