Use an MP3 player to listen to SkyandTelescope.com's Sky Tour Podcasts.

S&T: Lauren Darby

When you step outside, you'll find that the Sun doesn't set until at least 8 p.m. (in the Northern Hemisphere), and the sky doesn't get good and dark until 9 or 10 p.m. So take advantage of those fleeting dark hours while you can.

Saturn was the evening sky's signature planet throughout early 2009, but it's on the wane as skywatchers get into the full swing of northern summer. The ringed wonder sets only an hour or two after sundown, nearing its exit from the evening sky for the rest of the year.

Meanwhile, Jupiter is preparing for its grand entrance over in the east, rising a little before midnight.

Sandwiched between them in the south are icy-white Spica and warm-hued Antares. These two beacons mark the constellations Virgo and Scorpius, respectively. From a spot with a clear view to the south, you can trace out all of the Scorpion's tail and stinger.

To get a personally guided tour of these sights and others, hosted by Kelly Beatty, S&T's senior contributing editor, download this month's audio sky tour to your iPod or other handheld device — or just use your computer to play it.

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