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This Week's Amazing Sky
It’s a new Moon! For astronomers, a new Moon means no Moon to see. For many cultures, however, the new Moon carries special meaning. What does a new Moon look like, and what does it mean? Let’s explore, fellow Moon lovers …What Is a New Moon?A new Moon is essentially the opposite of a full Moon. During a full Moon, we see the side of the Moon that is illuminated by the Sun, giving…
Sister planet. Nearest neighbor. Goddess of love. How appealing the planet Venus sounds! But the strange cloudy world is actually a land of paradox and horror. Discover 10 weird facts about planet Venus, the hottest planet in our solar system!10 Cool Facts About Hot VenusTake the time to learn some ten cool Venus facts about our very, very hot neighboring planet!Venus is…
The winter solstice occurs on Saturday, December 21, at 4:19 a.m. Yes, this is the “shortest” day of the year, but let’s talk about how many minutes each day the daylight increases afterward. Plus, we’ll discuss other ways you can see and feel the solstice.What Happens on the Winter Solstice?Here are the most tangible factors affecting your everyday life. Your shadow…
Did anyone else catch the comet this week? C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is making its 80,000-year orbit around the Sun and came from beyond Pluto to visit! Learn how to best view this visitor from outer space. The comet will be visible through October 26. Get the update.Update on Comet Tsuchinshan-AtlasIf you’ve been trying to see the new comet with no luck, don’t give up. It suddenly…
Double, double, toil, and trouble! Autumn is a great time to spot a double star! Today, we’ll highlight the famous Epsilon Lyrae—which is called the “Double Double.” Don’t worry; you don’t need to contact your optician. Read all about this very curious starry sight.What is Epsilon Lyrae?Commonly referred to as the “Double Double,” Epsilon Lyrae (pronounced EP-sill-on Lye Ree) is defined…
We’ve all enjoyed a view of the sunset over the horizon, especially when we go to the beach. The horizon view offers many unique wonders of our amazing sky—all conveniently situated straight ahead! Let’s highlight a few of these strange and wonderful marvels. You can do your own Stonehenge thing. Without moving a single rock.Some of us—like those who have overlooked the ocean—can see the sky…
You may have heard about the new Beetlejuice movie. It’s just in time for the seasonal return of the star for which it’s named—Betelgeuse! This monstrous, ultrabright star marks the shoulder of the well-known Orion the Hunter, so you can easily spot it! Plus, it’s one of the weirdest stars in the sky—one that caused a scare recently. Let’s dig into the strange!What is Betelgeuse, the …
This year, the full Hunter’s Moon rises on Thursday, October 17! This is one of the two full Moons that enjoy an official astronomical name. So, will it be bigger, brighter, and redder? Here’s all you need to know!What Is the Hunter’s Moon?People like objects to have names. While the full Moon is always recognizable—and indeed the only phase that’s out all night long…
On Sunday, September 8, Saturn comes into opposition, making for some of the best viewing! Surrounded by the dim stars of Aquarius, the planet’s rings can be seen almost edgewise this year!Saturn will be visible all night in September 2024, rising in the east shortly after sunset. It will reach its closest point to Earth on September 8, offering the best viewing conditions. After that,…
Many of us are fascinated with the idea of traveling to other worlds, especially Mars. The truth is that the solar system is constructed to give us only Mars as a suitable planet. Let’s explore how long it would take to journey to Mars and other fun space travel facts.Traveling to MarsExploring is in our nature. Even in early childhood, we all had the itch to discover. We explored the…
Twilight. The word evokes gorgeous colors. But what exactly is twilight? We’ll explain the three stages of twilight, plus you can check your own twilight times with the Almanac’s calculator. Get ready for adventures in the Twilight Zone.That famous TV show would not have been a hit on Pluto. In fact, creatures on any known planet would be amazed by the unique twilight we Earthlings take for…
We’ve all heard that space is brutally cold, which seems perfectly logical. After all, it’s cooler and cooler the higher up you live. However, there is no temperature in space. So, where is the coldest place in the universe? The answer reveals some very “cool” facts that will surprise you.For each thousand-foot rise in elevation, the average temperature is 5½°F cooler, an effect called the…
