What's in the Carolina sky?

The first step in spotting Sagittarius the Archer is to find a location with a clear southern horizon. Even at its highest point in the sky, Sagittarius is low in our Carolina skies. Any trees or buildings to the south will probably block your view of this constellation.

Once you have found a suitable location, you can begin your search. Finding an archer in Sagittarius' stars takes a very creative imagination. Instead of looking for a heroic archer, change your expectations and look for a dainty teapot. If you have trouble, try looking for the neighboring constellation Scorpius the Scorpion, just to the west. Scorpius has a long curved tail and a bright red star at its heart, making it easy to spot.

Nearly every ancient star map represents Sagittarius as a half-man, half-animal creature. Originally the archer was usually half-man, half-goat. Today he is more often drawn as a centaur: half-man, half-horse.

There is historical and mythological evidence that the original Sagittarius represented Enkidu, a character in the famous Epic of Gilgamesh. Enkidu was transformed into a constellation along with his friend, Gilgamesh, who is represented in the sky by Orion the Hunter. The two friends gained fame deserving of their place in the heavens by defeating a celestial bull.

As August begins, there is an exciting "planet race" coming to a climax low on the western horizon just after sunset. Mars has finally caught up to Saturn in the constellation of Virgo the Maiden, but Venus, moving faster than the other two, will overtake them by mid-month. It will take two more weeks for Venus to pass Mars, while Saturn sinks into the Sun's glow. To get a good look at this planetary triple conjunction, you'll need to find a clear view of the western horizon, devoid of buildings and trees, no more than an hour after sunset.

Jupiter is an easier target for planet watchers, rising in the east before 11 p.m. at the beginning of August and before 9 p.m. by the end of the month. Slow-moving Jupiter has the late night sky to itself, tracing a southern path across the sky in Pisces the Fish, just south of the Great Square of Pegasus.

Little Mercury is always difficult to find because it never ventures far from the Sun. If you have a clear sky and an obstruction-free western horizon early in the month, be sure to look for Mercury low in the sunset glow while watching the larger planets race.

You can view celestial wonders through a large telescope on select Friday evenings at 8 p.m. through Morehead Observatory Guest Nights, sponsored by UNC's physics and astronomy department. Space is limited in the observatory, so please e-mail Sallie Anderson at sallie@physics.unc.edu to make a reservation and get additional information. The Morehead Observatory is located on the east end (fourth floor) of the Morehead Building — enter through the double doors facing the Coker Arboretum.

• Last Quarter: Tuesday, Aug. 3
• New Moon: Monday, Aug. 9
• First Quarter: Monday, Aug. 16
• Full Moon: Tuesday, Aug. 24

The Perseid meteor shower is a favorite among families who come to Morehead's skywatching sessions. Look for the meteor shower to peak on Aug. 12, but you may begin seeing more meteors in the night sky earlier in August.

If you're interested in viewing the planets through a telescope and learning constellations, join MPSC at our monthly skywatching sessions.