FALL BEGINS at 1:54 UT on September 23, which is 9:54 PM EDT on September 22. At this moment the Sun is centered over the celestial equator. The Sun’s rays graze the North and South poles, and everywhere in between experiences equal 12 periods of daylight and nighttime. This is thus the first day of fall for the northern hemisphere,… Continue reading
THE PERSEID METEORS peak this week! Since the New Moon is on August 11, 2018 the entire night sky will be dark and moonless. So expect 2018 to be the best Perseid meteor show in years! Go outside after dark some clear night this week and take a look! #perseids VIEWING TIPS: * Spread a blanket and lie down on… Continue reading
TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT! The Moon and Mars are in CONJUNCTION this evening, Friday, July 27! That means they line up together in the sky. This is also the same night as the OPPOSITION of Mars, when the Red Planet is opposite the Sun, so that Earth, Mars and the Sun line up in a straight line. For this reason,… Continue reading
On the evening of Tuesday, July 24, after night falls, look for the waxing gibbous Moon in conjunction with the planet SATURN. This pair of celestial bodies will be very near the “dome” of the “teapot” asterism of the constellation Sagittarius. This point in the sky is very close to the position of the Sun on the winter solstice. So… Continue reading
July,2018 is an excellent month to observe the visible outer planets. The waxing gibbous Moon aligns with bright Jupiter on the evening of Friday, July 20. After that, the Moon draws closest to the planet Saturn on the evening of Tuesday, July 24. Keep an eye on the Moon from night to night as it draws near Mars on the… Continue reading
A Brief History of Mars (Originally published in the Classical Astronomy Update of August, 2003) Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.” — Isaiah 47:13 Mars has always been the subject of mythology, from the pagan… Continue reading
THE WAXING CRESCENT MOON returns to the evening sky this weekend! A new lunar month begins with the first reappearance of the Moon in western twilight after the sunset. Look for the Moon aligned with the elusive planet MERCURY after sunset on the evening of Saturday, July 14. Mercury is a tough object to spot under good circumstances since it… Continue reading
Most of the time, this newsletter provides information for observing the classical planets. For whatever reason, these planets are largely unknown in our generation. There is a misconception that the planets can only be seen through a telescope and are invisible with the unaided eye. This is completely untrue. The fact is, the planets are among the brightest “stars” that… Continue reading
The Design of the Sky – Orion’s Belt (Originally published in the Classical Astronomy Update newsletter) In speaking of the constellations, you hear people say all the time, “I don’t know how anyone is supposed to see those pictures in the stars. I don’t see anything like that.” It is true that a lot of the so-called constellations require quite… Continue reading
Easter and Passover – Similarities and Differences (Originally published in the Classical Astronomy Update in 2008) As we saw in the last Update, the Christian observance of Easter was originally based on the Jewish Passover, and developed its own cultural distinctives over the centuries. This current month provides evidence of this divergence. April, 2008 roughly corresponds with the month of… Continue reading
