Brightest Stars and Planets this Summer

This summer, two bright planets and two of the brightest stars dominate the evening sky. Have you wondered what that bright object is when you look up? Read on to find out! 

There are two planets visible as soon as the Sun sets this summer. Jupiter and Saturn are brighter than all of the surrounding stars, and will probably be the first objects you notice on a clear night. Jupiter is the brighter of the two, and visible in the southwest. 

Jupiter stands out in the southwest when the Sun sets, because it is so much brighter than any star nearby. Image: Stellarium and me

If you find the brightest object in the southwest, you have found Jupiter! It will be fairly low as soon as the Sun sets, and as the Earth turns, it will set around 11:30 PM. If you find Jupiter, look nearby and slightly below for the bright star Spica. You will probably also notice Arcturus above. The three objects make a bright triangle in our sky. 

Jupiter appears in the constellation of Virgo the Maiden, for which Spica is the brightest star. Arcturus is the red-orange star above.

Saturn is not quite as bright as Jupiter, but it is still easy to spot. It will be in the southeast as soon as the Sun sets. As the Earth turns, it will appear to move to the west with the stars, and sets at about 2:30 AM. 

Saturn is visible in the SSE as soon as the Sun sets.

When you find Saturn, look right (or west) of Saturn for the reddish star Antares. Antares marks the heart of the scorpion, Scorpius. Follow a line of stars down from Antares towards the horizon to find the fishing hook shape that identifies Scorpius. 

Saturn is near Scorpius in the summer sky.

Jupiter will be getting harder to see around mid-August, as it will be setting earlier and earlier. Saturn will stay visible in our sky until about mid-November! 

These two planets will be the brightest objects visible in our summer sky besides the Moon. However, the 4th and 5th brightest stars in the night sky are also visible right now. These stars shine through even city light pollution, so try to find them in your backyard on the next clear night! 

Look high in the west to find the orange star Arcturus, the 4th brightest in the night sky. Arcturus is a spring star, but so far to the north that it stays visible most of the summer.  You can follow the curved handle of the Big Dipper to make sure you've spotted the right star. Follow the "arc" to Arcturus, and you have found the constellation of Bootes. 

Click on image to enlarge. Find the Big Dipper, then arc to Arcturus.

Arcturus is the brightest star in Bootes, which looks a bit like a kite, or upside-down necktie. 

The constellation of Bootes is supposed to represent a man, but it doesn't really look like one. Can you see a kite? Or a necktie?

 

I like to think of Bootes as an ice cream cone.

Even though Bootes looks more like a kite or an ice cream cone, it is supposed to be a man in the sky, guarding the northern bears. The word Arcturus comes from the Greek word Arktouros, which means "guardian of the bear".

On the opposite side of the sky, high in the east, you can spot the bright blueish star Vega. Vega is the 5th brightest star in the night sky, because it is only 25 light years away, and is very hot. Thousands of years in the past, Vega was the North Star, not Polaris. It will be the pole star again thousands of years in the future. Read more about pole stars here.  

Vega is the brightest star in the constellation of Lyra the Harp. See star chart below. 

Vega is the brightest star high in the east.

In the city, you can find Vega easily, and on a clear night, the four stars in a trapezoid shape below Vega.

Vega is the brightest star in Lyra the Harp, which is supposed to represent the lyre that Orpheus used to try to rescue his wife Eurydice from the underworld. 

 

These four objects - two planets and two bright stars - are great targets for beginning stargazers to try to find this summer! Remember, you can always learn what's up in the night sky in the Dome Planetarium at the Peoria Riverfront Museum, where we teach about space and science everyday. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for daily updates!