The Stars This Week

Chart time 9:30 p.m.

Sunday

Late this evening the moon slides to the south of M-45 the Pleiades star cluster. Nicknamed the Seven Sisters this group of young stars is best viewed with low-powered telescopes or binoculars.

Monday

Tonight the moon shines to the left of red Aldebaran. This is the brightest member of Taurus the Bull and represents the eye of the celestial beast.

Tuesday

The moon reaches last-quarter phase. This is a good time to look for craters and surface features with telescopes and binoculars. The late rising moon will not appear until after midnight.

Wednesday

Aquarius the Water Bearer glitters in the southeast after sundown. Like many of the fall constellations its stars are dim and scattered. There are a number of colorful double stars within this region that are best seen with binoculars or lowpowered telescopes.

Thursday

Blazing bright bluewhite Venus shines low in the west during evening twilight. Watch Venus grow in size during the fall in telescopes.

Weekend

Above and to the left of Venus glows bright yellow Jupiter. The planet’s four largest moons and colorful bands that stripe its atmosphere can be seen in telescopes and binoculars.

In the southeast at sunset bright red Mars can be seen rising with pale gold Saturn shining above and to the left of Mars. Look for dark markings on the surface of Mars with your telescope. Saturn’s famous rings can be seen with any size device.