This Week's Amazing Sky
March 21, 2019
The Big Dipper is an old friend to most of us. Poetically, it is spring itself, the season of renewal. Just go outside in early evening, and you’ll see stars shaped in a dipper pattern high in the northeastern sky.
Looming large in the night sky, the Big Dipper’s shape is mutating and will appear different in just a few thousand years, but it hasn’t changed a bit since we were kids.
What is the Big Dipper?
Curiously, the Big Dipper is not even a constellation but a so-called asterism, a “... more
March 19, 2019
This is one of those rare years when the full Moon lands right smack on the spring equinox—on March 20, 2019, in North America. This only happens three times a century, on average. Plus, it’s the third and final “supermoon.” Enjoy the extra-bright equinox full moon Wednesday night!
It’s an event with wide appeal because the Moon is the only night sky object recognized by everyone in the world, while the equinox is one of the few remaining sky-based events still found on all calendars.
For most... more
March 14, 2019
Did you know that spring is galaxy time? More galaxies are visible from March to mid-May, early in the evening. I thought I’d share some information and photos of these galaxies!
What is a Galaxy?
It may help the novice sky watcher to understand the definition of a galaxy: A galaxy is a huge collection of gas, dust, and billions of stars and their solar systems, all held together by gravity. Our planet, Earth, is part of a solar system; that solar system lives within the Milky Way Galaxy. Below... more
February 15, 2019
On Tuesday, February 19, 2019, the full Moon reaches 2019’s closest approach to Earth. The media will call it a supermoon, astronomers will call it lunar perigee. Regardless of the name, it will be the nearest, largest, and brightest full Moon of the year—and will produce the strongest tides.
This nearest full Moon of the year will reach its peak on Tuesday, February 19, at 10:53 A.M. EST. “Perigee,” the official astronomical term for the nearest point in the Moon’s orbit to Earth, is three... more
February 5, 2019
Who hasn’t heard of the Dog Star, Sirius? In February, it’s the brightest star in Earth’s night sky, parading overhead from nightfall until midnight. When viewing Sirius, we’re actually seeing the combined light of two stars. Learn how to find Sirius.
Sirius is the alpha dog of the Big Dog constellation (Canis Major) and the brightest star of February. This star was considered bad news in the Roman Empire, where they sometimes sacrificed dogs to protect their wheat crops from disease thought to... more
January 17, 2019
On Sunday evening, January 20, we’ll see the finest total eclipse of 2019, visible from all of North America. How long will the eclipse last? When is the eclipse visible? Here are the times for watching the eclipse on Sunday—and how it will all unfold. This event is definitely worth observing. Kids particularly love lunar eclipses, and remember them vividly their whole lives.
When Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, a lunar eclipse takes place.
Image: NASA
Viewing the Eclipse: ... more
January 13, 2019
A total eclipse of the Moon is coming on January 20, 2019. Some folks are calling it a “Blood Moon.” There’s boatloads of celestial hype about this phenomenon. We’ll help you separate fact from fiction.
See our full Guide to the January Moon and Total Lunar Eclipse!
What is a Blood Moon?
A total eclipse of the Moon is sometimes called a Blood Moon because of the Moon’s red-orange hue.
We’ve heard all kind of strange theories about a “Blood Moon.” Back in 2014–2015, there was a series of four... more
January 9, 2019
On Sunday, January 20, we’ll see the only total lunar eclipse of 2019—and the last one until 2021. Here’s what to look forward to.
The “Super Blood Wolf Moon” Total Lunar Eclipse
Yes, that’s really what this event is being called in the media (and yes, it is a mouthful). Let’s break the name down into bite-size pieces:
Total Lunar Eclipse: This is the most important part of the name because it tells you what exactly you’re looking at. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is positioned ... more
December 26, 2018
Want to welcome 2019 in grand style? So happens, the year begins with an eye-catching celestial alignment that will light up the eastern sky at the first dawn of 2019. Watch the Moon, Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury line up—and connect the dots! Here are Bob’s viewing tips.
Three planets and the crescent Moon will create a string of pearls early New Year’s morning. Maybe it’ll be easy to see, if your New Year’s Eve celebration runs very late.
Viewing Tips
Some 40 minutes before sunrise on January 1... more
December 19, 2018
Winter solstice 2018 brings a wonderful weekend of night sky wonders—a full Moon, a meteor shower, and a beautiful conjunction of planet Jupiter and Mercury. Here’s all you need to know.
The winter solstice, of course, is one of the biggest and most ancient annual events. We also call it the December solstice, since December 21st marks the start of summer for our Kiwi and Aussie friends, and everyone else in the southern hemisphere.
A Two-for-One Deal
The winter solstice—marking the... more
Pages
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!
FREE BEGINNER'S GARDEN GUIDE!
BONUS: You’ll also receive our Almanac Companion newsletter!
