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• Don't mistake that brighter and steadier star-like light to the north of Orion for Sirius in tomorrow's predawn and dawn sky. That's the planet Jupiter. From northerly latitudes, this brilliant beauty shines high above Orion on October 2012 mornings.
• An even brighter star-like object - the planet Venus - blazes away above the moon in tomorrow's (October 13, 2012) eastern predawn and dawn sky. From northerly latitudes, you might catch a thinner waning crescent moon closer to the horizon before sunrise on October 14 - only one day before the new moon.
• Bottom line: We get many questions about a bright, colorful, twinkling star on these October mornings. It's the star Sirius in the constellation Canis Major, brightest star in the sky. The bright planets Jupiter and Venus are also up before dawn now. But you'll know Sirius, because Orion's Belt always points to Sirius.
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