I saw the Southern Cross (and the Pointers) the other night for the first time in over 3 years!!   And Orion, too (currently visible from both hemispheres). Still haven't learned to recognise any other constellations, though...

That's awesome, @Courtenay!  I'm looking forward to seeing it some day.

Comet ZTF has retreated from easy visibility for most of us, and now the next astronomical highlight is the close approach of Venus and Jupiter.  They're already attention-grabbers in the early evening sky; by March 1 Venus will be only one-half degree to the right of Jupiter (as seen from the Northern Hemisphere). Check it out!

I am excited for the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter. On any clear nights we have had (very few, actually), I have watched them growing closer and closer to each other. Stunning! Last night, they were only two finger widths apart (at arm's length), which is around 3°, I think. Unfortunately, clouds dominate the sky much of this coming week for us, but I am hoping even for the slightest glimpse of these two magnificent planets in conjunction on March 1.

Courtenay, how wonderful to have seen the Southern Cross, after so long being away from that hemisphere.  

A few days ago, we did not know yet if it would be clear here for the planetary conjunction, but as Wednesday drew on, there looked to be a good possibility of seeing Venus and Jupiter in conjunction. However, late afternoon, streaks of clouds moved across the sky.

But then! much of the sky cleared again to present the stunning sight of these two beautiful planets side by side in the western sky. They were about a half fingertip apart (at arm's length) and looked very much like a pair of headlights coming out of the heavens, reminding me distinctly of the Weasley's magicked car. But of course, Tarva and Alambil came to mind, as well.

And to the south, Orion blazed, in all its majesty, surrounded by Mars, Aldebaran, Sirius, Procyon, Gemini, Procyon. Wonderful sights on high!  

We saw the conjunction here on Wednesday night, and it was amazing.  Venus and Jupiter were both very bright and very beautiful to look at.  This was something that light pollution did not affect or spoil your view.  The sky was clear all evening here in Michigan.

I'm glad you both got to see the conjunction! It was solid overcast here with hints of snow.  From the pictures I've seen, it was spectacular.

I had a very brief chance to see the planets last night (Thursday) - literally just a few seconds before clouds rolled in again. Now Venus was about 1 degree above Jupiter. They'll continue to rapidly separate as Jupiter sinks into the twilight.

The next planetary conjunction appears to be between Venus and Mars in the evening sky, around the end of June. Strictly speaking it won't be a conjunction because Venus approaches but then begins to pull away from Mars as both sink into the twilight, but it should still be a pretty sight.

I've seen some popular media excitement about a new comet, Tsuhinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3), that may be spectacular in October 2024. But it's still far away, in distance and in time, and comets are notoriously fickle (Exhibit A: Kohoutek in late 1973). Stay tuned!

There was an unexpected auroral display Thursday evening (March 23), with Northern Lights visible as far south as latitude 35N (North Carolina, Colorado). I've seen some good pictures and videos. Apparently they were also visible even here in the Twin Cities, despite the light pollution, although I was out at times I didn't see them.

The Moon was fairly close to Venus last evening, so I used it as a marker to find Venus before the sun set. It fairly popped out in binoculars but I couldn't spot it with the unaided eye until after sunset.

Apparently the media is talking about a big planetary alignment this week (I found the fact-check on the Sky and Telescope website).  That's a little misleading. It's true that Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus are all in the evening sky, but casual observers are going to be drawn to blazing Venus and much-dimmer Mars above it. Jupiter and Mercury are close together but low in the evening twilight (and definitely worth looking for!) and Uranus is at best a binocular object for most and requires fairly precise knowledge of its location to see.

The asteroid/dwarf planet 1 Ceres is well-placed this month, and actually crosses the spiral galaxy M100 in Coma Berenices the night of March 26-27. But this also requires a dark sky, binoculars or a telescope, and precise location information.

Elusive Mercury is rising to its best evening appearance of the year (in the Northern Hemisphere). It reaches greatest elongation (farthest from the sun) April 11, and is already visible low in the west-northwest about half an hour after sunset. It's far to the lower right of Venus but should be readily apparent if your horizon allows it.

We had a fun observation Saturday evening. First, Rya's father and I stepped out to look for Mercury. There are numerous trees in most directions here, complicating seeing those low objects even if the trees still don't have any leaves. I planned to walk south to the corner where there is a better view, but then he happened to catch Mercury in a gap in the trees so we didn't have to make that walk.

A short time later there was a favorable ISS pass, so he went inside and invited his two grandchildren (who were spending the night) to come out and see it. They've observed with me before and the younger child has previously seen the ISS.

While we waited, the older mentioned that he'd read about a "bug juice star" so we showed him Betelgeuse, still high in the southwest in the fading twilight. Venus and the Moon also grabbed their attention.

The ISS had to rise over the trees to be easily seen, but the 7-year-old was the first to see it long before it cleared the trees.  She's pretty observant! We all enjoyed watching it pass high in the south.

I have been really wanting to spy Mercury, but even though some evenings have been almost cloudless, the mornings have not. The heavy, rainy cloud cover hanging over us is to clear somewhat for Easter weekend, so I am really hoping to see the elusive planet then. There is a spot from just outside our backyard, in the farmer's field, where we should be able to catch a glimpse.   I'm glad you saw it, @stargazer, on the weekend! And that your skies cleared enough after all that snow to do so. And fun about the good ISS pass with the children!

Posted by: @stargazer

While we waited, the older mentioned that he'd read about a "bug juice star" so we showed him Betelgeuse, still high in the southwest in the fading twilight. Venus and the Moon also grabbed their attention.

I am impressed that he is already reading about Astronomy, excellent! Nice that he was able to see Betelgeuse that evening too. And Venus and the Moon, of course. Always beautiful sights.

