The star Spica and the planet Saturn appear in the southeast at nightfall, and then move westward across the sky during the night.

Although you’ll always find the star Spica in the same place in the sky on May evenings every year, Saturn’s proximity to Spica is special to this year. At present, Saturn shines in front of the constellation Virgo, just west of the Libra/Virgo border. On this date in 2014, Saturn will in the middle of the constellation Libra.

Yesterday we talked about learning to “follow the arc” to the star Arcturus in the constellation Bootes. You just follow the curve in the Big Dipper’s handle until you see this orange star.

Tonight, let the Big Dipper introduce you to another bright star. This star is Spica in the constellation Virgo the Maiden. You can follow the arc to Arcturus AND drive a spike or, as some say, speed on to Spica.

Now is the perfect time to look outside in the evening and learn a phrase useful to sky watchers. The phrase is: follow the arc to Arcturus.

First locate the Big Dipper asterism in the northeastern sky. Then draw an imaginary line following the curve in the Dipper’s handle until you come to a bright orange star. This star is Arcturus in the constellation Bootes, known in skylore as the bear guard.

The star Deneb – visible by mid-evening every May – is one of the most distant of the bright stars. When you gaze at this star, you are gazing across a great distance of space. The exact distance to Deneb is not known for certain, with estimates ranging from about 1,425 light-years to perhaps as much as 7,000 light-years.

As soon as darkness falls on May 17, 2013, look for the moon – at first quarter phase today – close to a bright star, Regulus. Sparkling blue-white Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion. It represents the the Lion’s beating heart. You can also see some planets tonight, and every night in May. Jupiter and Venus are now in the west after sunset, heading for an exciting planetary trio with Mercury later this month. The moon is now sweeping across the evening sky from night to night, heading for the star Spica and then the ringed planet Saturn later this month.