What is a false dawn?
What is a false dawn? A false dawn, also called a zodiacal light, which is a strange, eerie, light phenomenon that is visible low in the sky, giving the illusion of an early sunrise or secondary sunset after twilight. Zodiacal light is best seen just after sunset in spring and before sunrise in autumn, when the zodiac is at a steep angle […]
Two Comets Headed Our Way
There is some big and exciting news for sky watchers in the coming months. Two comets are headed our way soon. No they will not hit us. They will both safely pass us by, the experts say. Comet 21P/ Giacobini-Zinner will be the first comet to pass us. Astronomers have given it the simple nickname of […]
Will Mars and our Moon be of Equal Size in the Sky?
Will Mars and our Moon be of Equal Size in the Sky? Right now, Mars is at the peak of its fifteen year cycle, giving us a brilliant yearlong observations of the planet. But, will it appear as large as a full moon, soon? Will it appear as a twin next to the moon […]
A Probe’s Journey to the Sun
After a successful launch of a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy Rocket, its passenger, NASA’s Parker Probe, is now on its way to rendezvous with the sun. Onlookers cheerfully watched as lift off occurred at 3:31am EDT from Space Launch Complex 37 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The spacecraft, which […]
The Peak of the Perseids August 12th!
It’s August, and that means that we are approaching the peak of the Perseids Meteor shower. The peak will occur over two nights – August 11-12 and August 12-13, 2018. The best time to see the greatest number of meteors would more-than likely be in the wee hours, just before dawn. The good news, […]
Every Point is a Galaxy, According to ESA
The Herschel Space Observatory, which is operated by the European Space Agency presented an astounding image. The image captured appear as if it were just a square filled with tiny grains of static. Then you realize that every point is a distant galaxy, millions of them. According to the ESA, each of these minute marks […]
Searching for NEOs
If an asteroid is on a collision course with Earth, they will most likely see it first. We’re talking about NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, which has now been in existence for 20 twenty years. CNEOS makes over 90 percent of the near-Earth asteroid and comet discoveries. It all began on March 11, […]
Scientific Serendipity And New Moons For Jupiter
Scientific Serendipity And New Moons For Jupiter By Judith E Braffman-Miller Strange things have occurred in the distant domain of the giant gaseous planets that inhabit the outer regions of our Solar System. Far from our Sun, the four worlds twirl in secretive splendor where they rule over their mysterious kingdom of cold […]
July 27, 2018 Sky Watch
July 27, 2018 will be a big night for sky watchers. Not only will this night be the nominal peak of the long running Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower, but it also will be shared by other spectacular celestial events. Yes, a full moon will kind of obstruct your viewing of the shower this week. There […]
2018 Delta Aquariids
2018 Delta Aquariids… Yes, it’s that time once again… Time for A Summer meteor shower, the Delta Aquariids. Right now the shower is in progress, and the Delta Aquariids run almost the full month of July and most of August, when they overlap with the famous Perseid meteor shower. Radiating from the constellation Aquarius, […]