Today:
The northern sky this evening contains none of the brightest stars. Its centerpiece Polaris appears prominent, mainly due to the lack of brighter stars. To see a bright star farther west, you need to look far afield before glimpsing Capella, about a third of the way up in the northwest at 10 PM. A little closer toward the east there are the coming attractions of Deneb, low in the north-northeast, and Vega, a little higher in the northeast – both will join with Altair to form the Summer Triangle.
Wednesday:
High in the southwest this evening, as twilight fades after 9:00 PM, you’ll find the faint constellation Cancer, the Crab. While we associate Cancer the Crab with summer, due to its astrological connections, April is a wonderful time to see it. Look between the Twin stars of Gemini, and the star Regulus in Leo the Lion, for a faint, upside-down “Y” figure.
Thursday:
Due south this evening at 9:15 PM, the brightest star in Leo, the Lion, Regulus reigns above a large but much less prominent constellation, that of the Water Snake, named Hydra. The snake’s head appears as a collection of stars half-way between Regulus, and Procyon, midway up in the southwest. The snake’s body curves back and forth to the lower left.