Sky Spy: Venus returns to the night sky

Moon Watch

Sky Spy: Big Dipper, its neighbors light up the night sky

Moon Watch

Sky Spy: Look north, find 2 stars with hard-to-spell names

Tonight look toward the southeast around 9 p.m. to see the bright full moon low in the sky. Saturn will just above it.

Sky Spy: Hydra the Snake spans southern sky

Now is a good time to see one of the largest constellations in the sky and one of the few constellations that actually looks like what it is supposed to represent - Hydra the Water Snake.

Sky Spy: Moon, Saturn, Arcturus and Spica illuminate sky

The moon is always impressive, whether viewed with the naked eye or with binoculars or a small telescope. It constantly acts as a pointer to other celestial objects of interest.

Sky Spy: Equinox marks spring's official start

Tim Hunter took this photo of Comet PANSTAARS near the crescent moon last week. He used a 135 mm lens on a Nikon digital camera.

Sky Spy: Equinox marks spring's official start

Spring officially began Wednesday at 4:02 a.m. Tucson time. This brief moment in time is officially known as the spring or vernal equinox.

Sky Spy: Moon anchors impressive grouping

Moon Watch

Sky Spy: This comet won't be coming back

Moon Watch

Sky Spy: Time is ripe to catch zodiacal light

Moon Watch

Sky Spy: Moon will be a good pointer for stars

The moon will be in the east in the late afternoon sky, and grow more prominent as the sun gets lower in the west.

Sky spy: Look south for two brightest stars in the sky

It is midwinter and often cold after sunset, but this is a good time to enjoy the two brightest stars in the sky - Sirius and Canopus.

Sky spy: Go hunting for Orion in the south tonight

Take some time tonight to enjoy the early evening winter sky, especially Orion the Hunter, which is the grandest constellation in the sky.

Sky spy: Watch the moon as it moves through sky

Moon watch

Sky spy: Find Mars, Altair, Vega, Jupiter and the 'twins'

There is a lot to look for in the evening sky.

Sky spy: Look south for a challenge: finding Eridanus the River

Now is a good time to try to find one of the largest but most challenging constellations in the sky - Eridanus the River.

Sky spy: Watch a moonrise and know its meaning

If you have a clear eastern horizon, you can watch the moon rise over the horizon, always a marvelous event when viewed through a small telescope or binoculars.

Sky spy: Catch meteor show in moonless sky

The peak of the Geminid meteor shower - probably the best meteor shower of the year - should start late tonight.

Sky spy: Catch meteor show in moonless sky

The peak of the Geminid meteor shower - probably the best meteor shower of the year - should start late tonight.

Sky spy: Catch meteor show in moonless sky

Having a dark, moonless sky is fortuitous because the peak of the Geminid meteor shower is predicted to start late tonight and continue into early Friday. Now let's hope the storm expected to arrive tonight gives us a little break.