Geoff Gaherty

Step outside on any evening this month and look toward the south. You will see one of the best-loved constellations, Orion the Hunter, surrounded by a circle of six brilliant stars.

The moon will pass in front of the bright star Aldebaran Tuesday (Jan. 19), in an "occultation" that will be visible throughout North America and Western Europe.

On Friday (Jan. 8), the planet Venus will appear to pass close by Saturn, making this a rare opportunity to see two planets at the same time in a telescope's narrow field of view.

See what's up in the night sky for December 2015, including stargazing events and the moon's phases, in this Space.com gallery courtesy of Starry Night Software.

Mercury is typically difficult to spot from Earth, but on Dec. 28, the innermost planet will be visible to skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere. Here's how you can spot it.

Next Tuesday (or Wednesday, depending on where you live), the sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky — an event known in the Northern Hemisphere as the winter solstice.

The Geminid meteor shower peaks this week. Here's how to see it.

On Monday (Dec. 7), the planet Venus will do a vanishing act behind the moon, but you'll have to be in the right place on Earth to see it without the sun's interference.

See what's up in the night sky for December 2015, including stargazing events and the moon's phases, in this Space.com gallery courtesy of Starry Night Software.

Look up into the sky this week to see why autumn is the favorite season for many skywatchers: You can get your last look at summer stars and, if you stay up late, your first look at winter stars.

See what's up in the night sky for November 2015, including stargazing events and the moon's phases, in this Space.com gallery courtesy of Starry Night Software.

Venus has been dominating the morning sky for the past two months, and Monday (Oct. 26), it will form a vivid tableau with Jupiter and Mars as it reaches its farthest point from the sun.

If you’re delighted by the ever-changing sky, here are some of its brightest inhabitants to watch for this week just before dawn.

See what's up in the night sky for October 2015, including stargazing events and the moon's phases, in this Space.com gallery courtesy of Starry Night Software.

The next two weeks provide an excellent opportunity to spot the brightest asteroid visible from Earth, Vesta — one of the best-known objects in the solar system.

This Sunday night moon observers have the chance to see a lunar triple treat, weather permitting. Not only is it a Harvest Full Moon, but also a so-called supermoon and total lunar eclipse.

The penguins are in luck, as are many southern skywatchers: A solar eclipse will be visible from Antarctica, southern Africa and the Indian Ocean on Sunday (Sept. 13).

Mercury is a very challenging planet to view, but this week, skywatchers have a good chance to see it, especially in the Southern Hemisphere.