Astronomy Articles

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Star of Bethlehem

The Star of Bethlehem

Was the Star of Bethlehem a real celestial body or a miraculous vision? Astronomer Bob Berman...
Ruins

Spooky Sky: We Dare You to Go Out!

The Sun is setting earlier and earlier: It’s really dark. The leaves are dropping quickly now, so...
What is Planet Nine?

Looking for Planet Nine

What is Planet Nine? Find out more about a possible new planet in our solar system. Everyone likes...
Comet Catalina from Slooh.com

How to See Comet Catalina

Everyone loves comets.  When we get a bright one every 15 or 20 years the world goes nuts.  We...
Horizon Sunset

When is the Darkest Day of Winter?

The darkest afternoon—our earliest sunset—is upon us. For most of us, the darkest day of winter...
Deneb

What Star is Directly Overhead?

Look straight up at a star—and see where you are heading! Something very cool is overhead. Next...
Pluto by New Horizon Spacecraft

Should Pluto be a Planet?

Should Pluto be a planet? Having now seen some of our first-ever close-up pictures of Pluto, let’s...
Night Sky Camping

October Planet Show Extends its Run

The action remains glued to the morning sky.  We’re talking 6:00 AM.  Normally, planet conjunctions...
Four Planets Meet in the October 2015 Night Sky!

Four Planets Meet in the October 2015 Night Sky!

The wild morning display continues! See four planets performing the year’s best conjunctions. It’s...
Stargazing from Earth

Sky Maps (Star Charts): October 2015

Find your way around the night sky! Below is a free sky map for OCTOBER 2015 as well as a printable...
Supermoon Silhouette

What Is a Supermoon?

What is a supermoon? We agree that it’s a catchy word—and anything that encourages us to explore...
Venus and Moon

The Best Evening Star of Your Life

One way to have fun at home is simply to step onto your backyard, deck, or roof, and look up at the...
Easter Bunny & Flowers - OFA Message

When Is Easter 2020? | How the Easter Date is Determined

Easter 2020 will be observed on Sunday, April 12! Find out how the date of Easter is determined,...
Four Seasons

The Reason for the Seasons

What causes our four seasons—spring, summer, winter, fall? People puzzled over this for centuries...
Machu Piccu

5 Ancient Sites Aligned With the Solstice and Equinox

Across time, people have marked the changes of seasons—sometimes in dramatic ways! Here are five...
Welcome Spring Equinox

First Day of Spring 2020: The Spring Equinox

In 2020, the spring equinox (also called the March equinox or vernal equinox) occurs on Thursday,...
Nature

Sunrise & Sunset Calculator

What time does the Sun set tonight? Use our Sunrise & Sunset Tool to find out when the Sun,...
March Equinox Fun Facts

Vernal Equinox Oddities

On the spring equinox, does the Sun rise due east and set due west? Are day and night equal? Bob...
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter 360

When Do the Seasons Start in 2020?

When do all of the four seasons—spring, summer, fall, and winter—start and end? Here are your...
Sky Map March

Night Sky Map for March 2020: The Big Dipper

Welcome to the Night Sky Map for March 2020! This month, we focus on “pointers” in the sky to help...
April Night Sky Map - Star Chart

Night Sky Map for April 2020: Minor Constellations

Welcome to the Night Sky Map for April 2020! This month, we focus on lesser-known constellations...
Full Pink Moon - OFA

Full Moon for April 2020

April’s full Moon rises on the night of Tuesday, April 7. Traditionally called the Pink Moon, this...
Spring Moon

Easter and the Paschal Full Moon

Did you know that the date of Easter—April 12 this year—is tied to the full Moon and the March...
Full Worm Moon OFA

Full Moon for March 2020

March’s full Worm Moon will be a supermoon! Here’s all you need to know about the full Worm Moon—...
Supermoon

Ready For Supermoon Season 2020?

You may have noticed media outlets saying that we are entering a “supermoon season,” with three...
Embedded thumbnail for Full Worm Moon: March

Full Worm Moon: March

What is the Full Worm Moon? Why is it called the Worm Moon? Are are there worms on the Moon? (Just...
Sirius The Dog Star, Orion, and the Winter Triangle

How to Find Sirius, the Dog Star

Who hasn’t heard of the Dog Star, Sirius? It’s the brightest star in the sky in late winter and...
Orion Constellation in March

Stargazing with Orion in March

During the month of March, the most widely recognized constellation at nightfall is Orion, standing...
Full Blue Moon

Blue Moon in 2020: When Is the Next Blue Moon?

When is the next Blue Moon? And what is a Blue Moon, exactly? To prepare you for the Blue Moon on...
Planets of the Solar System

Night Sky for March 2020

Here’s the March 2020 guide to the night sky. Watch three bright planets and the crescent Moon come...
Crescent Moon Sliver

Signs of Spring From the Sky

What are signs of spring in the sky? Perhaps you’ve noticed the earlier sunrises. Let’s observe a...
Snowdrops in Early Spring

Spring 2020: The Earliest Spring in Over 100 Years

The rumors are true. It’s the earliest spring of your life. Spring, marked by the vernal equinox,...
bright crescent Moon

The Captivating Crescent Moon

The captivating crescent may be the Moon’s most fascinating phase. Why is the crescent Moon...
Mercury and Venus

Venus and Mercury Together: It’s Now Easy to See the Smallest Planet

Mercury is now an evening star hovering at its most prominent position of 2020. It’s definitely...
Full Snow Moon - OFA

Full Moon for February 2020

Got your snow shovels ready? February’s Full Snow Moon rises on the night of February 8 and peaks...
February Sky Map (Evergreen)

Sky Map for February

There is no brighter constellation in the night sky than Orion, the Hunter. And there is no better...
Mercury Retrograde - OFA

Mercury Retrograde Dates for 2020

Mercury’s next period of retrograde motion will last from February 17 to March 10, 2020! According...
Venus and Moon by NASA

Night Sky for February 2020

Here’s the February 2020 Guide to the Bright Planets from The Old Farmer’s Almanac. This month,...
Groundhog Emerging

Groundhog Day and Shadow Fun

Groundhog Day. Just a bizarre tradition involving rodents? Or, rather, marmots? Actually, Groundhog...
Moon Cherry Flowers

Gardening by the Moon

Gardening by the Moon is a great way to plan your garden. Many of our readers follow the age-old...
January Sky Map

Sky Map for January

Our January 2020 Sky Map hones in on the best of the month’s night sky—with accompanying text—so it...
Orion the Hunter Constellation

Orion the Hunter Reigns in the Winter Sky

All of Orion’s stars are easy to spot in the winter sky. We’re in a period of dark, moonless,...

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