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Mars Opposition 2017

Mars Opposition 2020: Closest and Brightest Until 2035!

At last, Mars’s great opposition is upon us—October 13, 2020! This week, the Red Planet will appear...
October Sky Watch

Night Sky for October

Welcome to the Almanac’s Sky Watch for October 2020. Mars is at its most visible and brightest....
September Night Sky

Night Sky for September 2020

Mark your calendars for September 24 and 25 when Jupiter and Saturn hover due south at 8:30 p.m....
August Night Sky 2020

Night Sky for August 2020

Look up! The month of August ends with the waxing Moon meeting giant planets Jupiter and Saturn in...
Planet Jupiter

Night Sky for July 2020

Welcome to the Almanac’s Sky Watch for July 2020. Plan ahead for the top stargazing sights of the...
Jupiter

Night Sky for June 2020

Welcome to the Almanac Sky Watch for June 2020. This month, we say goodbye to nightime Venus;...
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...
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,...
Venus and Crescent Moon

Night Sky for January 2020

Venus dominates in January, a fiery beacon at nightfall. At the end of the month (January 27 and 28...
Earth Near Sun

What Are Perihelion and Aphelion?

Earth reaches at its closest approach to the Sun near midnight on January 4–5, 2020. We call this...
Night Sky Space

Night Sky for December 2019

Here is the Sky Watch for the December 2019 night sky. This month brings a Venus–Saturn conjunction...
Night Sky Space

Night Sky for November 2019

Welcome to the Sky Watch for November 2019. Here is your guide to see the bright planets and other...
Night Sky Space

Night Sky for November 2019

The highlight for our November 2019 Sky Watch is the Venus and Jupiter Conjunction on November 24. ...
Moon Meets Jupiter and Saturn

Night Sky for October 2019

Welcome to the Sky Watch for October 2019. Jupiter and Saturn dominate the night for all to see—...
Planet Jupiter

Night Sky for September 2019

Welcome to the Sky Watch for September 2019. Jupiter and Saturn can be found in the sky at...
Planet Jupiter

Night Sky for August 2019

Welcome to the Sky Watch for August 2019. Bright Jupiter and Saturn are wonderfully positioned this...
Planet Saturn

Night Sky for July 2019

Welcome to the Sky Watch for July 2019. This month, see Jupiter and Saturn shine all night long....
Young Moon, Venus, and Mercury

Tonight, See Saturn Near the Moon in the Night Sky!

In June 2019, the Moon pairs up with three planets, while planets meet other planets! Next up:...
Star Gazing

Night Sky for May 2019

Welcome the Almanac Sky Watch for May 2019!  We’re here to help backyard stargazers navigate the...
Moon and Earth

Night Sky for April 2019

Welcome the Almanac Sky Watch for April 2019!  We’re here to help backyard stargazers navigate the...
Moon and Earth

Night Sky for March 2019

Welcome the Almanac Sky Watch for March 2019!  We’re here to help backyard stargazers navigate the...
Jupiter and Crescent Moon

Night Sky for February 2019

Sky Watch February 2019 by Bob Berman, as featured in The 2019 Old Farmer’s Almanac In February,...
Total Lunar Eclipse

Night Sky for January 2019

The new year kicks off with a total eclipse of the Moon on January 20–21, 2019. Here are highlights...
Night Sky

December 2018 Night Sky Guide

Which planets can be seen in the night sky? In the Sky Watch for December 2018, Bob Berman...
Mars InSight Landing

Why Go to Mars? Water, Life, and Exploration

Mars is brilliant at dinnertime. In mid-autumn, Mars is one of the sky’s brightest objects between...
Night Sky

November 2018 Night Sky Guide

Mid-November, the Moon pairs up with Saturn and Mars. Venus gets brighter. And another meteor...
Star Gazing

October 2018 Night Sky Guide

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

Mars at Opposition 2018 | The Red Planet’s Close Approach

We’re about to see one of the truly great sky events of 2018. First, Mars’ best opposition in 15...
Saturn by NASA

The Moon, Saturn, and Mars Meet on April 6–7

Sometimes the actual sky is so compelling, we’re forced to simply look out the window. Such is the...
Crescent Moon Smile

The Smiling Moon, Venus, Mars on October 17

Maybe you’ve already seen it. Low in the east, just before dawn—say at 6:15 or so—is the brightest...
Mars Saturn Antares Triangle

Don't-Miss Triangle: Moon, Saturn, and Mars

Tonight or on your first clear night, face south between 8:30 and 9:00 PM.  You’ll see a striking...
The Planet Mars, Earth's Neighbor

The Planet Mars, Earth's Neighbor

Named after the Roman god of war, the planet Mars was probably associated with the deity Mars...