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Supermoon Silhouette

What is a Supermoon?

What is a supermoon? We agree it’s catchy—and anything that encourages us to explore the night sky...
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...
Star of Bethlehem

The Star of Bethlehem

What is the Star of Bethlehem, and what is its significance? Every holiday season, planetariums...
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...
Sky Watch

Sky Watch: October 2015

Welcome to the October 2015 Sky Watch, courtesy of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Here are the month’s ...
Full Moon

Does the Full Moon Make People Crazy?

Ancient authorities like Aristotle, Paracelsus, and Pliny the Elder thought some humans were driven...
Welcome Spring Equinox

Spring Equinox 2019: The First Day of Spring

The spring equinox (also called the March equinox or vernal equinox) falls on Wednesday, March 20,...
Full Hunter's Moon png - OFA

Full Moon for October 2018

The Full Moon for October rises on Wednesday, October 24, 2018. This will be the Hunter’s Moon, the...
Black Hole

How to Spot the Black Hole Above You

Would you like to find not one, but two black holes? You’ve come to the right place. That place is...
Pleiades Star Cluster

The Seven Sisters at Halloween

It’s an annual autumn ritual: The reappearance of the glorious Seven Sisters. During Halloween’s...
Full Beaver Moon - OFA

Full Moon for November 2018

When is the Full Moon for November 2018? See our November Moon Guide—all about the Full Beaver Moon...
Star Gazing

October 2018 Night Sky Guide

Here are highlights of the October 2018 night sky! We’ll help you spot bright planets, meteor...
SkyMap October 2018

Sky Map (Star Chart): October 2018

See this printable sky map for October to navigate the skies and look for Camelopardalis and...
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter 360

The First Days of the Seasons 2018

When does each season begin? Find equinox and solstice dates for 2018. Autumn begins with the...
New England Foliage

Fall Foliage Map 2018

See our new fall foliage map for peak times across America. Help us add to this foliage map with...
Autumnal Equinox - Fall Road

Autumnal Equinox 2018: The First Day of Fall

If you’ve sweated your way through a long hot summer, you might be ready for a change in season!...
Harvest Moon

Why Tonight's Harvest Moon Appears to Shine On—For Days!

Let’s set the record straight about the Harvest Moon. It’s not bigger than other full Moons. It’s...
Full Sturgeon Moon - OFA

Full Moon for August 2019

The Full Sturgeon Moon rises! Learn more about the Full Moon of August 2019—including Moon phase...
Space Weather and Solar Flares

Space Weather: Sunspots, Solar Flares & Coronal Mass Ejections

Here at the Almanac, we have long believed that solar activity can influence weather patterns here...
Waxing Crescent Moon

Moon Meets Four Planets September 11 to 19

Over the upcoming days, see the Moon visit four bright planets–for the last great conjunctions of...
When is First Day of Winter?

The First Day of Winter: Winter Solstice 2018

Winter officially begins with the Winter Solstice on Friday, December 21, 2018. This is the...
Green Comet

What is a Comet? Comet Facts

Comets are quite the celestial spectacle. Would you believe that they are simply pieces of dusty...
An Autumn Sunset

Sky Watch: September 2018

Welcome to your September 2018 Sky Watch. We’ll help you spot the best night sky events of...
Harvest Moon and Plane

What Is a Harvest Moon?

In 2018, the Harvest Moon falls on September 24. But what is the Harvest Moon and why is it so...
SkyMap September

Sky Map (Star Chart): September 2018

See this printable sky map for September to navigate the skies and look for Algol, the “Demon Star...
Best Days to Fish

Best Fishing Days 2018

When is the best time to go fishing? See our best fishing days in the Almanac’s 2018 fishing...
Black Hole

Where in Space Are We Headed?

Want to be amazed? Look skyward on the next clear night. With your own eyes, you’ll be able to see...
Embedded thumbnail for The Legend of the Black Box and The Old Farmer's Almanac Weather Forecasts

The Legend of the Black Box and The Old Farmer's Almanac Weather Forecasts

The secret to our weather forecasts has been speculated on for some time. Is weather folklore the...
Full Harvest Moon - OFA

Full Moon for September 2018

Learn about the Full Moon for September 2018—the Harvest Moon—plus, see Moon phase dates, Best Days...
woolly-bear-caterpillar-winter

Woolly Bear Caterpillars and Weather Prediction

The woolly bear caterpillar—also called woolly worm and fuzzy worm—has the reputation of being able...
August 2018 Sky Map

Sky Map (Star Chart): August 2018

See this printable sky map for August to navigate the skies on the night of the great Perseid...
Autumnal Equinox

The Old, Misunderstood Equinox

Can you balance an egg on the equinox? Are days and nights truly equal? Bob separates autumnal...
Our Sun

The Influence of Solar Activity on Weather

What is the influence of solar activity on the weather? Dr. Richard Head, a former weather...
Total Solar Eclipse

How to Safely Watch a Total Solar Eclipse

You can seriously damage your eyes by watching a solar eclipse without proper protection (NOT...
Eclipse Legenda Loki

Solar Eclipse Folklore, Myths, and Superstitions

Here at the The Old Farmer’s Almanac, we do love our folklore and mythology—and there’s nothing...

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