Today:
Tonight, after midnight, the planet Jupiter reaches opposition, which positions the Earth directly between Jupiter and the Sun, the closest we get to our giant cousin. This also provides the optimal angle of reflection, as the light of the Sun reflects off of Jupiter and back toward the earth, making Jupiter appear its brightest to us, among all of its relative positions.
Saturday:
Late tonight, after 1:00 AM, the Last Quarter Moon rises just below one of the brighter stars we see, Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, the Virgin. The pair edge up to one quarter of the way above the southeast horizon by 3:15 AM, cresting due south, one third of the way up at 6:00 AM.
Sunday:
Orion continues to “stand tall”, high in the south at 10 o’clock this evening. Looking below his characteristic belt of three stars, you’ll find a string of three lesser stars, suggesting a sword or scabbard. The middle star of this trio, rather than a star, this is the Great Orion Nebula – a glowing area of gases, and a nursery for new stars.