Moon

Super-Everything to Kick Off 2018! (Astronomy: Week of 12/31/17)

OK, so... there might be a little bit of exaggeration in this title, but not much!  Let's get to it! First off, we'll be ringing in the New Year with the year's first Supermoon, on New Year's Day!  It's bigger, it's brighter!  Because it's closer... the full Moon just happen to occur within a day…Read more Super-Everything to Kick Off 2018! (Astronomy: Week of 12/31/17)

The Moon! The Sun! The Meteors! (Astronomy: Week of 12/3/17)

Welcome to December, everybody!  It's hard to believe it's already December, and that 2017 is almost over... but here we are. I'm posting my weekly backyard astronomy thoughts a day early this week, because I don't want you to miss the gloriously big, last (and only) Supermoon of the year, tonight, Dec 2.  Now, the…Read more The Moon! The Sun! The Meteors! (Astronomy: Week of 12/3/17)

Just Stargazing, and Wondering (Astronomy: Week of 11/26/17)

This week I've been able to get out and just look at the sky.  The clouds have broken, for a while, and those crisp, clear low-humidity night skies are back.  It sure is getting cold, though! Saturn and Mercury are toying with the setting Sun.  Jupiter and Mars are in the morning sky, and Venus…Read more Just Stargazing, and Wondering (Astronomy: Week of 11/26/17)

Planets and Meteors (Astronomy: Week of 11/12/17)

Last week I published a couple teasers on what were then "upcoming" events, so this week's highlights should be on your radar.  I've been patiently waiting through a week of almost nonstop rain, so I'm looking forward to all this as well. First - the Leonid meteor shower is upon us.  Unlike the last two…Read more Planets and Meteors (Astronomy: Week of 11/12/17)

Halloween (Astronomy: Week of 10/29/17)

It seems we are entering meteor season!  The Orionids are winding down, but we have another shower peaking next weekend - the Southern Taurids are another wide, diffuse shower that lasts for weeks, peaking at 10-20 meteors per hour on November 4.  Unfortunately, this peak coincides with a full Moon which will wash out the…Read more Halloween (Astronomy: Week of 10/29/17)

Perseids and Lunar Geometry (Astronomy: Week of 8/6/17)

Hey folks, I'm back from a week rambling around Downeast Maine, so while the frequency of posts has suffered, the material is overflowing!  More to come on that later, but for now, it's time for a weekly snapshot of astronomical items of interest. This week, it's the Perseid meteor shower - peaking (unfortunately) during daylight…Read more Perseids and Lunar Geometry (Astronomy: Week of 8/6/17)