This week’s small-telescope target is the Black Swallowtail Butterfly Cluster in northern Ophiuchus. This open cluster also goes by the designation IC 4665. It’s OK if you’ve never observed (or even ...

Each week, Astronomy magazine Senior Editor Michael E. Bakich, a master at explaining how to observe, posts a podcast about three or more objects or events you can see in the sky.

Sunday: At 8:30 p.m., the thin crescent moon is in the west-southwest, but is not especially bright. Without much light from the moon it is a good opportunity to view an open cluster of stars near the ...