Highlight of west in evening
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Looking West-Southwest in Early Evening

If you have a clear sky tonight, look towards the western horizon, where many bright objects and familiar patterns are visible. Shining very brightly, and perhaps dominating the west is the dogstar Sirius, of the constellation Canis Major, the Greater Dog. To the west of Sirius will be a familiar pattern of three stars in a straight line, making up the famous belt asterism of the constellation Orion. If you look high in the west-southwest, you will find a bright star, but itÂ’s actually not a star at all -- itÂ’s the planet Saturn. If you look to the northwest of Saturn, the bright white object that you encounter there is the alpha star Capella from the constellation Auriga, the charioteer. If you turn your gaze back to Saturn, and then turn to the southwest of the planet, the shiny object that you will find there is the star Procyon, which is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Minor, the Lessor Dog.