Today:
Tonight’s New Moon means there’s no moonlight in the south to sully the view of the red star Antares, the star appearing about a third of the way up in the south, by 9:30. If you look much higher and to the southwest, Arcturus appears; also much higher and to the southeast, appears the bright and bluish-white star, Vega.
Tuesday:
July is the time to say good-bye to the classic constellation Leo, the Lion. The bright star on Leo’s shoulder, Regulus, is emerging in the west-northwest at around 9:30 PM EDT, settling lower as the twilight blackens by 10 o’clock. Leo continues to settle lower each evening, and by late in the month, drops below the horizon.
Wednesday:
Once the sky starts to fully darken, at around 9:35 PM, look two thirds up in the west-southwest, to find the pale-orange Arcturus. It’s the brightest star visible from our northern latitude, during the summertime absence of Sirius. Toward the northeast from there, you might discern something resembling a necktie in the sky. This is also reckoned as the body of Bootes, The Herdsman.