Night Sky: Look Northeast For Deneb

news image
Special Stories
21 May 2020 6:30 AM
[Original story by EarthSky.org] If you've run out of ideas of what to do while remaining at home, we have a suggestion tonight! Actually, we encourage this every night: Look up! After sunset, go outdoors (with all responsibly-safe measures) and take a glance to the northeast. You may spot a couple of bright stars. The one we're highlighting in this article is the star Deneb. This star is on the left side of the constellation Cygnus the Swan. It is the brightest star in this constellation and the name is of Arabic language. It means tail and refers to the Tail of the Swan as seen by Arabian stargazers, according to EarthSky. A representation of Cygnus the Swan courtesy EarthSky.org Deneb is one of the brightest stars we can see with the naked eye. Astronomers estimate that it's more than 1,000 light years away. Think about that. The shine from that star you see tonight started on its trek toward Earth 1,000+ years ago! The constellation Cygnus the Swan was originally referred to by Arabian stargazers whereas the head of the swan was the right side of the picture above, the tail being Deneb. Deneb is part of the "Summer Triangle asterism" according to EarthSky. The two other stars, Vega and Altair, form the other ends of it. According to EarthSky, the star Altair is not visible (as of this writing) but is the last of these three stars to rise. It will be visible next month (June). Enjoy the night sky safely tonight, and every night for that matter! Featured [file] image courtesy Mary Reed Runyon
All Weather News
More
Power Out for Thousands; Severe Storms Continue for the Great Lakes & Northeast

Power Out for Thousands; Severe Storms Continue for the Great Lakes & Northeast

Severe storms have been following the same pa

4 Sep 2026 12:10 PM
Lowell Could Brush Hawaii as the Eastern Pacific Remains Hyperactive

Lowell Could Brush Hawaii as the Eastern Pacific Remains Hyperactive

The Pacific hurricane season is showing no si

4 Sep 2026 11:20 AM
Labor Day Travel Underway as Americans Hit the Roads and Take to the Skies

Labor Day Travel Underway as Americans Hit the Roads and Take to the Skies

The unofficial end of summer is bringing anot

4 Sep 2026 10:00 AM
Marie's Moisture Pulled into the Southwest Labor Day Weekend

Marie's Moisture Pulled into the Southwest Labor Day Weekend

While many do not associate tropical storms a

4 Sep 2026 9:00 AM
Flood Threat Lingers in Texas After Edouard

Flood Threat Lingers in Texas After Edouard

Intense rainfall has inundated parts of Texas

4 Sep 2026 1:00 AM
More Severe Weather For The Plains

More Severe Weather For The Plains

WHAT TO EXPECTThere is a significant severe t

3 Sep 2026 12:55 AM
Monsoon Moisture Brings Flooding Across the Four Corners

Monsoon Moisture Brings Flooding Across the Four Corners

Flood Watches are in effect throughout Arizon

1 Sep 2026 10:20 AM