NASACast: What's Up? Video Podcasts

Enjoy the bright beacon of Venus on September mornings, end the month with a Harvest Moon, and seek the elusive zodiacal light under dark skies.

What are some skywatching highlights in August 2023? Saturn reaches opposition this month, meaning it's at its biggest and brightest for the year, and visible all night. The "shooting stars" of the annual Perseid meteors are a must-see, overnight on August 12th. And this month brings two full moons – the second of which is a "Super Blue Moon."

What are some skywatching highlights in July 2023? Mars and Venus start the month close together, but part ways and head lower as July goes on. Mars appears very near Regulus in Leo on the 9th and 10th. Saturn and Jupiter rule the night, along with bright star Fomalhaut. And July is prime time for viewing the Milky Way core from dark sky locations.

What are some skywatching highlights in June 2023? Mars and Venus get closer, the bright stars of Summer, and how an ancient scholar used the June solstice to determine the size of planet Earth.

Planets strike a pose with the Moon, we reach "peak Venus," and what's different about the skies of the Southern Hemisphere.

Mercury reaches its highest in the evening sky for the year for Northern Hemisphere observers.

Venus climbs high while Jupiter dives sunward, and the little planet that shares its namesake with your breakfast cereal.

The brightest planets converge, the constellation Auriga, and two star clusters you might want to get Sirius about.

Some lovely groupings this month include the Moon with Mars, and later with Jupiter, and a close conjunction of Venus and Saturn.

Your evening planet highlights, including the disappearance of Mars, and the constellation Pegasus.

What's Up for November? A lunar eclipse, the moon and planets, and the Leonid meteors.

What are some skywatching highlights in October 2022?

Mars is on the move this month, forming a "red triangle" with bright red stars Aldebaran and Betelgeuse.

The daily parade of four naked-eye planets in the mornings comes to an end this month.

What are some skywatching highlights in July 2022? The naked-eye planets of dawn – Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn – dominate the sky, appearing more spread out each morning.

The planets of dusk and dawn, a lunar eclipse, and the Coma star cluster.

Conjunction junction and a hidden surprise in the Big Dipper…

Meet the morning planets, the nearest star cluster, and some do-it-yourself exoplanets.

Jupiter makes its exit, Venus at peak brightness, and the star-forming cloud next door.

The quadrantid meteors peak after midnight on Jan. 3, and catch some close pairings of the Moon with Jupiter, Mars, and Venus.