Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Archive for March 20, 2010

Earthsky Tonight —Saturn closest, brightest,

Earthsky Tonight —Saturn closest, brightest, opposite the sun

Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org The planet Saturn is at opposition today. That means Saturn is opposite the sun in Earth’s sky. At opposition, Saturn rises in the east at sunset and sets in the west at sunrise. This is when Saturn comes closest to Earth for all of 2010. As a result, it is when Saturn shines most brilliantly in our sky. If you had a bird’s-eye view of the solar system today, you would see our planet Earth passing in between the sun and ... Full Story

Earthsky Tonight —The 2010 equinox comes on March 20

Earthsky Tonight —The 2010 equinox comes on March 20

Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org The March equinox marks that special moment when the sun crosses celestial equator, going from south to north. It happens today at 17:32 Universal Time, or 11:32 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time. The March equinox signals the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere and autumn in the southern hemisphere. The equinox is a hallmark in Earth’s orbit, but it is also an event that happens on the imaginary dome of Earth’s sky. ... Full Story