Photographs of historic Mars and Pleiades conjunction

On March 3, 2021, the red planet Mars and Pleiades star cluster in Taurus will appear close together on the sky’s dome. The two won’t get this close again until 2038! See photos of the big event. Source: https://earthsky.org/todays-image/mars-pleiades-march-3-2021-conjunction-photographs…

Closest Mars-Pleiades conjunction until 2038

This year – on March 3, 2021 – the red planet Mars and the Pleiades star cluster – also known as the Seven Sisters – stage their closest conjunction on the sky’s dome until February 4, 2038. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/closest-mars-pleiades-conjunction-until-2038…

Best observing targets for binoculars

What are the best solar system and deep-sky objects to view to get the most out of your binoculars? From moon-encircled worlds to starry knots in the Milky Way, our list makes the sky’s wonders easy to find. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/best-targets-for-binoculars-moon-planets-nebula-clusters…

Moon skims past Mars and Aldebaran February 17-19, 2021

The waxing crescent moon pairs up with the faint planet Uranus on February 17, flits by the red planet Mars on February 18, and then joins up with the red star Aldebaran on February 19. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-mars-aldebaran-feb-17-18-19-2021…

Theia 456 is a stretched-out stream of sibling stars

A close look at the “stellar stream” known as Theia 456 finds it contains contains 468 stars born at the same time. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/theia-456-stellar-stream-468-stars-born-together…

Capella the Goat Star is the brightest star in Auriga

The sixth brightest star in the night sky, Capella, is the brightest star in the Northern Hemisphere constellation Auriga the Charioteer. This star is also one of the points in the Winter Hexagon. Source: https://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/capella-is-the-stellar-beacon-of-auriga-the-charioteer…

Capture a glimpse of the Unicorn

Within a triangle of 3 bright stars – hidden in between the many bright and glittering stars visible at this time of year – you’ll find the constellation of Monoceros the Unicorn. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/find-monoceros-the-constellation-of-the-unicorn-within-winter-triangle…

New and rare direct image of a brown dwarf

Astronomers have obtained one of the best images yet of a brown dwarf, an object in a mass range midway between stars and planets. This brown dwarf – called HD 33632 Ab – lies 86 light-years from our sun. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/new-brown-dwarf-direct-image-hd-33632-ab…