Tag: venus

Word of the week: Opposition

Saturn’s opposition is this week. Jupiter’s opposition was about a month ago. What is opposition? It marks the middle of the best time of year to see a planet … but why? Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/what-is-opposition-astronomy…

Will planetary low tide force regular sunspot sync-ups?

No, it’s not pseudoscience. Does a regular alignment of planets make a strong-enough tug to regulate the sun’s 11- and 22-year cycles? Read more in this story via Eos – a source for news and perspectives about Earth and space science – from the American Geophysical Union. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/planetary-low-tide-force-regular-sunspot-sync-ups…

Cool! Teegarden’s Star has Earth-sized planets in its habitable zone

The habitable zone is where liquid water can exist. Teegarden’s Star’s star is only 12.5 light-years from Earth. Astronomers have discovered 2 new Earth-sized exoplanets orbiting in this nearby habitable zone. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/earth-sized-planets-habitable-zone-teegardens-star…

See moon and stars of Taurus before sunrise

On these late June and early July mornings, let the waning crescent moon guide you to the constellation Taurus’ 2 major signposts: the Pleiades star cluster and red giant star, Aldebaran. Wait just before sunrise, and you’ll see Venus rise over your eastern horizon, too. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/see-moon-and-taurus-before-sunrise…

Catch Mercury in the west after sunset

Try to spot Mercury, the solar system’s innermost planet, as dusk gives way to darkness. Look west, close to the sunset point. On June 23, 2019, Mercury reaches greatest elongation 25 degrees east of the setting sun. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/catch-mercury-in-the-west-after-sunset…

Word of the Week: Conjunction

When you hear the word “conjunction” in astronomy, you know it means 2 objects close together on our sky’s dome. Here’s more about the various kinds of conjunctions, including some we can’t see, and many we can, beautifully. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/definition-conjunction-astronomy…

How Mercury and Venus can guide our hunt for alien life on exoplanets

Earth’s nearest neighbours have turned into uninhabitable hellholes. Understanding their transformation will teach us which rocky exoplanets might be fit for life Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24232350-900-how-mercury-and-venus-can-guide-our-hunt-for-alien-life-on-exoplanets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…

Moon and Saturn from nightfall to dawn

As darkness falls on June 18, 2019, notice the bright “star” near the moon. It’s not a star. It’s a planet, Saturn. You can see the moon and Saturn together from nightfall or early evening until morning dawn. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-saturn-from-nightfall-till-dawn…