Venus and the bright star Spica have been near each other for some days, and will remain so for a few days longer. We're now in the middle of the best time to see them near each other in the east before sunup.
Venus is near the waning moon early this week. Yet if you followed Venus with a telescope in the coming weeks, you'd find it's a waxing, not a waning, crescent.
You don't have to identify a meteor shower's radiant point to watch the show. But the radiant of the Draconids is fun to find! Here are some ways to do it.
How is it possible for an equinox sun to rise due east - and set due west - for everyone around the world? How can you visualize it? Illustrations here.
On September 16, 2018, Mars reaches perihelion, its closest point to the sun in its 2-year orbit. Mars' brightness in July and August - and a recent global dust storm on the planet - are both linked to this event.