world tonight - wherever you may be - look in a general westward direction to see the colorful string of lights beautifying nightfall.
• The red planet Mars assumes the middle position in between Spica and Saturn. The threesome aligns pretty much vertically at mid-northern latitudes, with Saturn at top and Spica at bottom. But at temperate latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere (southern Australia, New Zealand), the line-up appears more horizontal, with Spica on the left and Saturn on the right.
• In the dark meadow of night, these astral wildflowers not only distinguish themselves by position but by color. Saturn appears golden, whereas Mars exhibits a ruddy hue and Spica sparkles blue-white. The stunning contrast of color should look all the more spectacular through binoculars.
• Spica is a whirling double star
• At present, Mars and Saturn reside in front of the constellation Virgo, shining

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