Spotlight
California Skies, October through January 2021 (and beyond)
These star maps, Sky Calendars, and monthly summaries of sky events for October 2020 through January 2021 are intended to help teachers guide students to embark on following the seasonal progression of the stars; to notice changes in the arrangements…
California Skies, August through October 2020
These star maps, Sky Calendar, and detailed monthly summaries of sky events for August through October are intended to help teachers guide their students to a memorable start in naked-eye astronomy. Jupiter and Saturn appear near each other in the…
Follow the planets, April through July 2020
In the evening sky, Venus shines at peak brilliance in April, while setting in a dark sky more than three hours after sunset. In May, Venus drops dramatically, disappearing into bright twilight before month’s end. On its way down, Venus on May 21 has…
Moon, Planets, and Stars, February through April 2020
In the western sky at dusk, Mercury in February, and Venus in March-April, reach their highest positions and best visibility of 2020.
Follow the Moon and Naked-Eye Planets in December 2019 and January 2020
Venus becomes ever more prominent in the evening, while Jupiter, and then Saturn, disappears into the southwest twilight glow in December. Mars, very slowly brightening, appears in the southeast morning sky, with bright Mercury below it in the first…
