This Week's Amazing Sky
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
December 16, 2018
Let’s do something different, and mix sky-stuff with weird science! Ready? Here are seven strange science facts—about everything under the Sun from rainbows to our reflection in mirrors!
Number 1. A rainbow has no independent reality. Sunlight and raindrops are not enough to create one. An observer is necessary for its existence, by standing exactly where the 42-degree refraction geometry gets completed. One bit of evidence that they’re not real is that rainbows not only cannot cast shadows,... more
December 16, 2018
Twilight. The word evokes gorgeous colors. But what exactly is twilight? And did you know that there are three types? The Old Farmer’s Almanac now has a calculator that will tell you when twilight begins and ends for your location. 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 granted. Our world alone experiences the luxuriant palette of... more
December 14, 2018
Comet 46P/Wirtanen is 2018’s brightest comet and comes closest to Earth on December 15–16, 2018—this weekend! As awesome as they can be, you can’t trust comets. We can always predict where they’ll be, but not how they will react with the Sun’s energy. So, the question is: Will it be an amazing sight or another bust?
For a short background, Comet 46P/Wirtanen is indeed the brightest comet in the night sky, though it’s been too faint to see with the naked eye thus far. From dark sky sites,... more
November 30, 2018
Mars is brilliant at dinnertime. In mid-autumn, Mars is one of the sky’s brightest objects between 6:00 and 8:00 PM. Simply look left of where the sun sets for that brilliant orange “star.” You can’t miss it. We keep sending landers there, and interest in Martian colonies remains high—but why?
True, Mars’ super-close visit happened four months ago, in late July, and, also true, our own planet keeps racing away from it at 66,000 miles an hour. After a six-month journey in deep space, NASA’s... more
November 9, 2018
In December, many people start to notice Orion the Hunter in the night sky. It’s one of the most famous constellations—seen by everyone on Earth! Learn more about Orion—and get viewing tips.
What is Orion the Hunter Constellation?
Step out anytime after 9 P.M. and you’ll see Orion appearing over your eastern horizon. Look around for anything bright! The first thing you’ll notice is Orion and its famous belt, those three-stars-in-a-row. They float in a very special space. Orion’s belt sits... more
October 31, 2018
As you may have heard, China announced that their artificial Moon will be launched in 2020. No more night! Yes, they’re abolishing full darkness. It’s a bad idea but not a new one.
The idea is an enormous 80 foot mirror placed into a geosynchronous orbit where it will remain glued to the same spot in the sky. From its altitude of 22,300 miles it will focus sunlight onto the city of Chengdu in southwestern China. That city of 14 million people will then be continually illuminated. No more night... more
October 23, 2018
The Sun is setting earlier and earlier: It’s really dark. The leaves are dropping quickly now, so barren branches now tremble in the wind. And yes, even that wind is generally stronger during the cold months.
Gather round the campfire. It’s the perfect time to tell blood curdling tales of the sky’s sinister side. Ramping up the scare-factor is that backyard sky-gazers are usually on our own. Seldom can we coax others to join us on freezing fall nights to stare at a rambling star pattern that we... 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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