February 10, 2025: Four bright planets are visible after sunset. Saturn, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars are joined by the waxing gibbous moon to outline the plane of the solar system.
Category: Planetariums
2021, April 8: Mars Nears Bull’s Horns
April 8, 2021: In the evening sky, Mars approaches the Bull’s horns in the western sky after sunset. The planet is now higher than Betelgeuse, Orion’s second brightest star.
Observing the Sky in July 2011
NASA Photo This month: There is a partial solar eclipse visible only from the ocean south-east of Africa. It is not visible from anywhere in North America. Moon Phases New 7/1 & 7/30 First Quarter 7/8 Full 7/15 Last 7/23 July has two new moons. As infrequent as two full moons in a month, popularly known … Continue reading Observing the Sky in July 2011
Moon and Planets, May 2011
Moon Phases NASA Photo The charts above show the planets on May 1 and May 2 at around 5:20 a.m. CDT in Chicago. On May 1, a thin crescent moon appears to the left of Venus. With binoculars or telescope locate Mars and Jupiter beneath it. The next morning, the moon is much lower, although the … Continue reading Moon and Planets, May 2011
Moon and Planets, April 2011
Podcast above is from Abrams Planetarium. April 2011 brings more daylight hours. On April 1st, the sun is in the sky for about 12 hours, 45 minutes in the northern part of the United States. By April 30, the daylight hours increase to 14 hours. Saturn is the only bright planet that shines throughout the … Continue reading Moon and Planets, April 2011
Moon and Planets, March 2011
Look in the west for Jupiter, Mercury and the moon in the evenings during early March. The podcast player shown above for the month of March 2011 is from Abrams Planetarium. March is a month of rapid change. Weather shuffles from the depths of winter into the promises of May. This year the Moon … Continue reading Moon and Planets, March 2011
February Morning Sky
Venus and Moon on February 28, 2011Venus continues to dominate the early morning sky. While fading in brightness as it races behind the sun and into the evening sky later in the year, it is the brightest starlike object in the predawn sky. Because of its brillance, it can be mistaken for an airplane. During … Continue reading February Morning Sky
Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse
A spectacular lunar eclipse is visible across the skies of North America, just hours before the winter solstice, on the night of December 20/21, 2010. A lunar eclipse is visible when the moon, at the full phase, moves into the Earth's shadow. Occurring infrequently because the orbit is tilted slightly compared to the earth's solar orbital path, the … Continue reading Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse
Exciting Planetary Grouping
August 13, 2010 -- Look west at 9 p.m. for the moon and a planetary grouping. A summer grouping of bright planets is visible in the western sky during the early evening hours of August 2010. Venus, Mars and Saturn have sparkled in the evening sky all summer, although separated in the sky. In early August, … Continue reading Exciting Planetary Grouping
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