The first week of May brings the annual Eta Aquarid meteors, peaking on the 6th. And sometime in the next few months, astronomers predict a “new star” or nova explosion will become visible to the unaided eye. All Month – Planet Visibility: Venus: Appears very bright and low in the east in the hour before … Read more
Enjoy observing planets in the morning and evening sky, look for Lyrid meteors, and hunt for the “faint fuzzy” wonder that is the distant and ancient city of stars known as globular cluster M3. All Month – Planet Visibility: Mercury: Visible for a few days in the second half of April, extremely low in the … Read more
The next full moon is called the Worm Moon. Also, there will be a total lunar eclipse this full moon. The Moon will be full early Friday morning, March 14, at 2:55 a.m. EDT, but will appear full for about three days around this time, from Wednesday evening into Saturday morning. As the Moon passes … Read more
Catch Mercury if you can, then stay up late for a total lunar eclipse, and learn the truth about the dark side of the Moon. All Month – Planets Visibility: Mercury: Speedy Mercury is visible beneath Venus for the first week and a half of March, for about 30 minutes each evening, as sunset fades. … Read more
The next full moon will be Wednesday morning, Feb. 12, 2025, appearing opposite the Sun (in Earth longitude) at 8:53 a.m. EST. The Moon will appear full for about three days around this time, from Monday night into early Thursday evening. The bright star Regulus will appear near the full moon. The Maine Farmers’ Almanac … Read more
Why does the Moon look larger on the horizon? The short answer is, we don’t know. We’ve been talking about this for 2,000 years. Aristotle mentions it. And in our own time, scientists are designing experiments to figure out exactly what’s going on. But there’s no consensus yet. Here’s what we do know. The atmosphere … Read more
The Moon will pass into Earth’s shadow and appear to turn red on the night of March 13 or early in the morning of March 14, depending on time zone. Here’s what you need to know about the total lunar eclipse. The March 2025 total lunar eclipse will take place between late night on March … Read more
On most nights, weather permitting, you can spot at least one bright planet in the night sky. While two or three planets are commonly visible in the hours around sunset, occasionally four or five bright planets can be seen simultaneously with the naked eye. These events, often called “planet parades” or “planetary alignments,” can generate … Read more
Venus blazes at its brightest for the year after sunset, then Mars and Jupiter to rule the night amid the menagerie of bright winter stars. All Month – Planet Visibility: Mercury: Pops up just above the horizon in late February, looking relatively bright as sunset fades Venus: Looking brilliant in the west after sunset all … Read more
As winter continues in the Northern Hemisphere, the daily periods of sunlight continue to lengthen. Our 24-hour clock is based on the average length of a day with the solar days near the solstices longer than those near the equinoxes. For Washington, D.C. and similar latitudes (I’ve not checked for other areas) the latest sunrise … Read more