Whether or not you’re still locking yourself up, a safe escapist activity is to enjoy the wonders of the heavens. This summer offers many to choose from.
But there are also celestial events that sound alluring but not worth anyone’s time. This year, strangely enough, there are four partial penumbral lunar eclipses. They’ve generated major media headlines urging everyone to run out to “see the lunar eclipse” of June 5 and again on July 5 and yet another is coming up later this year. But all partial penumbral lunar eclipses share the same strange property of producing no visible change on the full moon. Not even professional astronomers could tell that an eclipse is in progress. The full moon appears unchanged.
We’ve also had minor meteor showers unfolding on nights when the moon was fat and brilliant, letting few if any meteors materialize. But hang in there, the sky is about to improve.
Right now in July, both Jupiter and Saturn have arrived at their very closest points to earth and therefore shine at their biggest and brightest of the year. They both rise in the east at nightfall and are most prominent around midnight. So during the first half of the night and especially around midnight, simply locate the very brightest “star” and you’ve found Jupiter. The nearest star to its left is Saturn. Both planets are fabulous through any telescope.
Moreover, this is just a preview of what’s to come. These gas Giants are slowly moving closer and closer together. This year brings the most amazing planet conjunction of our lives. The day of the winter solstice, December 21, they will come so close together that they may merge into a single brilliant star, at least for those who skipped their last eye exam.
We are also about to see the best meteor shower of the year. Late July is when the famous Perseids begin. At first there will be just a few extra shooting stars per hour. When they reach their peak on the nights of August 11 and 12, we should see a meteor a minute. This year the moon will cooperate so that the sky is dark before 1 a.m., giving earlier viewers an advantage.
For those who want to go just a bit deeper and happen to be awake at midnight the next week or two, look straight overhead at that hour and you’ll see a bright blue star. This is the famous Viega, which will be the North Star 12,000 years from now. Be sure to pronounce it Viega and not Vegas.
Finally, those who are up as the first signs of dawn are approaching, should look lowish in the east to see the unbelievable brilliance of the morning star, Venus. It will not be as high or bright for the rest of the year.
Bottom line: this summer offers lots of Covid-safe entertainment in the night sky. And the price is right.
Join the family! 
