To use this 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 red piece of 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.

The stars and constellations of summer are out of their winter hibernation and they’re waiting for you to spend a warm clear evening with them. North Butler summer night skies are waiting for you!

Unfortunately Saturn is the only planet to be seen in the early evening sky and it’s not exactly in fine viewing form.

First off, Saturn is nearing its maximum distance from Earth at over 890 million miles away so it’s not as bright and big as it was earlier this spring.

To make matters worse it also starts out after evening twilight in the low western sky, so we’re forced to look through more of Earth’s blurring atmosphere.

None the less this is your last chance to see Saturn in the evening, so if you have a telescope or access to one give it a gander. It might be a little fuzzy, but you should be able to clearly see the ring system of Saturn and some of its moons that look like tiny little stars swarming the planet.

There’s also a really bright star next to Saturn. That’s not one of its moons, but is actually a star called Porrima, the second brightest star in the faint constellation Virgo. This year Saturn just happens to be passing by Porrima as it takes its 29-year eastward circuit against the background of stars.

In the eastern heavens you’ll see the prime stars of summer on the rise. The best way to find your way around the summer stars is to locate the “Summer Triangle” made up of three bright stars, the brightest in each of their respective constellations. You can’t miss them. They’re the brightest stars in the east right now.

The highest and brightest star is Vega, the bright star in a small faint constellation called Lyra the Harp. The second brightest star on the lower right of the triangle is Altair, the brightest in Aquila the Eagle.

Altair is on the corner of a diamond that outlines the wingspan of the great bird. The third brightest star, found at the left corner of the summer triangle is Deneb, a star more than 1,500 light-years away.

It’s also the brightest star in the tail of Cygnus the Swan. Cygnus is also known as the “Northern Cross” because that’s what it really looks like. Deneb is at the head of the Northern Cross, presently laying on its side as it rises in the east.

In the north, look for the Big Dipper hanging from its handle in the northwestern sky, and the fainter Little Dipper standing on its handle with Polaris, the North Star at the end of the handle. Every single thing in the sky, including the sun and moon, appear to revolve around Polaris every 24 hours.

In the low southern sky there’s a bright brick red star called Antares that marks the heart of Scorpio the Scorpion, one of those few constellations that actually resembles what it’s supposed to be.

Celestial Hugging

This Thursday and Friday in the early evening the crescent moon will pass just below Saturn in the low western sky. On Wednesday evening look for Saturn just to the upper left of the moon and on Thursday look for Saturn just to the upper right of the nearly first quarter (half) moon.

Mike Lynch is an amateur astronomer and professional broadcast meteorologist in Minneapolis and is author of the book, “Pennsylvania Starwatch.”