When the Curves Line Up

Early June Evenings, 2021:  Arcturus, with the constellation Boötes, is high in the south as evening twilight ends.  The constellation seems to follow or chase the Big Bear westward.  Most people recognize the body and tail of the Bear as the Big Dipper. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/26/2021-early-june-chasing-the-bear/

June 3 – June 8, 2021:  Each morning before sunrise, look eastward for the waning crescent moon.  Each morning the moon is farther eastward and lower in the sky, while the phase wanes to a thin crescent. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/25/2021-june-3-8-morning-crescents/

June 1 – June 7, 2021:  Evening Star Venus shines in the western sky after sunset.  Mars is over 20° to the upper left of Venus during this week.  Venus cuts the gap to Mars during the month.  Use a binocular to watch Venus pass a star cluster and Mars move eastward in the Pollux region. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/25/2...

May 31, 2021: The planet parade is cut to four bright participants as Mercury departs the evening sky after tonight’s final appearance.  “Goodbye, Mercury!” until it appears in the morning sky during early summer.  This morning the moon is near Saturn and Jupiter in the southeastern sky. Brilliant Evening Star Venus, dim Mercury, and Mars are in the evening sky. This episode is also avai...

Still low in the sky during brighter twilight, brilliant Venus moves through Cancer and Leo.  Mars enters the scene (within 10°) as it moves toward its solar conjunction. As the ecliptic’s angle with the western horizon decreases, the Venusian setting time interval shrinks several minutes until late August.  Venus passes the Red Planet (July 12) and Regulus (July 21). A binocular is need...

May 30, 2021 – June 2, 2021:  The gibbous moon passes bright Jupiter and Saturn before sunrise each morning.  May 30, the moon is the lower right of Saturn.  May 31, the moon is to the lower left of Saturn.  On June 1 and June 2, the lunar orb is near Jupiter. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/23/2021-may-30-2021-june-2-morni...

May 30, 2021:  Brilliant Evening Star shines from low in the west-northwest after sunset.  Through a binocular locate Mercury, 2.5° to the lower right of Venus.  Mercury is quickly departing the evening sky. Mars is higher in the sky, 5.3° to the lower left of Pollux. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/23/2021-may-29-evening-star-v...

May 29, 2021: This morning’s bright moon is near the handle of the Teapot of Sagittarius.  Bright Jupiter and Saturn are to the east of the gibbous moon. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/22/2021-may-29-morning-gibbous-moon-jupiter-saturn/

May 29, 2021: Three planets are in the evening sky.  Brilliant Venus is low in the west-northwest after sunset.  Speedy Mercury is leaving the sky after its best evening performance of the year.  It is below Venus.  Mars is higher in the western sky, in Gemini to the lower left of Pollux. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/22/...

May 28, 2021: This morning, one hour before sunrise, the bright gibbous moon is near the Teapot of Sagittarius.  Farther eastward, Jupiter is moving eastward in front of the stars of Aquarius.  Saturn is retrograding in Capricornus. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/21/2021-may-28-morning-moon-teapot-jupiter-saturn/

May 27, 2021: The bright moon is in the west this morning, near the star Antares.  Bright Jupiter and Saturn are in the southeast before sunrise. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/20/2021-may-27-bright-morning-moon-planets/

May 27, 2021: Mercury approaches Venus the evening before a close conjunction of the two planets.  This is the closest visible grouping of the two planets until 2033, although over two dozen groupings occur during the interim.  Tonight is Sirius’ Cosmic Setting. It sets at sunset.  The moon is visible low in the southeast at three hours after sunset. This episode is also available a...

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/19/2021-may-26-approaching-venus-mercury-conjunction/

May 26, 2021:  This morning a lunar eclipse occurs.  Your view of event depends on your location.  Better views are farther west in the US and Canada.  Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Ocean experience the entire eclipse.  Bright morning planets Jupiter and Saturn are in the southeastern sky. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup...

May 25, 2021:  The bright moon is in the southwest this morning.  Bright Jupiter and Saturn are in the southeastern sky before sunrise.  Jupiter, brighter than all the stars this morning, is moving eastward among the stars of Aquarius.  Saturn, to the upper right of Jupiter, is retrograding in Capricornus. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurvesline...

May 25, 2021: Evening Star Venus, Mercury, and Mars are in the western sky after sunset.  Mercury is coming off its best evening appearance of the year.  Mars is marching eastward in Gemini.  The bright moon is in the southeast during the early evening near the star Graffias. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/18/2021-may-25-evenin...

May 24, 2021: Morning planets Jupiter and Saturn are in the southeast before sunrise.  In the evening sky, brilliant Evening Star Venus, Mercury, and Mars line up along the solar system’s plane.  The bright moon is in the southeast near Zubenelgenubi, “the southern claw.” This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/17/2021-may-24-planets-in-a-pl...

May 28, 2021:  This evening Mercury passes brilliant Venus for the second of three conjunctions during this evening apparition of the second planet from the sun.  Use a binocular about 45 minutes after sunset to see the speedy planet 0.4° to the lower left of Venus.  This is the closest visible conjunction until 2033. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecur...

During May and June, 2021, Venus is low in the western sky after sunset.  Find a clear horizon to see it.  Forty-five minutes after sunset, the brilliant planet is very low in the sky.  Venus begins this observing sequence between the horns of Taurus then steps into Gemini.  The moon joins the bright planet on June 11.  Venus passes Pollux on June 21. This episode is also...

May 23, 2021:  Five bright planets parade across the sky.  Jupiter and Saturn are visible before sunrise in the southeastern sky.  The star Fomalhaut is becoming visible below bright Jupiter and near the horizon.   After sundown, Evening Star Venus, Mercury, and Mars are in the western sky.  The bright moon is in the southeastern sky during the nighttime hours. This e...

May 22, 2021: Five planets parade across the sky.  Jupiter and Saturn are in the southeast before sunrise. Evening Star Venus, Mercury and Mars are in the western sky after sunset.  A bright moon is in the southeastern sky. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/15/2021-may-22-parading-five-planets/

May 21, 2021:  At the weather warms, daylight and twilight lengthen to diminish nighttime hours.  As the summer solstice approaches far northern latitudes do not have periods of darkness.  From the most northern latitudes, the sun does not set – the Land of the Midnight Sun. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/14/2021-may-21-twiligh...

May 21, 2021: Three bright planets are dancing in the western sky after sundown.  Evening Star Venus is entering the sky for a months-long residency after its solar conjunction two months ago.  Mercury is heading for a conjunction with Venus after its best evening appearance of the year.  Mars continues its eastward march in Gemini, but time is running out on its appearance as it ap...

May 20, 2021:  With two bright planets in the southeast before sunrise, the Summer Triangle – Vega, Altair, and Deneb – is high in the south as daylight approaches. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/13/2021-may-20-morning-summer-triangle/

May 20, 2021:  Evening Star Venus, Mercury, and Mars continue their planetary dance in the western sky after sunset.  Begin looking for brilliant Venus about 30 minutes after sunset.  Fifteen minutes later, Mercury and Mars join the ballet. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://whenthecurveslineup.com/2021/05/13/2021-may-20-evening-planet-dance/