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 to the compass points on the horizon where you're observing from. East and West on this map are not backward. This is not a misprint. I guarantee 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 summer stargazing show is under way over Butler, but you'll need that afternoon nap because it's not really dark enough to make the stars your old friends until after 10 p.m.

Three planets form a semi straight line in the west-southwest sky about an hour or so after sunset. Venus by far is the bright solar system neighbor acting as literally a bright spotlight in the low northwestern sky. As bright as it is, Venus isn't really a worthy telescope target because, for one thing, it's completely cloud covered and very reflective. It bounces a heck of a lot of sunlight in our direction, and that's why it's so brilliant. It also doesn't hurt that it's fairly close to us Earthlings at about 112 million miles away.

As you can see on the map, Mars is a little higher up above the western sky, and like Venus, it won't wow you through your telescope. It sports a distinctive reddish hue even to the naked eye, but it's a small planet, roughly half the size of Earth. Plus, it's nearly 150 million miles away.

The cool thing about Mars this June, especially in the first half of the month, is it's having a close tango with Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion that resembles a rightward leaning backward question mark. Regulus is the period at the bottom of query mark.

About June 9, Mars and Regulus are separated by less than a degree, which is the width of one of your fingers held at arm's length. Mars and Regulus are nearly the same brightness, but Regulus is astronomically more distant at more than 77 light-years away with just one light-year measuring nearly six trillion miles.

The planet Saturn is a little higher in the western sky below the triangle of stars that outline Leo's derrière. Saturn is for sure something you want to spend some quality time looking at through your telescope, even if you have a smaller scope. It's more than 850 million miles away, but it's the second largest planet in our solar system, and its ring system and swarm of tiny little starlike moons make it a must see! The only unfortunate thing about Saturn's appearance this year is the ring system from our viewpoint on Earth is nearly on edge. However, it's still well worth a generous look through your telescope.

As far as the constellations, the doldrums of the spring are definitely over, especially in the eastern skies.

The bright star Vega leads the stellar charge in the east. Vega is definitely the brightest star in the east after dusk and is also the brightest star in the small and faint constellation Lyra the Harp. The light you see from Vega tonight left that star in 1982, when Ronald Reagan was our president. Vega is a little more than 150 trillion miles from our troubles and triumphs on Earth.

Closer to the horizon in the east, start looking for Cygnus the Swan. It's also known by its more popular name, the Northern Cross, for obvious reasons. It looks like a cross rising on its side below and to the left of the star Vega.

Facing the north and looking high up, you'll see the Big Dipper hanging diagonally by its handle. Remember, the Big Dipper is actually the tail and rear end of the Big Bear. Look for a faint skinny triangle of stars that makes up the bear's head just to the lower right of the pot section of the Big Dipper. There are also two sets of curve lines that make up a front and rear leg of the bear. In fact, just where the bear's paw would be are two faint stars close to each other. In other words, there's a naked eye double star at each paw. The fainter Little Dipper, or Little Bear, is below and to the right of the Big Dipper, with Polaris, the North Star, at the end of the dipper's tail, or the bear's tail.

Polaris is certainly not the brightest star in the sky, but it is the brightest star in the Little Dipper. All the stars in the sky, including our Sun, revolve around the North Star every 24 hours. This is because Polaris is shining directly above the Earth's North Pole.

There is a giant kite almost overhead, otherwise known as the constellation Bootes. According to legend, Bootes is supposed to be a farmer trying to knock off the Big Bear, Ursa Major. The brightest star in Bootes is the very bright giant Arcturus, which is 36 light-years away and makes up the tail of the kite. Arcturus and Bootes are easy to find. Just follow the curve of the handle of the Big Dipper beyond the handle, and you'll easily run into Arcturus.

Just next to Bootes and Arcturus to the east is Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown. It actually looks like the crown is upside down, and it also resembles a right-side up cereal bowl. It's one of my favorites!

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