Recent Astronomy Articles at Cosmic Pursuits

Moon Joins Planets at Sunrise

October 2, 2015 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Solar System

Venus, Jupiter, Mars, the crescent Moon, and the bright star Regulus in the eastern sky on the early morning of October 8, 2015

Set your alarm to wake early on October 8, 2015 to see three bright planets, a bright star, and a waning crescent Moon stacked up along the ecliptic in the eastern sky before sunrise. Over the next few weeks, the planets will bob and weave among the stars of the constellation Leo. As the early mornings turn colder in the northern hemisphere and warmer in the south, the planets will slowly converge. First, Mars and Jupiter will approach within a degree of each other on October 17-18, then Venus will join the two on October 26-27. Find a view of the eastern sky and see the solar system in action before the sun rises. It’s a good way to start the day.

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Saturn and Antares Fade in the Western Sky

October 2, 2015 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Solar System

Saturn, the bright star Antares, and the Milky Way as seen in early October 2015.

If you want to see planets this month, you’re best to look in the eastern sky before sunrise. There you’ll see Mars, Venus, and Jupiter congregating and brightening over the next many weeks, along with a visit next week by the waning crescent Moon. But the planet Saturn still lingers in the western evening sky in early October after sunset, tangled among the claws of the fearsome scorpion represented by the constellation Scorpius and its next-door neighbor Libra [Read more…] about Saturn and Antares Fade in the Western Sky

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Harvest Moon Eclipse

September 24, 2015 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Solar System

Total lunar eclipse of April 15, 2014 (credit: Alfredo Garcia, Jr.)

On the night and morning of September 27-28, 2015, skywatchers will enjoy a total lunar eclipse at Harvest Moon, the first full Moon of northern autumn. This eclipse will be particularly striking because it peaks just an hour after the Moon makes its closest monthly approach to Earth, so it will appear 13% larger than the last total lunar eclipse on April 4, 2015. This “supermoon” eclipse will be visible for all of North and South America, western Europe, and western Africa. From extreme western North America, the Moon will rise during the eclipse. From South Africa, the Moon will set during the eclipse. For observers in Australia and New Zealand, the eclipse will not be visible [Read more…] about Harvest Moon Eclipse

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The Helix Nebula

September 18, 2015 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Deep Sky

The showpiece of the constellation Aquarius is the grand and elusive Helix Nebula, NGC 7293. One of the closest and apparently largest of all planetary nebulae, the Helix is one of the few sights that’s easier to see in a small telescope than in a large one. In images, like the excellent collaboration above led by Warren Keller at BillionsandBillions.com, the nebula looks like an expansive eye in deep sky. Some refer to the Helix as the “Eye of God” [Read more…] about The Helix Nebula

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Southern African Solar Eclipse of September 13, 2015

September 11, 2015 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Solar System

Partial solar eclipse seen from New Zealand in 2008. (Credit: Greg Hewgill)

Observers in southern Africa will enjoy a partial solar eclipse this weekend on September 13, 2015. This eclipse will be visible from all parts of South Africa, southern parts of Madagascar, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It will also be visible for the very few observers over a wide area of the Indian Ocean and Antarctica. This is a partial eclipse– not total– so sky and Earth will not darken completely, and you will need proper solar filtering to enjoy this event [Read more…] about Southern African Solar Eclipse of September 13, 2015

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