Q-90.1's Backyard Astronomer

The giant planets Jupiter and Saturn are making their return into the morning sky this month.

Each season has that one constellation that serves as a signpost to the sky. In spring, many stargazers use the zodiacal constellation of Leo the Lion.

All this week, the phase of the moon grows as the nearside becomes more illuminated by the sun. Look for the large impact basin in the upper left portion of the moon called the Sea of Rains.

While many sky wonders can be observed in suburban skies with binoculars and telescopes, there are several things you can do to improve the view.

The Beehive is one of the best examples of an open star cluster, a loose gathering of young stars that all formed about the same time and move together through space.

All during the first week of March, the red planet Mars makes a close pass by the Pleiades Star Cluster, also known as the Seven Sisters.

Under a clear dark sky, look for Lepus the Hare just underneath the knees of Orion the Hunter.

The Red Planet, Mars, has dimmed considerably since its close approach to Earth last fall, but it’s still visible high in the west after dark. Three space probes arrive there this month, including NASA's Perseverance rover.

Near Orion are his hunting dogs, Canis Major and Minor, anchored by the bright stars Sirius and Procyon.

About 90 minutes after sunset, the legendary constellation of Orion the Hunter shines about halfway up the southern sky. Underneath the three stars of his belt shines the Orion Nebula, one of the closest stellar nurseries to Earth.

This year, the January Full Moon occurs on the 28th. Look for it to rise slightly north of east soon after sunset. There are many different names for the January Full Moon, especially by the Native Americans.

The week of January 18 offers a perfect opportunity to follow what’s called “the waxing moon.” It's also a good time to look for the Sea of Tranquility, where the Apollo 11 astronauts landed in 1969.

This is a good week to start looking for the close approach of Mars and Uranus in the sky.

The orange star Aldebaran – the fiery eye of Taurus the Bull – is a great target for the January sky.

The heads of Gemini the Twins, Pollux and Castor, lie low in the east-northeast after dusk at the end of December. They will start higher in east as we get into January.

This year, the week of December 21st offers a variety of celestial happenings to help celebrate the season.

If you look low in the southwest at dusk, you can’t help but notice two bright stars that appear close to one other. These are actually the planets Jupiter and Saturn, and they’ll get so close on December 21 that it’ll seem like they're touching.

The peak of the Geminid Meteor Shower is Dec 13-14 and there is no moon to interfere this year!

We call the next two weeks the period of the “waning moon,” as its illumination decreases from our vantage point on Earth.

The Algonquin People called the November Full Moon the "Beaver Moon" but it had many other names as well.