If you've been a faithful follower of Starwatch, you know I'm not a big fan of spring stargazing. The constellations during that time don't exactly jump out at you.

But as our Earth continues its annual orbit around the sun, the nighttime side of our planet is now pointing into a much more interesting direction in space.

The summer constellations are taking the celestial stage. Granted, it won't be like watching the fireworks Monday night, but as you lie back somewhere in the dark - coated with bug repellant - I know you'll like what you see.

To start out July, the great celestial conjunction between Venus and Mercury continues.

Last week they were so close together in the low west-northwestern sky at the end of evening twilight that, at first glance, they almost looked like one giant star. I hope you had a chance to see it because those two planets won't get that close again until 2070.

The two planets are still huddled next to each other in the low west-northwest but make sure you look by 10:15 p.m. before they set below the horizon.

At this point they're only separated by a little more than a degree, about the width of your finger at arm's length, but they'll gradually part company over the next few weeks.

Before they do though there will be a spectacular conjunction Friday night as the crescent moon joins Venus and Mercury. Don't miss it.

Speaking of planets, many people have forwarded an e-mail to me describing how Mars is going to the make its closest approach to Earth in almost 60 million years late this August. This is not true.

This happened in late August of 2003, but some how a write up this past event is still floating around cyberspace. Mars and Earth will come close together again this coming November and we'll get a wonderful view but they won't be as close as were in 2003.

After Mercury and Venus set around 10:30, it'll be finally dark enough to see summer constellations.

In the northern sky, the Big Dipper is hanging by its handle and the fainter Little Dipper is standing on its handle with Polaris, the North Star, at the end of the handle.

The Little Dipper is also known as Ursa Minor, or the Little Bear, and the Big Dipper is actually the rear end and tail of the constellation Ursa Major, or the Big Bear.

In the southern sky, look for the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion with the bright brick red star Antares at the heart of the Scorpion.

Scorpius is one of the rare constellations that actually looks like what it's suppose to be, but a lot of people also refer to it as the "giant fishhook" that trolls in the summer skies.

Over in eastern sky are the three bright stars that make up the very distinct "Summer Triangle", made up of Vega, Altair, and Deneb, the three brightest stars in their respective constellations Lyra the Harp, Cygnus the Swan and Aquila the Eagle.

Just below and a little to the lower left of Altair is the faint constellation Delphinus the Dolphin. It's definitely one of my favorites and I know you'll love it too.

Look for a faint sideways diamond that makes up the body of the dolphin and another faint but distinct star to the right of the diamond that marks the mammal's tail. I'll have a lot more in next week's Starwatch about the little dolphin of the sky.

Mike Lynch is an amateur astronomer and professional broadcast meteorologist for WCCO Radio on Minneapolis and author of the new book, "Pennsylvania Starwatch," available at bookstores and at his Web site: www.lynchandthestars.com

To use the map, cut it out and attach it to a stiff backing.Hold it over your head and line up the compass points on the map's horizon to the actual direction you're facing.East and West on this map are not backward. This is not a misprint. I guarantee that when you hold this map over your head, east and west will be in their proper positions.Also use a small flashlight and attach a piece of red cloth or red construction paper over the lens of the flashlight. You won't lose your night vision when you look at this map in red light.