The ever-changing panoply of heavenly objects

There is good news and bad news about the summer season. First the good news? The nights are warmer for more comfortable observing sessions outside in the evening and the interesting constellations of summer are coming into view.

The bad news? The sun sets later and rises earlier thus the nights are shorter so the time for observing is reduced. But, I guess only an astronomer would call that bad news.

Our friends from the spring, Gemini, Cancer and Leo are leaving the evening sky making way for Cygnus, Lyra and Aquila the great Summer Triangle and Scorpius and Sagittarius.

The panoply of heavenly objects is an ever-changing vista rising in the east and traveling to the west only to return to the east in a few months.

That is why astronomy is such fun, there is always something new to look at and always the return of old friends from the past to look forward to.

Right now the planets Mars and Saturn hold attention in the early evening sky with the soon advent of Jupiter joining the evening crew. Mars is moving out of Cancer, the Crab into Leo, the Lion and by the end of June will be cozy-up-snug with the other evening planet Saturn.

If you go out each evening, or at least twice a week, you will be able to mark the passage of Mars against the background stars to the east.

I don't want to sound like a broken record, but the International Space Station (ISS) will be making some good passes over the area again in the next few days.

The following is a list of the next few passes:

Today -- 10:30 northwest to east-southeast

Friday -- 10:52 west northwest to south-southwest

Saturday -- 9:39 northwest to east-southeast

Sunday -- 10:01 west northwest to south-southeast.

The pass on Friday will be interesting as the ISS will pass near both Mars and Saturn.

The pass on Sunday will be very interesting and one worth going out to watch as it will pass first almost through M44, the Beehive star cluster then very close to Mars. Then the ISS will pass close by the Moon and then between Saturn and Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion.

Then it will travel very close to the bright star Spica in Virgo, the Maiden before disappearing from the sky near Antares in Scorpius, the scorpion.

All-in-all a nice opportunity to follow it with your binoculars.

SKY WATCH:

New moon last Tuesday, the moon and Mars in close conjunction on Saturday, with the Moon joining Regulus and Saturn on Sunday.

First quarter Moon on Tuesday.

NEXT TIME:

More astronomical blathering.