Finally last night we got some clear skies again, perfect for stargazing. I was up quite late (or early, depending on which way you look at it). I went down the list of naked eye and binocular objects that accompanies this month's sky map (see below). I found many of them quite easily. One that gave me trouble, and should be one of the easiest to find, is M3. I never really did find it conclusively. Maybe I'm looking right at it and don't know it? If that's the case, then I guess it isn't worth looking at!

Mel 111 is kind of cool. I have looked at it many times and even took pictures of it (might have posted some here, in my scrapbook), but I never knew it had a name. My planetarium program only has the Messier (M) names listed.

Big old bright Jupiter was rising in the east. Looking through the woods, I could glimpse it but couldn't get a picture. Later this month, or early next, it will be above the treetops.

Maybe tonight I'll try some of the things on the telescope list!