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This Week's Amazing Sky
Take your vitamins and stick around for the next century’s super-spectacles, including the longest total solar eclipse in U.S. history (2045) or the spectacular return of Halley’s Comet in 2061.The Magnificent Seven (Four for Canada) Total EclipsesTotality causes humans and animals alike to moan and babble, as normally invisible deep-pink prominences leap from the Sun’s edge like…
Does it feel darker this time of year? Many folks think it’s darkest on the winter solstice. But it’s actually in early December! Bob Berman explains this phenomenon.To most of us in North America, this is a dark time of year—and you’re right. The sunsets come exceedingly early. It might surprise you to learn that the earliest sunsets come several weeks before the winter solstice, not on the…
If you’ve ever wanted to see the Milky Way galaxy from Earth, late September through October is your window of opportunity! Right now, we’re aimed toward the most concentrated part of the Milky Way. Learn more to see the kind of inspirational, star-filled panorama experienced in planetariums!If you live—or can visit friends—in a rural location away from city lights, October can be very…
The “Ring of Fire” annular solar eclipse sweeps across the Americas on Saturday, October 14. Find out if you’re amongst the 31.5 million people who live on the eclipse path; if not, see a link to watch live from the comfort of your living room!You’ve probably seen the news flashes: Two major eclipses will happen in the next seven months. Each will be seen from widespread parts of North…
What is the Moon’s strangest appearance? It’s the “gibbous Moon.” After all, everyone can spot a crescent or a half or a full Moon. The gibbous Moon phase is fatter than half but smaller than full. See for yourself—tonight or the next several nights. Learn more.What Does Gibbous MeanThe current lunar phase is the only one whose shape is not universally identifiable. It’s kind of …
A “Once in a Blue Moon” happens on Wednesday night, August 30. The Moon will not actually be the color blue, so don’t be disappointed. So, what is a Blue Moon, exactly? Read all about the different types of Blue Moons and tell us what you think.What Is a Blue Moon?Need a refresher on what a Blue Moon is? We get a lot of questions about the term, including:Is “Blue Moon” a…
This weekend, the Ringed Planet will be its brightest, reaching its opposition (its closest point to Earth) on August 27, 2023! In our culture of publicity and hard sell, it’s tempting to exaggerate. But Saturn never disappoints. Here are Bob Berman’s tips on how to see it.Through any telescope with more than 30x, Saturn elicits gasps. Yet, oddly, photos of the ringed world fail to pack the…
On Tuesday, September 19, 2023, planet Neptune reaches its closest approach to us for the year. Why should we care about the only planet that cannot be seen with the naked eye? Well, if size matters, then it deserves attention on that basis alone; since it’s such an enormous blue ball, 58 planet Earths could fit inside it. Discover the “other” blue planet.Discovering NeptuneWe really…
Seen in twilight rather than full darkness, and always low in the sky, the crescent may be the Moon’s most surreal phase. What is special about a crescent moon?Although crescent shapes surround us if we think of bananas or croissants, the Moon is the only crescent in the sky—even if telescope users can sometimes see Venus and Mercury that way, too.Crescents only appear within…
Back in 1933, most of the universe went missing. According to many astronomers, it’s still missing. We’re talking about dark matter which can’t be seen. So, how do we know that dark matter exists? Bob Berman explains what dark matter is—and isn’t.Dark matter was coined by the famous Swiss physicist Fritz Zwicky. He worked most of his life at the California Institute of Technology in the U.S…
In 2024, we will have FOUR supermoons in a row! August brings us the year’s first supermoon; then, we will see one in September, October, and November! What is a supermoon, exactly? We agree that it’s a catchy word—and anything encouraging us to explore the night sky is positive—but let’s also get our facts straight.What Is a Supermoon?Generally speaking, a supermoon is a full moon that…
Can you balance an egg on the autumnal equinox? Does the Sun rise due east and set due west for all of us on Earth? Why did the date of the equinox change? How is it related to the Harvest Moon? Bob separates autumnal equinox facts from fiction.We have an equinox coming up on Saturday, September 23, 2023. Read all about the Autumnal Equinox!There are a number of questions and…
