View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Sergei Timofeevski shared this image from November 13, 2023. Sergei wrote: “The constellation Orion the Hunter and the star Sirius rising just above the eastern horizon in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California.” Thank you, Sergei! Note bright Sirius is on the bottom, and Orion’s Belt pointing to it. … Read more
For the last month and change, you might’ve seen the headlines about the planetary alignment, or a planetary parade, going on in our solar system. And that’s true. In January 2025, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune were all visible in the night sky. And in February, 2025, Mercury will join the fun, with … Read more
We’re now just past the midpoint of astronomical winter — that moment marking the midway point between December’s winter solstice and March’s vernal equinox. That moment took place at 4:11 p.m. Eastern Time on Feb. 3. And as darkness falls this week, we have what many refer to as the “Winter Triangle” dominating the southeast … Read more
For more than five years, astronomers have sounded alarms about the effect satellite megaconstellations would have on their observations. The launch in 2019 of the first Starlink satellites, initially bright enough to be seen by the naked eye, led astronomers to spring to action to both raise awareness about the threat and to work with … Read more
View larger. | Here’s a practice image to start! Astronauts aboard the International Space Station took this photograph of a glowing city on April 8, 2015. Can you identify which of the world’s cities this is? … If you guessed the City of Lights – Paris – you’re right! The Seine flows through the city, … Read more
With light pollution a major problem for stargazing in city and suburban areas, it can be hard to see stars without the right equipment to counteract it. Night vision monoculars may be the perfect bit of kit to see through the haze of light pollution. Having been through rounds of technological improvement over the past … Read more
When will we be able to see the planets at their best during this upcoming year of 2025? This guide will tell you. It will also provide information as to when a particular solar system planet might be passing near to another, or a bright star, as well as the constellation that each will occupy … Read more
It is robotic moon machinery on steroids. Tagged as the Endurance sample return mission, it would collect bits and pieces from key lunar locations for later retrieval by future astronauts in NASA’s Artemis program. Furthermore, high-value collectibles snagged from those distant spots would be hauled back to Earth by astronauts. NASA has begun blueprinting the … Read more
If the weather is clear where you live on Tuesday evening (Dec. 17), look low above the east-northeast horizon at around 8:00 p.m. local standard time and you’ll see the waning gibbous moon, 89% illuminated, accompanied by a very bright and colorful star directly below it and two bright stars will above it. The two … Read more