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Star of Bethlehem

The Star of Bethlehem

Some things just don’t belong together, like the Three Stooges at an art opening. Yet this month,...
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...
Welcome Spring Equinox

First Day of Spring 2021: The Spring Equinox

In 2021, the spring equinox occurs on Saturday, March 20. This event marks the astronomical first...
Summer Solstice Grain

Summer Solstice 2021: The First Day of Summer

In 2021, the June solstice occurs on Sunday, June 20, marking the start of summer in the Northern...
Winter Moon

Next Full Moon

When is the next full Moon? See our Full Moon Calendar for 2021 for the U.S. and Canada. Get Full...
Solar System

Planet Rise & Set Calculator

When will the planets be visible tonight? Use our Planet Rise and Set Calculator to find out when...
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter 360

When Do the Seasons Start in 2021?

When do all of the four seasons—spring, summer, fall, and winter—start and end? Find your equinox...
Easter Bunny & Flowers - OFA Message

When Is Easter 2021? | How Easter's Date is Determined

Easter 2021 will be observed on Sunday, April 4! Find out how the date of Easter is determined, why...
Hen in the snow

Setting Chicken Eggs by the Moon's Sign for 2021

Here are best days to set eggs by the Moon for 2021.According to tradition, this age-old practice...
Best Days to Fish

Fishing Calendar for 2021

When is the best time to go fishing? See the best fishing dates and times for 2021 from The Old...
Quadrandtids and Orion

Night Sky for January 2021

Look up! It’s the January 2021 Sky Watch! This month, Jupiter and Saturn are still bright in the...
Nature

Sunrise & Sunset Calculator

Our sunrise and sunset calculator displays the Sun rise and set times for the U.S. and Canada. The...
Lunar Eclipse Progression

When Is the Next Eclipse? | Eclipse Dates for 2021

See which eclipses will be visible during 2021 across North America.
Winter Full Moon

Moonrise & Moonset Calculator

When will the Moon be visible tonight? Use our Moonrise and Moonset Calculator to find out when the...
Total Lunar Eclipse Phases

The Best Sky Watching Events of 2021

Welcome to 2021—a year full of spectacular astronomical events! What stargazing and sky watching...
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...
Meteor Shower

Meteor Shower Calendar 2021: When Is the Next Meteor Shower?

When is the next meteor shower? Our Meteor Shower Calendar for 2021 has dates for all the principal...
Sirius Highest at Midnight New Year's

Bright Sirius Is the New Year Star

Want a cosmic way to ring in the New Year? On New Year’s Eve, the brightest star visible from our...
Full Wolf Moon - OFA

Full Moon for January 2021

The full Wolf Moon rises on Thursday, January 28, 2021. Learn more about when, where, and how to...
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,...
January Sky Map

Night Sky Map for January 2021: The Brightest Sky of the Year

Our January 2021 Sky Map hones in on the best of the month’s night sky—with accompanying text—so it...
Winter Sunrise

Winter Solstice 2020: The First Day of Winter

The winter solstice happens on Monday, December 21, 2020. This is the astronomical first day of...
Earth Near Sun

What Are Perihelion and Aphelion?

Earth reaches its closest approach to the Sun for the year 2021 on January 2. We call this point in...
Mercury Retrograde - OFA

Mercury Retrograde Dates for 2021

Mercury’s first period of retrograde motion in 2021 lasts from January 30 to February 21! According...
Four Seasons

The Reason for the Seasons

What causes our four seasons—winter, spring, summer, and fall? People puzzled over this for...
Winter Solstice Ancient Markers

6 Ancient Sites Aligned With the Solstice and Equinox

Across time, people have marked the changes of seasons—sometimes in dramatic ways! Here are six...
Geminid Meteor Shower Over Thailand

8 Tips for Watching the Geminid Meteor Shower

The most active meteor shower of the year peaks the night of Sunday, December 13. These are the...
geminid-meteor-shower

Geminid Meteor Shower 2020

Get ready for the Geminids! The great Geminid Meteor Shower peaks the night of December 13, 2020....
Darkest Day of Year

The Darkest Time of the Year (is Not on the Solstice)

When is the earliest sunset of the year? Many folks think it’s on the winter solstice. But the...
Great Conjunction Map

Great Conjunction 2020: Jupiter and Saturn Meet on Solstice

A rare, spectacular sky event is about to unfold: the greatest conjunction ever! It will be more...
Great Conjunction

Night Sky for December 2020

What’s up in the December 2020 night sky? Get ready for the Great Conjunction! This historic...
Sky Map for December

Night Sky Map for December 2020: Rotation of the Stars

Ever noticed how the stars move? The entire sky appears to rotate around the North Star above us. (...
Full Cold Moon - OFA

Full Moon for December 2020

December’s full Moon rises on Tuesday, December 29, 2020. The Old Farmer’s Almanac will reveal...
Wishbone

Predicting Weather with a Wishbone

Can you really predict weather with a wishbone? Back around the turn of the last century, in the...
Moon and Mars

Night Sky for November 2020

Welcome to the Sky Watch for November 2020.  See the Moon and orange Mars on Wednesday, November 25...

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