Check out the Sky While You’re At It

Sometimes people think that you have to set aside hours and hours to do stargazing. It ain’t so! Some evenings you can take a big bite in a short time, what I like to think of as “Big Gulp” stargazing. Last night when I went to put the trash out, I stood there and took in the crescent Moon and Venus low in the western sky. Over in the southwest, Orion was doing his thing, and high overhead Saturn glittered in Gemini. Jupiter was hanging there in the East. Lots of stuff to take in on just one quick trip out with the trash cans! Now, if you want to try it, take along a pair of binoculars and check out the planets or the Orion Nebula. Tonight (Tuesday, Feb. 24), the crescent Moon, Mars, and Venus will all be lined up low in the west after sunset. Wednesday night, the Moon and Mars will be very close together. It’s a free star show, and all you have to do is step outside after sunset and look up! (And hope it isn’t cloudy.)