Monthly Stargazing Calendar for February 2013
This month will be the best time to see Mercury. Usually the planet is very hard to observe because it orbits very close to the sun and it can only be seen at dawn and dusk. However on the evening of February 8, Mercury will be seen within less than 0.4 degrees of the much-fainter planet, Mars.
Monthly Stargazing Calendar for January 2013
On the night of January 3 and 4 the Quadrantids meteor shower will peak. It is an above average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour at the peak. Some meteors can be visible from January 1 - 5. Unfortunately the near last quarter moon will hide many of the fainter meteors with its glare.
Three New Species Found in Freshwater Caves
One of the most remarkable and mysterious places in the world can be found on the Kahurangi National Park in the northwest section of New Zealand’s South Island. A series of underground river cave systems delivers the Pearse River up to a dramatic entrance from under a mountain cliff in the Tasman Region. Newly discovered amphipod. Photo by Nelson Boustead/NIWA. The Mystery of the Pearce River’s Beginnings The mystery arises from the unknown source of the river, the deepness of the cold water cave systems, and the challenge of diving deep against strong underground river currents to find the answers. Using dry tracers, scientists have so far been unsuccessful in…
NASA Releases Amazing Night View of Earth
NASA's Suomi NPP satellite captures stunning night imagery, revealing societal contrasts and aiding advanced meteorological predictions.
Monthly Stargazing Calendar for December 2012
On December 3 Jupiter was at Opposition. The giant planet was at its closest approach to Earth and its was fully illuminated by the Sun. Jupiter will still be very bright in the sky for the next few weeks. This is the best time to view and photograph Jupiter and its moons.
Monthly Stargazing Calendar for November 2012
The month of November will be quite eventful when it comes to astronomical events, especially the second half of the month when we will be able to observe two eclipses, a meteor shower and a planetary conjunction. First of all, on November 13 there will be a total solar eclipse.
Nearest Exoplanet Discovered in the Alpha Centauri System
Astronomers from the European Southern Observatory have discovered the nearest extrasolar planet to date, in the Alpha Centauri star system 4.3 light years away. The system is composed of three stars -- two stars similar in size to our Sun orbiting close to each other and…
Monthly Stargazing Calendar for October 2012
By the end of this month on October 20 and 21 the Orionids meteor shower will peak. It is an average shower producing about 20 meteors per hour at the peak. This shower usually peaks on the 21st, but it is highly irregular. A good show could be experienced from October 20 to 24, and some meteors may be seen any time from October 17 to 25.
Monthly Stargazing Calendar for September 2012
By the end of the month on September 29, Uranus will be at opposition. The gas giant will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. This makes it the best time to view Uranus. Due to its distance, it will only appear as a tiny blue-green dot in all but the most powerful telescopes.
Monthly Stargazing Calendar for August 2012
This month will be very eventful when it comes to astronomy and space exploration. First off on August 6 the Curiosity Rover, also known as Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), is scheduled to land on the red planet at 5:31 AM UTC.
Monthly Stargazing Calendar for July 2012
Most of this month will be rather uneventful when it comes to astronomical events, but at the end of the month, on July 28 and 29 we will witness the Southern Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Delta Aquarids can produce about 20 meteors per hour at their peak.
Monthly Stargazing Calendar for June 2012
Today on June 5 we will have the chance to witness the transit of Venus across the Sun. This extremely rare event will be entirely visible throughout most of eastern Asia, eastern Australia, and Alaska.