If you want to more easily spot Mercury, the planet makes its greatest separation from the sun in our sky during the morning of Oct. 24.
Sky Watch: Perseid Meteor Shower
The Perseid meteor shower is present for most of August.
The Perseid meteor shower is present for most of August with its peak in activity Aug. 11–12. The best viewing is before twilight Aug. 12.
Sky Watch: Venus and Mars in Conjunction
Love and war come together in our western sky on the evening of July 12.
Love and war come together in our western sky on the evening of July 12 with the conjunction of Venus and Mars.
Sky Watch: Venus and the Crescent Moon
The pairing of the moon and Venus will fall just after sunset on June 11.
This year, the pairing of the moon and Venus will fall just after sunset on June 11. For a clear view, start looking west around 8 p.m.
Sky Watch: Total Lunar Eclipse
In the early hours of May 26, a total lunar eclipse will grace our morning sky.
In the early hours of May 26, the moon will begin to dim and a total lunar eclipse will grace the morning sky in the Coachella Valley.
Sky Watch: Ecliptic
April provides an chance to identify the ecliptic, the plane of the Earth’s orbit.
April provides an chance to identify the ecliptic, the plane of the Earth’s orbit. The ecliptic passes just south of the red glow of Mars.
Sky Watch: Quadruple Formation
Shortly after 5 a.m. on March 10, look to the eastern sky for a unique perspective of our solar system.
Early morning on March 10, look to the eastern sky in Greater Palm Springs for quadruple formation featuring Saturn, Jupiter, and Mercury.
Sky Watch: Mission to Mars
You can follow a trio of missions scheduled to arrive at Mars in February from the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and China.
You can follow a trio of missions scheduled to arrive at Mars in February from the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and China.
Sky Watch: Andromeda
Keep your eyes skyward in the Coachella Valley as Andromeda Galaxy appears in early January.
After twilight in early January, you can see a fascinating object almost directly overhead. Andromeda Galaxy appears as a faint patch.
Sky Watch: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
This penumbral eclipse will last longer than four hours, so the subtle dimming of the moon may not be readily apparent to desert viewers.