Yay! No Moon!

This is a great weekend for observing as the light of the moon won't be washing out all the deep sky objects.

Starting in the solar system, though, we can observe Venus in the southwest after sunset. It's the brighter-than-any-star star-like object. Just about any telescope will show you what phase Venus is in.

Around midnight Saturn is high in the sky. It's hanging around the back legs of Leo right now. It's a fairly bright star-like object, a little cream-colored. Just about any telescope will show you the rings around Saturn. But this year the rings are nearly edge-on, so look for a thin line or ring around the planet.

A little later than Saturn, this year's bright comet (so far), Comet Lulin, is still brightening. From a dark location, I've read, you can see the comet with the unaided-eye. Lulin will be brightest the night of 23-24. Will it be bright enough to see with the unaided-eye from Parkville?

This is the time of year for observing open clusters. On Taurus' back is the Seven Sisters, or the Plieades. To the unaided-eye it looks like a very tiny Little Dipper. In even the smallest of 'scopes it looks like a swarm of stars.

North of Orion in the constellations of Gemini and Auriga are four of my favorite star clusters, all of them Messier objects (so they're fairly bright). M35 in Gemini is a star cluster I call the Soccer Ball because it sits at the feet of Castor, one of the twins of Gemini. Three clusters lie right in a row northwest of M35. These are M36, 37, 38 all in southeastern Auriga. A small to modest-sized 'scope will bring all of these into view.

Clear skies and enjoy.