This Week's Amazing Sky
December 3, 2020
When is the earliest sunset of the year? Many folks think it’s on the winter solstice. But the darkest days are actually now—in early December! Bob Berman explains this phenomenon.
To most of us in North America, this is a dark time of year and the sunsets come early. It might surprise you to learn that the earliest sunsets come several weeks before the winter solstice, not on the solstice, as many would guess.
This puzzles people, but in fact it’s a reliable yearly sequence.
First comes the... more
December 2, 2020
A rare, spectacular sky event is about to unfold: the greatest conjunction ever! It will be more impressive than the usual celestial headliners, like lunar eclipses and Mercury transits. And it will be visible around the world. On the very day of the solstice, December 21, 2020, Jupiter will come as close to Saturn as Jove’s own moons!
When Jupiter and Saturn—the two biggest planets in our solar system—meet, it’s termed the “Great Conjunction.” What’s even more special is that it’s happening on... more
December 1, 2020
Was the Star of Bethlehem a real celestial body or a miraculous vision? Astronomer Bob Berman discusses the prevailing theories and adds his own thoughts into the mix.
Star of Wonder?
During the holiday season, planetariums typically present their “Star of Wonder” show, which offers astronomical explanations for one of the most famous stars of all—the Star of Bethlehem, or “Christmas Star.” This is the star that the wise men from the East followed to Jerusalem in the nativity story of the... more
December 1, 2020
The most active meteor shower of the year peaks the night of Sunday, December 13. These are the Geminids, the sky’s “Old Faithful.” Their trustworthy, one‑a‑minute frequency has created reliable December sparklers for the past century.
Meteors by the Dark of the Moon
In 2020, the Geminids occur just one night prior to December’s new Moon (December 14). This means that the Moon will be nearly invisible and the sky will be dark—ideal for stargazing!
How to See the Geminids: Viewing Tips
The... more
November 2, 2020
If you’ve spent many years observing the Moon, you’ll know all its phases. Perhaps you even have a favorite Moon phase—whether it’s the slim crescent or a fully-illuminated disk. But let’s focus on an upcoming Moon phase that’s least familiar yet most full of wonders. Can you guess what it is?
The last week of October offered astronomy headlines. We had a Full Moon, and a blue one at that, since it was the second full moon that month. And it happened on Halloween. There was also the switch... more
October 29, 2020
When you’re looking at a Moon that’s half-illuminated—like half a pie—why is it called a “Quarter Moon” instead of a “Half Moon”? Seems confusing, right? Bob Berman defines the Quarter Moon—and explains why it’s the most interesting Moon phase in his eyes. Let’s take a closer look at the beautiful Quarter Moon.
Why Do We Call It the Quarter Moon?
We’ve all looked up at the night sky and seen half of the Moon’s disk illuminated. If you had two half Moons and fit them together, you’d get a full... more
October 26, 2020
The Hunter’s Blue Moon will occur on October 31, 2020—Halloween night! What is a Blue Moon, exactly? To prepare you for the Blue Moon on Halloween night this year, we’ve got all the details.
A Hunter’s Blue Moon on Halloween Night
In October 2020, we’re in for a special lunar event: a Blue Moon on October 31—Halloween night!
But that’s not the only thing that makes this October special. The month will contain both the Harvest Moon and the Hunter’s Moon, which are unique as far as full Moon... more
October 15, 2020
Can you imagine changing your knowledge of the stars and sky in five minutes? Bob wants to prove it. This is the perfect week because the Moon is currently thin or absent. Around 7 P.M., walk outside and Bob will be your personal astronomer.
When a living room appears in the movies, we often see a telescope near the window. This tells us that it’s a common thing to possess—a decoration, a bit of modern decor. Yet few of our friends can aim it anywhere except the Moon. If one of them actually... more
October 13, 2020
At last, Mars’s great opposition is upon us—October 13, 2020! This week, the Red Planet will appear bigger and brighter than it will be in years. Not only is Mars brighter than any star in the sky, it’s even brighter than Jupiter, which is unusual. Moreover, Jupiter is 22 times bigger than Mars in terms of diameter! And more than twice as shiny. See viewing details.
For the last couple weeks, the Red Planet has been growing brighter as it slowly approached a state that astronomers call... more
October 8, 2020
It’s an annual autumn ritual: The reappearance of the glorious Seven Sisters. Around Halloween, they always rise in the east before 7 PM and are nicely up after 8 PM. Learn more about the Pleiades—and their connection to All Hallows’ Eve.
The Pleiades is a tightly packed cluster of stars. There’s nothing else like it. No obstetrician attended the birth of the Pleiades, 60 million years ago. As these fiercely hot suns awakened from the dazzling and dangerous gaseous nursery, the newborn stars... more
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Welcome to “This Week’s Amazing Sky,” the Almanac’s hub for everything stargazing and astronomy. Bob Berman, longtime and famous astronomer for The Old Farmer’s Almanac, will help bring alive the wonders of our universe. From the beautiful stars and planets to magical auroras and eclipses, he covers everything under the Sun (and Moon)! Bob, the world’s mostly widely read astronomer, also has a new weekly podcast, Astounding Universe!
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