Today:
The centerpiece of the southern sky in the winter, Orion, is almost gone for the summer. His shoulder star Betelgeuse is briefly visible in the west, emerging from the twilight between 8:30 and 9:00 PM, before setting by 10:30 PM. The smaller of his hunting dogs, Canis Minor, remains a little higher up, it’s bright star Procyon appearing above and to left of Betelgeuse, and below and the left of Jupiter.
Tuesday:
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks tonight, but with considerable interference from the Moon. Best seen after midnight, this will feature up to 15 meteors or “shooting stars” per hour, in the southeast. These cosmic pebbles that burn up upon entering the Earth’s atmosphere are actually the debris from Halley’s Comet, not returning until 2061.
Wednesday:
Spanning from the west to northwest this evening, a large collection of bright objects should get your attention. Lowest but brightest as twilight fades after 9 o’clock is Venus, flanked to the upper right by the brilliant Capella, and the upper left by Procyon. Higher up shines Jupiter, within the constellation Gemini.