- With Summer coming fast, Sirius is sinking into the Western Horizon early in the evening. Let's see if we can all spot this very bright and close star before it's departs from view. Post a description of what you see when you view it naked eye, with binoculars or with a scope. For extra credit, see if you can spot "The Pub", the Dog Star's companion.
Sirius: Easy -- The brightest star in the sky should be a cinch if you look SW early enough, before 9pm. If its bright and moves it's an airplane otherwise the Dog Star is most likely what you see. Newbies should identify the constellation to the right (N) that the Dog Star dutifully follows into the West. For more info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirius
Sirius B, the Pup: Very Difficult -- If you have a sharp scope and a know a few tricks, it's now possible to spot the companion star of Sirius. While bright enough to see even a small scope, the glare of Sirius makes this a difficult double even at maximum separation. For some hints on how to spot it, try http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1387