Today:
Orion is in the south this evening, his left foot (on the right as we face him) denoted by the star Rigel, which is Arabic for “left foot”. The bright star that marks his right shoulder (on our left) is called Betelgeuse, also Arabic, though its meaning is less certain. Variations in the name suggest it means the hand, the shoulder, or the armpit.
Wednesday:
High in the southern sky by 6:30 PM, you can view the First Quarter Moon, well to the right of the brilliant Jupiter, somewhat subdued by our orbiting companion. Higher, but toward the east, one of the brightest stars in the heavens, Capella, heads to the very zenith near 8 o’clock this evening. This bright star’s position keeps it above the horizon throughout the year.
Thursday:
Jupiter’s pairing with the waxing Gibbous Moon this evening, cresting high in the south near 7:10 PM, brings up some interesting details about Jupiter and its own moon. Jupiter hosts an astounding 95 moons by last count, most of which were named for Jupiter’s (and his Greek counterpart Zeus) lovers. While they were many, recent discoveries necessitated expanding the names to his daughters as well.