Posts Tagged ‘Moon tonight’
EarthSky Tonight—August 19, Venus’ greatest
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Because the planet Venus circles the sun inside of Earth’s orbit, Venus can never appear opposite the sun in Earth’s sky – like the moon does at full moon. In fact, Venus cannot even get as far as 90 degrees from the sun – as the moon does at its first and last quarter phases. As seen from Earth, Venus stays closely tethered to the sun. These next few evenings, however, will find Venus at the end of its tether, at 46 ... Full Story
EarthSky Tonight—August 17, Antares – Fire Star
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org You have got about another month to see a uniquely summer star, Antares in the constellation Scorpius, in the evening. It is the brightest star near the waxing gibbous moon tonight, in the southern sky as night begins. The moon and Antares will drift westward throughout the night, to set around midnight. Antares sets some 4 minutes earlier with each passing night. By late September, Antares will be tough to spot in the ... Full Story
EarthSky Tonight—August 16, August best time to see
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Astronomy is said to be the people’s science in part because anyone, regardless of training, can participate. There is so much you can observe in the sky, even without a telescope, and of course, meteors – also called shooting stars – are high on the list. When will the next meteor shower occur? That depends on what you mean by meteor shower. If your shower has to be a recognized and recurring event, then there are fewer ... Full Story
EarthSky Tonight—August 15, Moon passes beneath
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org The waxing crescent moon and the constellation Libra’s two major stars – Zubenelgenubi and Zubeneschamali – appear rather low in your southwest sky at nightfall. The moon can help you find these stars. As evening deepens, the moon and these Libra stars descend westward, to sink beneath the southwest horizon by mid to late evening. Zubenelgenubi: Alpha star of Libra the Scales Zubeneschamali: Green star? Zubenelgenubi has the ... Full Story
EarthSky Tonight—August 14, Look for moon, Spica,
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org In the west after sunset tonight, you will find Spica and the waxing crescent moon. The planets to the right of the moon are Mars, Venus and Saturn. Of those planets, Venus will be easiest to see because it is so bright. You might need binoculars for Mars and Saturn. Spica is known as a blue-white star. Can you detect its color in contrast to nearby stars? If not, try looking at Spica with binoculars. Spica isn’t just one ... Full Story
EarthSky Tonight—August 13, Moon and Venus, more
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org The 2010 Perseid meteor shower has been in full swing for at least the past 24 hours, but you still have a last chance to see a good display of meteors before dawn August 14. In addition, as night falls this evening, you can see Venus near the waxing crescent moon in the western twilight sky. Today’s chart shows that lovely sky scene, which will set soon after darkness falls. You really have to be a night owl or an early bird ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight—August 8, Look overhead to see the
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org The moon will be new tomorrow and then in a waxing crescent phase in the west after sunset in the next few days. That means that, over the coming week, the moon will set soon after sunset and be mostly absent from the evening sky. A moonless sky means this is a good time to get out into the country for a look at the summer Milky Way: the edgewise view into our own galaxy. Here is the view if you are standing facing east – but ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight—August 7, Venus, Mars, Saturn form
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Around August 7 and 8, look in the west after sunset for the planets Venus, Mars and Saturn as they form what is known as a planetary trio. Around August 7 and 8, look in the west after sunset for the planets Venus, Mars and Saturn as they form what is known as a planetary trio. A planetary trio is a grouping of three planets that fits inside a circle that is only 5 degrees wide. Typically, a binocular field spans about 5 degrees, ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight—August 6, Mercury challenging, but
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Mercury, the innermost planet of the solar system, is not often visible in our sky because it is always near the sun. When this inner world does become visible, it appears but briefly in the evening after sunset – or in the morning before sunrise. At present Mercury shines as an evening “star.” Today, Mercury reaches its greatest elongation for the entire year: 27 degrees east of the sun. (Your fist at an arm length ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight—August 5, Constellation Cepheus
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org The constellation Cepheus represents a King. It is faint, but its distinctive shape makes it easy to locate, if you look in the north on August evenings. Cepheus resembles the stick house we all drew as children – and that children today still draw – with a square for the base and a triangle for the roof. In the case of Cepheus, the tip of the roof (a star known as Gamma Cephei, or Er Rai) points generally northward. In the ... Full Story