Speaking of the Moon, about a half hour before my early morning walks the past two days, I have checked out the front door to determine what I should be wearing, and the large nearing-full Moon (full on April 6) has been sinking into the West. Really lovely!

I always enjoy seeing the Big Dipper pointing to Arcturus. Nicely distinguishable. There was a star further down (in the West), kind of following the Big Dipper -> Arcturus arc. I had not realized what it was, but came home and checked our Planisphere ... Spica! I always seem to get mixed up as to where this star is. But hopefully now I've got it, with that huge arc connection.

Then high above (this is around 6 a.m. EDT), around the Zenith, is Cygnus and the massive summer triangle ... always a glorious view. And elongated Scorpius is quite the sight in the South!

I am really missing readily seeing the evening sky stars as the days lengthen. I head to bed quite early, but need to make the effort to stay up and observe the sparkling night sky before the days become even longer. I especially miss seeing mighty Orion and all its surrounding familiar stars. And that bright eye of Venus in the West.

The lesser Lyrid meteor shower peaks in the hours before dawn on April 23, so here's hoping to catch a few of those closer to that date.  

I spotted Mercury in the west (yay!) as we were sitting down for our campfire on Easter weekend (this past Sunday evening), and was able to point it out to family members. That planet is always fun to find and lovely to view (partly because of its elusiveness), about 20° to the lower right of brilliant Venus. We also saw the Pleiades, although in the twilight one had to look quite carefully for those Seven Sisters. Mars was up on high, in the midst of Gemini. Then mighty Orion and bright Sirius in the SW/S. The Big Dipper was in the eastern sky, pointing the way to Arcturus, at which point the arc 'sped toward Spica', which was rising lazily (or so it seemed ).

Btw, this time of year I can see Arcturus both in the morning and in the evening skies. Fun! Also on my morning walk, Scorpius is looking magnificent in the southern sky; the Summer Triangle, high above. I have been starting my morning walks even earlier than usual so as to be out under the night sky before dawn begins to take over.

Nothing like an Easter campfire, Jo, weather permitting.

This past week has been nearly ideal for stargazing - mostly-clear skies, low humidity, and no mosquitoes. The latter two conditions will be changing shortly. The only catch is that twilight lasts until about 10pm local daylight time, so being a night owl helps.

The Moon was full yesterday and has been quite pretty the last few nights. Venus continues to blaze in the west after sunset. This week has also offered several chances to see the Chinese Tiangong space station, which I've only seen a handful of times until now. It's in a lower orbit than the ISS, with a smaller orbital inclination; both factors mean it doesn't get as high in my sky as does the ISS.

Last evening, after watching Tiangong dodge some scattered clouds, I was excited to see another Starlink "string of pearls" looking like a small contrail in the southwest. It was fainter and shorter in length than the one I saw in February, and disappeared shortly after we spotted it, as it passed into Earth's shadow.

Indeed re campfires. 'Tis the season!  

You had some interesting sightings that first week of May, stargazer, very cool.  

We have had a long stretch (heading for two weeks now) of clear skies. Sometimes the early mornings have drifts of clouds, but they quickly dissipate. However, because the days are lengthening rapidly (or so it seems), even when I head out for my walk at 5:30 a.m., the dawn is growing, and all stars have disappeared ... except Arcturus: I can still barely glimpse it in the west, 'though shortly after, it has vanished.

On May 4th, when that gorgeous Full Flower Moon was bright and huge in the early dawn, the sun rose only ten minutes before the Moon set.

Posted by: @stargazer

The only catch is that twilight lasts until about 10pm local daylight time, so being a night owl helps.

Because I am the opposite , this time of year and for a couple of months now, I rarely see the night sky, and sorely miss it.

Last week on one of my morning walks, there was a stunning ISS pass, visible right across the sky almost directly above me. That is always fun to see!

This morning in the brightening dawn, the crescent Moon was very pretty shining in the eastern sky.  

In the weather thread @Jo wrote:

The dawns and sunrises have been really lovely on my early morning walks. Even if I start out around 5:30 a.m., the dawn is already somewhat lightening the sky. The only star I can see now is Arcturus in the West, and even that fades quickly.

On those rare spring/summer mornings when I'm out early enough to beat the dawn, I've seen the same thing. Just this morning I went out at 5 am local daylight time and Arcturus was one of the few stars still visible. Saturn was already lost in the twilight. But the crescent Moon was about 10 degrees high in the east, and with the earthshine, was very pretty.

(Due to technicalities of latitude and location within time zones, the sun rises about 15 minutes earlier here, local time, than it does for Jo, so twilight starts earlier as well).

A Starlink satellite parade was predicted for last evening, but I didn't see it due to the strength of twilight at the time. About an hour later, however, I was treated to a spectacular ISS pass, with it passing nearly overhead at magnitude -3.8.

(Edit: It looks like you posted when I was composing this, as you've mentioned viewing Arcturus before dawn here as well. Great minds...)

*chuckles how our posts are quite similar, especially your first paragraph, stargazer*

I have not seen any Starlink satellites lately, but am keeping an eye out. Now, however, with the dark disappearing fast during my walks, that chance is fading until the longer nights come again.

I have been hoping to spot Saturn, but got out for my walk later than I had wanted to this morning (5:40 instead of a half hour earlier), and by that time the dawn had brightened so that it was not visible anymore. But that thin-thin Moon was beautiful in the eastern sky. One can watch the sun rise in the same eye-view as the Moon. But if one did not know where to look for the Moon, they probably would miss it. Quite hard to pick out in the dawn's light. I watched it until it had disappeared, shortly after sunrise, around 6:05 a.m.

It was cool this morning at +3C / 37.4F (feels like beautiful Autumn!) and grrrreat for walking!