This Week's Amazing Sky
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
September 21, 2020
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 early in the morning on Tuesday, September 22, 2020. See all you need to know about the Autumnal Equinox.
There are a number of questions and misperceptions sent my way. Let’s clear this up, and talk a little about the... more
September 11, 2020
The Moon meets all four of the most brilliant and easily-seen planets this week and next. See Bob’s post for viewing tips. Plus, for all you Moon lovers, let’s answer why the Moon rides high or runs low in the sky? What does this mean and why does it happen? Find out from Almanac astronomer Bob Berman.
The Moon Meets Each Planet
We are now enjoying a jewel box of nightly gemstones. Unlike this past spring, all four of the most brilliant and easily-seen planets are well placed. But just to make... more
September 2, 2020
When is the full Harvest Moon: This year, the famous Harvest Moon—which appears to shine on for several days in a row—falls on October 1, 2020. Bob Berman explains why—plus some fascinating, little-known facts about our big ol’ Moon!
What is the Harvest Moon?
The Harvest Moon is not just a name like other full Moon names. The Harvest Moon, together with the Hunter’s Moon, are the year’s only full Moons that have official astronomy names (versus names from folklore).
Astronomically, the Harvest... more
August 7, 2020
One of the year’s best meteor showers—the Perseids—is now under way. It starts with just a few extra shooting stars per hour, and when we reach the nights of August 11 and 12, we will see a meteor every 2 minutes or so. But the comet behind these lovely shooting stars is what we should really be talking about!
Meteors are tiny specks of debris that have fallen off a comet. Most are no larger than apple seeds. These particular meteors, the Perseids, have been observed for over 2000 years and... more
July 20, 2020
Comet NEOWISE has switched to become a more easily-viewed evening comet. Don’t miss it! Here’s how to see Comet Neowise, including where and when to see the comet in the night sky.
This week, the clouds finally cleared to let us view comet NEOWISE. Wow! It’s the best we’ve seen in the past 24 years. Unless you live in the far south, you can easily find and observe this wonderful comet anywhere in the country.
Comet NEOWISE should be especially visible around the date of the new Moon (July 20)... more
July 18, 2020
Both Jupiter and Saturn will be big and bright in July, 2020! Next up is Saturn is at “opposition” to the Sun on the 20th. This is some amazing, easy backyard stargazing—no charts needed! Here are details on when to watch the planets from Almanac astronomer Bob Berman.
During the month of July, 2020, go out any night you’re in the mood and you’re in for a treat! Here are the highlights:
Vega, the Bright Blue Star
Directly overhead is a bright blue star. This is the famous Vega, twice as heavy... 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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