Once Cygnus the Swan clears the horizon, you can easily see all of the Summer Triangle asterism. It’s a summertime favorite and easy to see. Published with permission: EarthSky.org.
Phenomenal—sunlight fills our lives. From early morning’s awakening to late twilight’s turning in, the sun lingers at the edges. Not until deep twilight gathers do fireflies flash their brilliant white lights and glide, glowing, in meadows. See there, a flight to the forest canopy. Summer’s brightest stars appear, echoing these Earth-bound lights, beginning around 9:20 p.m. through mid-month.
The three brightest stars in this image make up the asterism of the Summer Triangle, a giant triangle in the sky composed of the bright stars Vega (top left), Altair (lower middle), and Deneb (far left). Also in this image, under a dark sky and on a moonless night, is the Great Rift that passes right through the Milky Way and the Summer Triangle. Image via NASA/ A. Fujii/ ESA.
The Summer Triangle is an “asterism,” a star pattern comprised of three bright stars, one from each of three constellations in relative proximity.
The Teapot asterism in the constellation Sagittarius the Archer marks the direction in our sky to the center of our Milky Way galaxy. The green line marks the ecliptic, or sun’s path, across our sky. And we have marked the winter solstice point, where the sun resides around December 21. Chart via EarthSky.Stargazer’s map for vicinity of Great Barrington, July 5, 2025. at 10:55 p.m. During the next two weeks, spring constellation Leo the Lion will set earlier each night and disappear from the summer sky. Turn light up on your screen for best definition. See star patterns identified in blue, stars in white. See text. Judy Isacoff/StarryNight7.
Star characteristics chart—study each star’s identity and observe each of these bright stars in a dark-sky location. Discover the meaning of awe-inspiring.
The star Arcturus is easy to identify. Use the Big Dipper to follow the arc to Arcturus and then speed on to Spica. Published with permission: EarthSky.org.
Find the very Big Dipper at the top the sky at nightfall. Be sure to trace the arc of its handle to brilliant orange star Arcturus and speed on to Spica.
This inspired night of jazz, blues, world, and funk music features an all-star band led by trumpeter Richard Boulger, featuring saxophonist Ron Blake, guitarist Rodney Jones, Alex Blake, Dario Boente, and drummers Mino Cinelu and Kenwood Dennard.
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