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yearly opposition, and it means that we're farther from Saturn now than we were six weeks ago. We're now racing ahead of Saturn in Earth's smaller, faster orbit around the sun. So Saturn is steadily appearing dimmer on our sky's dome, and it's slowly but surely spending less time in the sky each night. Presently, Saturn sets just before the onset of morning dawn. However, by the time that July rolls around, Saturn will set around midnight.

Saturn, like all planets, will be shining with a steadier light than the twinkling stars, and it'll be the farther of these two bright lights from the moon on May 31. In contrast to the moon, Saturn moves at a snail's pace in front the constellations of the Zodiac. By tomorrow night,

Last night's moon (May 30, 2012) with a tip of the Eiffel Tower in the photo, from our friend VegaStar Carpentier in Paris. The moon is getting big in the sky, heading for the June 4 partial eclipse.

the moon will have moved onward, toward the constellation Libra and pursuing its endless orbit around Earth.

Bottom line: Will you be able to see the star Spica and the planet Saturn in the glare of the waxing gibbous moon tonight (May 31, 2012)?