In late November and early December, look west in the evening for the Summer Triangle. It’s made of the 3 bright stars – Vega, Deneb and Altair – in 3 different constellations. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/summer-triangle-in-fall-and-winter-sky…
Tag: solstice
Moon and Leo from midnight until dawn
Get up before dawn to see the moon near Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion, on November 19 and 20, 2019. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-leo-from-midnight-till-dawn…
Year’s earliest solar noon on November 3
November 3 brings the year’s earliest noon – or midday – by nature’s clock. The earliest solar noon is a harbinger of the year’s earliest sunset in the Northern Hemisphere and earliest sunrise in the Southern Hemisphere. Both take place before the December 22 solstice. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/years-earliest-solar-noon-november-3-2019…
Moon, Saturn, Jupiter in early November
At nightfall and early evening – November 1 and 2, 2019 – the waxing crescent moon shines in the vicinity of the planet Saturn, and the dazzling planet Jupiter sits below the moon and Saturn, fairly close to the horizon. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-saturn-jupiter-in-early-november…
Halloween is a cross-quarter day
The 4 cross-quarter days fall between equinoxes and solstices. Halloween is the spookiest one – derived from a sacred festival of ancient Celts and Druids – coming as days grow short and nights long in the Northern Hemisphere. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/halloween-derived-from-ancient-celtic-cross-quarter-day…
Equinox: The Sun from Solstice to Solstice
Today is an equinox, a date when day and night are equal. Source: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html…
Year’s fastest sunsets around equinoxes
We’re talking about the actual rate at which the sun sinks below the horizon. It’s faster around the equinoxes than at any other time. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/fastest-sunsets-around-equinox-time…
Fomalhaut: The loneliest star
It’s also sometimes called the autumn star for us in the Northern Hemisphere. In its large dark patch of sky, only Fomalhaut shines brightly. Here’s how to see it. Source: https://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/solitary-fomalhaut-guards-the-southern-sky…
All you need to know: September equinox
We have an equinox coming up on September 23. Happy autumn, Northern Hemisphere. Happy spring, Southern Hemisphere. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-september-equinox…
40 years ago today: Pioneer 11 swept past Saturn
Pioneer 11 was the first spacecraft ever to encounter Saturn. A true pioneer, it paved the way for 2 more sophisticated missions – the 2 Voyagers in 1980 and ’81 – and Cassini from 2004 to 2017. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/this-date-in-science-pioneer-11-swept-past-saturn…