Today:
Today is St. John’s Day – Midsummer’s Day in ancient traditions. One of the features of the summer skies is a trio of bright stars known as the Summer Triangle. Look in the east after 10 o’clock, where the brightest and highest of the three stars, Vega, is shining. Nearest the horizon is Altair, while the third star is found to the left, known as Deneb.
Wednesday:
The next ten days feature a challenge for planet gazers in the western skies. You’ll need a low, level view to the west-northwest where, close to 9:30 each evening through the 4th of July, the reluctant planet Mercury manages to shine as a spark of light within the twilight, only one hand-width above the ideal horizon. Our late evenings, and Mercury’s orbit keeps it there through early July, including an encounter with the Moon tomorrow evening.
Thursday:
If you can find an unobstructed horizon to the north-northwest, then you might be able briefly glimpse a slender, waxing Crescent Moon side-by-side with the planet Mercury, starting near 9:20 through about 9:45 PM. Mercury will appear to the left of the Moon, and the pair just a hand-width above a level horizon. As they follow the Sun toward the horizon, the skies darken, but they settle lower, the pair setting by 10:00.