December 30, 2021: As the year ends and the new one opens, the night sky’s brightest star – Sirius – is in the southern sky at the midnight hour.
Sirius
2021: Sirius Heliacal Rising
The first morning appearance of a star before sunrise is known as the heliacal rising of the star. Sirius, the brightest star, makes its first appearance each year during mid-August from mid-northern latitudes.
2021: March Evenings, Winter Triangle
Winter’s brightest – Sirius, Procyon, Betelgeuse, Rigel, Capella, Aldebaran, Castor, and Pollux – are shifting farther west.
2021, January 28: Sirius Rises at Sunset
January 28, 2021: The sky brightest nighttime star, Sirius, rises at sunset from mid-northern latitudes to join winter’s brightest stars in their evening jaunts across the sky.