Image Credit March is a time of transition from the long, cold nights of winter to the longer days of spring. We adapt to this change by moving our clocks on hour ahead of the sun on the morning of… Read More ›
Mars
Skywatching February 2013
Orion the Hunter is visible in the southern skies during the early evening hours of February. (NASA photo) Sun Daylight rapidly increases during February. On the first day of the month, the sun is in the sky for slightly over… Read More ›
Skywatching January 2013
The great winter constellation Orion appears in the eastern sky during early evening hours this month. Sun During January, daylight increases by nearly an hour. Throughout the month, the sun rises after 7 a.m. in the Chicago area. Early in… Read More ›
Mars and Jupiter Tonight, December 13, 2012
Mars shines from evening twilight as seen this evening from the Chicago area. (Click the image to see it larger.) The Red Planet is difficult to see as it fades into bright twilight during the next four months. After Mars… Read More ›
Why Can’t I See Mercury at Midnight, December 4, 2012?
This image captured during twilight on December 1, has three planets and a bright star visible in it. When visible, Mercury appears during morning twilight or evening twilight Click the image to see it larger. Mercury never appears in the… Read More ›
Skywatching December 2012
The moon appears near Jupiter on December 25, 2012 as it did in November as seen in this image. Moon Phases Last Quarter — December 6 New Moon — December 13 First Quarter — December 19 Full Moon — December… Read More ›
Skywatching November 2012
Moon Phases Last Quarter — 11/06/12 New Moon — 11/13/12 — A solar eclipse accompanies this New Moon, but it is visible in the South Pacific. First Quarter — 11/20/12 Full Moon — 11/28/12 — A penumbral lunar eclipse is… Read More ›
Skywatching October 2012
Jupiter Enters October Evening Sky (Click the image to see it larger.) Bright planet Jupiter enters the evening sky this month. It is among the stars of the constellation Taurus, near Aldebaran and two prominent star clusters: the Pleiades and… Read More ›
Skywatching September 2012
Venus and Jupiter Shine Brightly in the eastern sky during early September mornings in 2012. Moving through September takes us into autumn. At night the Milky Way with its myriad of stars arches from north to south. During the month,… Read More ›
Remembering Neil Armstrong: The Sky At the First Moon Walk
The sky around the time of the first moon walk (July 20, 1969, 9:56 p.m. CDT) shows Jupiter near the waxing crescent moon that was in the western sky. While beyond naked eye sensitivity, Uranus was very close to the… Read More ›