Today:
Today is St. John’s Day – Midsummer’s Day in ancient traditions. One of the features of the summer skies is a trio of bright stars known as the Summer Triangle. Look in the east after 10 o’clock, where the brightest and highest of the three stars, Vega, is shining. Nearest the horizon is Altair, while the third star is found to the left, known as Deneb.
Tuesday:
The southern skies welcome the brightest section of the Milky Way sliding up from the horizon, accompanied by the pattern of stars called “the Teapot”, with a triangular lid, a pot underneath, and a handle attached on the left, with the spout on the right. The bright portion of the Milky Way sits at the center of our galaxy.
Wednesday:
The two brightest stars in our summer skies – Arcturus, high in the south, and Vega, high in the east – guide you to a much fainter star group, Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown. Look one third of the way from Arcturus toward Vega, and you will see a faint semi-circle of stars, with a brighter one in the middle. This is Gemma, the jewel in the crown.