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This Week's Amazing Sky
Who hasn’t heard of the Dog Star, Sirius? It’s the brightest star in the sky in late winter and early spring. And, boy, is it easy to find! Just face south at 8 P.M. and look for Orion. Plus, you also have a chance to see its pup. Yes, it’s a two-dog night.
How to Find Sirius
Simply locate Orion. See its famous belt made up of three bright stars? The belt points downwards…
Both of our neighboring planets, Venus and Mars, are carbon dioxide (CO2) worlds. On Earth, there is only a trace amount. So why all the fuss about carbon dioxide? In half a minute, you can fully grasp how CO2 does its dirty work. Interested?Earth’s Carbon Dioxide LevelsSix years ago, for the first time in 800,000 years, our own world’s carbon dioxide level passed 400 parts per million…
Maybe you’ve heard those radio commercials. The announcer says, “If you’re looking for a perfect gift for that special someone … then have a star named after them!” Can you really name a star? The answer to this question is … in the eye of the beholder. Let’s see what you think.
The International Star Registry is still in business. More than 30 years ago, when I first saw…
During the early weeks of spring, the most widely recognized constellation at nightfall is Orion, standing upright in the southwest. People who appreciate the outdoors may know this prominent constellation best. Here are Orion constellation facts and viewing tips from Almanac astronomer Bob Berman.
Ubiquitous Orion
For us during these first weeks of spring, Orion’s famous 3-star Belt…
On Friday, June 5, the Moon will pass through the edge of Earth’s shadow, resulting in a “penumbral eclipse.” It’s one of four penumbral eclipses in 2020! Yep, a weird penumbral quartet. What is a penumbral eclipse, anyway, and how does it occur? Bob Berman explains.
*Note: The June 5 eclipse is visible only from the western Pacific Ocean and parts of Australasia,…
What’s the most spectacular sky object? A bright comet is certainly on my top-five list. A few weeks ago, you may have heard about Comet ATLAS. If not, no matter. It fizzled. And you’ll probably hear about new comets in the skies, like Comet SWAN. But how often do bright comets truly appear?
Certainly, a bright comet is something amazing to behold. Of all the sky objects…
What are signs of spring in the sky? Perhaps you’ve noticed the earlier sunrises. Let’s observe a few more signs in the sky—including a springtime smile from our very own Moon.Once spring is under way, nature lovers can find it hard to keep up with the rapid day-to-day changes on the ground. Much less well-known is that the sky starts this process first.The Sun Shifts…
This past week, the star Betelgeuse (Orion’s “left shoulder”) dimmed. Most reports jumped on the supernova angle. What really happened? There’s nothing like a space mystery to spark interest …
For a quick background: A burst of gravitational waves was detected near the star Betelgeuse. At the same time, Betelgeuse has mysteriously dimmed in recent weeks. So, many folks…
It’s escaped no one’s attention that this year’s name is also the term for sharp vision—2020. So let’s check out your vision in the sky! Plus, here are some fun facts about how long it takes for our eyes to adjust to darkness and whether your night vision is affected by your eye color.
The human eye is amazing and uses different modes to see during the daytime and to see at night, and can…
As autumn begins, we have a few more weeks to look at the most amazing part of the night sky. Let us easily locate the most photogenic telescopic targets, the planets Jupiter and Saturn.
On the next clear evening, look around the sky as soon as darkness falls.
Jupiter
These nights that’s as early as 7 P.M. and certainly by 7:30. Just look rather low in…
You can seriously damage your eyes by watching a solar eclipse without proper protection (NOT sunglasses!). Here is information on how to watch an eclipse safely and what kind of eye protection you need—from eclipse glasses to welder’s googles.
First, if you are watching a “total solar eclipse,” do you realize that you can only see totality from a very limited area—the narrow…
Few seem to realize that the Sun in April is as strong as it is in August, especially once we hit the middle of the month. Solar fear and confusion still abound. The marketing of ultra-blocking sunscreens and special sun-protective clothing play into these fears. I was certainly repeatedly surprised when I researched the Sun’s health effects.Sunlight Lifts Your MoodEveryone…