SkyCaramba

Try to tune in to another meteor shower

Neptune at opposition. Mercury passes Spica. Another daytime meteor shower. You may see some meteors early in the morning. But these meteors are mostly entering the atm

Equinox. Equal? NOT!

The moon passes by Venus. Mercury makes headway into the evening. Mars is closest to Pollux. Southern lunistice and lunar apogee. Not everywhere gets 12 hours of sunl

What's in a name? History!

The moon at apogee and heading south. Uranus goes retrograde. Mercury moves toward Venus. What's in a name? Maybe a few thousand years of human oral history. It doesn'

Star spangled with Spica

The moon passes by Saturn. Venus is at aphelion. The moon reaches its farthest north. Venus passes by Spica, whose light left the star around the time of the American

A deep partial lunar eclipse

We get a deep partial lunar eclipse this week. Just a little deeper and it would be total. Mars continues making its way through Gemini. Jupiter rises just before the s

Mira on the downside

The constellation Cetus rises about midnight. The variable star Mira remains beyond naked eye visibility. Mars reaches the feet of Gemini. Mercury zooms into the sunris

Total solar eclipse and Perseid meteor shower

There's a total solar eclipse this week. Venus reaches greatest elongation. Mercury, Mars, and the moon delight in the morning. And watch for Perseid meteors.

Eye to eye with Mars and both inner planets at dichotomy

Earth is eye-to-eye with Mars in a manner of speaking. The moon passes by Neptune, Saturn, and Uranus. Venus approaches Porrima. Venus and Mercury could both appear at

Venus by the lion's tail

Venus is the only naked eye planet in our evening sky. It's near the lion's tail. Or it's by what some ancient observers likened to a dog pen. Saturn and Mars shine in t

Two more faint objects at opposition together

Venus is below the lion's belly. Saturn's rings are tipped to us. Mercury makes it to the morning. Two faint solar system objects were at opposition together earlier t

About Earth's aphelion

Jupiter is exiting the evening sky. The moon passes Regulus and Venus. Saturn's rings at their best for a while. Orion's hunting trip begins in the morning. Earth is

Two asteroids at opposition

Two asteroids orbiting between Mars and Jupiter are up all night this week. One got its name because of two sad events that happened on the same date 13 years apart. Ven

Mercury retreats and what the American colonists saw when they didn't

Mercury is leaving the evening sky. Jupiter's still there but won't be for long. Venus shines bright at dusk. Mars and Uranus have a close call. And find out what the

The moon in the room

The moon passes through a part of the sky ancient Chinese observers described as a room. Mercury turns around. Mars is near the seven sisters.

The moon by our evening planets

Venus enters the beehive. Mercury's at greatest elongation. The moon passes three planets in the evening sky. The sun at solstice.

Three planets in one constellation

Three planets are in one constellation. Mercury by Mebsuta. The moon will be at its closest since December. Two asteroids appear near Saturn.

Three planets in the west and a meteor shower on the radio

Three planets are in the west at dusk. Two planets are up in the morning. And there's a meteor shower whose radiant is up mostly in the daytime. But you may be able to de

Comparing the moon's sides

Two constellations are each accompanied by two planets. The moon passes by the lion and the maiden. Why the far side of the moon looks different.

Memories of the moon and something mysterious

Mercury moves to the evening while Uranus leaves. Venus at the feet of the twins. The moon meets M44 and then hides Regulus. Pisces accompanied by planets. And what happe

Mission accomplished and hungry for galaxy hunting

The moon passes by the morning planets. Mercury goes behind the sun. Venus goes over Orion's head. Something to see--or not--in the control room. A galaxy named for a pop