Hercules and Ophiuchus stand almost head to head in the east and southeast this evening. Each has a star with an Arabic name that means "the head." In Hercules, it's Ras Algethi (head of the kneeler); in Ophiuchus, Rasalhague (head of the serpent bearer).
Weekly Stargazing Tips
Provided by StarDate.org. Unless otherwise specified, viewing times are local time regardless of time zone, and are good for the entire Lower 48 states (and, generally, for Alaska and Hawaii).
June 3: Head Cases
June 4: Omega Centauri
The Omega Centauri star cluster puts in a late-evening appearance. It stands highest above the southern horizon around 10 p.m. and looks like a faint smudge of light. It is about 17,000 light-years away, and contains a million stars or more.
June 5: Venus and Jupiter
Venus and Jupiter are staging one of the top skywatching events of the year-an especially close encounter of the two brightest points of light in the night sky. It plays out in the west over the next few evenings.
June 6: The Serpent
The constellation Serpens consists of two disconnected parts, a head and a tail. They wrap behind Ophiuchus the serpent bearer. Serpens is in view in the east and southeast by early evening. The half that represents the head is highest, above Ophiuchus.
June 7: Venus and Jupiter
Jupiter and Venus stand side by side at nightfall. Brighter Venus, the Evening Star, is on the right. The planets are the two brightest objects in the entire night sky other than the Moon. Fainter Mercury is to their lower right.
June 8: More Venus and Jupiter
A conjunction between the two brightest points of light in the night sky, the planets Venus and Jupiter, plays out in the west the next couple of evenings. They are separated by less than two degrees, which is the width of your finger held at arm's length.
June 9: Moon and Saturn
The planet Saturn is near the Moon at dawn tomorrow. It looks like a bright star to the lower right of the Moon. A small telescope will reveal the largest of the planet's almost 300 known moons.