Sky Spy: More time to savor planetary dance

Last week I talked about the spectacular grouping of Venus, Jupiter and Mercury in the evening sky after sunset.

Sky Spy: Venus returns to the night sky

Moon Watch

Sky Spy: Moon watch

New moon is today, and there is a solar annular eclipse visible in parts of Australia and the South Pacific.

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: Join the star party outside Flandrau

Moon Watch

Sky Spy: Bid farewell to favorite winter stars

Moon Watch

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

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: On Valentine's Day, the sky is free

Today is Valentine's Day. I hope you enjoy it with a sweetheart. Remember the sky is free and always available for sharing with another.

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: 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: Welcome winter early Friday morning

Winter officially begins Friday at 4:12 a.m., which is the time of the winter solstice.

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.

Sky spy: Moon a useful guide to stars, planets

While many amateur astronomers are happy when the moon is not dimming the sky, I like the moon because of its intrinsic beauty and its usefulness as a guide.

Sky spy: Early evening, pre-dawn eastern views delight

If you wait a couple of hours after sunset for the sky to darken and the moon to rise, you will be rewarded with beautiful views in the eastern sky around 8:30 p.m.

Sky spy: Stars, planets of 1621 similar to '12

Today is Thanksgiving, and there are countless things to be thankful for in this great nation.

Sky Spy: Leonid meteor shower coming Friday

The Leonids in November, the Geminids in December and the Perseids in August are the three best predictably good meteor showers every year, weather and the moon permitting.

Sky spy: Tonight's Andromeda is one far look

Tonight, if you look at the sky around 8, nearly overhead will be Pegasus the Winged Horse.

Sky spy: Planets, stars light Election Day

The sun rises at 6:45 on election morning. If you are voting just as the polls open, pause for a minute to admire the predawn sky with very brilliant Venus low in the east and Jupiter high in the west.

Sky spy: Full moon's many names in everyday use

Many people around the world keep track of the seasons by naming the recurring full moons and their months. The names given to full moons by Native Americans of the northern and eastern parts of North America are common and part of our daily culture.

Sky spy: Use moon to find Mars, Antares, Mercury

The sun sets tonight at 5:47. If you look toward the southwest from 6 to 7, you will see the 4-day-old moon forming a right angle triangle with Mars and Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius the Scorpion.

Sky spy: See glow of the zodiacal light

This weekend and for the next two weeks or so is a good time to view the zodiacal light in the predawn eastern sky.

Sky spy: Southern star makes annual appearance

Moon watch: Monday is the last quarter moon, which means it is half lit with its western portion in sunlight and its eastern portion in darkness. From our viewing perspective, the eastern portion of the moon is on its right side. As it does on Earth, the sun rises in the east and sets in the…

Sky spy: Harvest moon shines on Saturday

According to the Farmers' Almanac, Native Americans of the northern and eastern part of North America kept track of the seasons by naming the recurring full moons and their months.

Sky spy: Autumnal equinox arrives on Saturday

The first quarter moon Saturday night helps us celebrate the autumnal equinox, which is officially at 7:49 a.m. in Tucson on Saturday.

Sky spy: Avoid city light to see Milky Way tonight

Tonight, if you observe the sky around 8 and if you are away from city lights, you will see a last hurrah of summer - the Summer Milky Way.

Sky spy: Pegasus appears in evening sky

Fall is approaching, and one of the favorite sights for early fall evenings is Pegasus the Winged Horse.

Sky spy: Full moon will be 'blue,' so to speak

Tonight the moon is nearly full, and Friday it will be just past full. For Tucson, the moon technically becomes full at 6:59 a.m. Friday - just a little after it sets at 6:04 a.m.

Sky spy: Grab binoculars, check out moon, Antares

Friday night look south to see the moon above Antares at the heart of Scorpius the Scorpion. The moon's brightness will probably overwhelm Antares, but try to look at Antares and the moon with binoculars to appreciate the star's red color.

Sky spy: Watch Saturn, Mars, Spica above horizon

Look at the western horizon tonight to see a close grouping of three bright objects, Saturn, Mars and Spica, respectively from top to bottom going toward the horizon.

Sky spy: Grab lawn chair, take in meteor show

The annual Perseid meteor shower will peak in the early morning hours Sunday and Monday, and if the monsoon cooperates, the viewing should be good.

Sky spy: Rise early to glimpse coming winter sky

August is usually very hot in Tucson and often quite muggy with the monsoon moisture.

Sky spy: Moon acts as a glowing guide over next week

Most astronomers, amateur or professional, prefer dark skies without the moon.

Sky spy: Look north tonight and find a dragon

Tonight, twilight ends a little after 9. After that is a good time to look for a challenging northern constellation, Draco the Dragon.

Sky spy: Predawn sky will juxtapose moon, Taurus

Between 9 and 10 p.m. is a good time to look directly south for one of the most spectacular constellations in the sky, Scorpius the Scorpion, which has it all - bright stars and a fascinating myth.

Sky spy: Grab lawn chair, take in meteor show

The annual Perseid meteor shower will peak in the early morning hours Sunday and Monday, and if the monsoon cooperates, the viewing should be good.

Sky spy: Venus a handy pointer to other objects

Moon watch: The moon is in a waning (growing smaller) gibbous (more than half lit) phase going toward last quarter next Tuesday, when it will be half lit.