Sky Tonight—January 27, Saturn starts retrograde on January 27
Starting today – on January 27, 2011 – Saturn will begin to go in a retrograde or westward direction in front of the constellation Virgo
EarthSky Tonight—Oct. 31, Arcturus is a Halloween ghost of the summer sun
Every Halloween – and a few days before and after – the brilliant star Arcturus sets at the same time and on the same spot on the horizon as the…
EarthSky Tonight—Oct. 30, As Halloween approaches, find the Ghoul Star of Perseus
This star’s proper name comes from the Arabic for head of the ghoul, or head of the demon.
EarthSky Tonight—October 21, Full Hunter’s Moon of 2010 tomorrow
Be aware that the Harvest and Hunter’s Moons are seasonal events, and of course the seasons are opposite in Earth’s northern and southern hemispheres.
EarthSky Tonight-June 24: Earth passes between sun and Pluto tomorrow
Of course, in Pluto’s case, it is not exactly opposite since the orbit of Pluto is inclined to the plane of the solar system by 17 degrees
EarthSky Tonight-June 23: Waxing gibbous moon passes near Scorpion’s Heart
So why is Antares red? Because the outer layer of its atmosphere – its “surface” for lack of a better term for a giant ball of gas – is cooler…
EarthSky Tonight, June 22: Moon near Crown of the Scorpion on June 22
Scorpius – which now rises in the south-southeastern sky at early evening, is the constellation of the Scorpion. Individually, the Crown stars are Graffias, Dschubba, and Pi Scorpii.
Earthsky Tonight—June 1: Big Dipper high in north on June evenings
Here is the legendary Big Dipper, now high in the north during the evening hours. It is one of the most familiar star patterns in the sky because its shape…
Earthsky Tonight — April 8, Mercury at greatest evening elongation
This evening, Mercury reaches its greatest angular distance east of the sun. Asteroid to fly by within moon’s orbit on Thursday
Earthsky Tonight – March 28, 2010: Moon and Saturn from dusk until dawn
Go out at nightfall and look to the east, you will see the beautiful planet Saturn. It will be the starlike object close to tonight’s almost-full waxing gibbous moon.