In 2024, the December solstice falls at 9:21 UTC on December 21 (3:21 a.m. CST). Long nights, short days, for the Northern Hemisphere. Short nights, long days, for our friends south of the equator. No matter where you live on Earth’s globe, the solstice is your signal to celebrate seasonal change. EarthSky’s veteran stargazers Deborah … Read more
The Ursid meteor shower radiates from the constellation Ursa Minor, the Lesser Bear, aka the Little Dipper, and is named after it. The Little Dipper also contains the North Star, Polaris. So for the Northern Hemisphere, the radiant is above the horizon all night long. Chart via EarthSky. This low-key meteor shower – which always … Read more
Sundial at Adler Planetarium in Chicago. A sundial can be used to measure the interval from one solar noon to the next. Earth’s longest days, from noon to noon, happen in December. Image via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). What is a day? You might casually talk about a day as a period of daylight. … Read more
We have our best views of Mars only once every 2 years. And that time is fast approaching! Watch a replay of our livestream for more information about Mars. Mars can appear bright or faint in our sky. 2024 has been mostly a faint year, but Mars has been steadily brightening, and it’s very noticeable … Read more
Every year, you can ring in the new year by going out at midnight and finding the dazzling star Sirius, sometimes called the New Year’s Star. In 2025, Sirius will be joined by the bright planets Jupiter and Mars. And of course, the bright constellation Orion the Hunter makes them easy to find. You can’t … Read more