![]() On a clear night, find a dark spot far away from city lights, give your eyes time to adjust to the dark, and look for even more celestial sights. From Dark Skiesīright outdoor lighting can make it hard to see all but the brightest stars. Look for the Moon just above Mars on May 24. Look to the west for the red planet Mars, which starts the month near Gemini the Twins and gradually moves eastward towards Leo over the next two months. ![]() Even under dark skies away from city lights, it’s hard to imagine these mythological figures just by connecting the dots. Neither of these constellations has any other bright stars. Then speed on to Spica, the single bright star in Virgo the Maiden. Go back to the Big Dipper once more and follow its curved handle to trace an ‘arc’ to Arcturus, the orange colored star in Boötes the Herdsman. It represents the regal heart of the lion. The “dot” at the bottom of the question mark is Regulus, the brightest star in Leo. Other stargazers imagine the top hook of a coat hanger, or a sickle in this group of stars. The head and mane of the lion are represented by a group of stars that looks something like a backwards question mark. The water falls onto the back of Leo the Lion. Imagine poking a hole in the bottom of the Dipper to let the water drip out. This group of stars is also officially known as Ursa Minor the Little Bear. Polaris is at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper. Polaris is not a particularly bright star, but it does remain fixed in the sky throughout the night and throughout the year, When you face the North Star, you’re facing due north. Use the two stars at the end of the Dipper’s bowl to lead you to Polaris, also known as the North Star. Ursa Major the Great Bear is the official constellation here, but you’ll need dark skies to see its fainter stars. The Big Dipper is a familiar name for this pattern of stars, especially known to observers in the United States, but it’s not one of the 88 constellations recognized by astronomers worldwide. The Big Dipper is not officially a constellation it’s what astronomers sometimes call an asterism. But in the spring, the Dipper is easy to find, high in the north after sunset, almost straight overhead. During the autumn, it stays hidden near the northern horizon, only to emerge in the wee hours of the morning. As famous as the Dipper is, it's not always easily visible from our latitude in Tennessee. Look high in the north for the Big Dipper. Venus will remain in the evening sky through early summer. Watch for a beautiful thin crescent Moon near Venus on May 22. If it doesn’t look perfectly round, that’s becuase Venus goes through phases similar to our own Moon - but much more slowly. If you have a telescope, keep a close eye on it over the next few months. We will see Venus in the evening skies through mid-July. It may be the very first bright point of light you’ll see as the sky begins to darken. ![]() Look to the west after sunset for the brilliant planet Venus.
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