stargazing

14 Stories

Total Solar Eclipse Isn't the Only Rare Cosmic Event This Year

NASA calls it a 'once-in-a-lifetime' opportunity to catch a glimpse of this exploding star

(Newser) - As April's total solar eclipse approaches, scientists say astrophiles are in for another cosmic treat in coming months. Dubbed by NASA as a "once-in-a-lifetime viewing opportunity," a rare event in a star system far, far away will cause it to shine brighter than Polaris, the North Star....

'Planet Collectors,' This Is Your Week

5 planets—Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, and Mars—will be lining up, with best viewing Tuesday

(Newser) - Keep an eye to the sky this week for a chance to see a planetary hangout. Five planets—Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, and Mars—will line up near the moon, per the AP . More details:
  • Where and when can you see them? The best day to catch the whole group
...

Summer Skies Are About to Put On a Big Show

Look for the Perseid meteor showers, the Buck moon, and an appearance by the Milky Way

(Newser) - It’s summer in the US—time to find a park, a yard, a dark, quiet place, and look at the stars. The star of the show is always the Perseid meteor shower, which starts soon (usually July 14) and lasts about a month, peaking in mid to early August....

1 in 3 Humans Can No Longer See the Milky Way

In the US, 99% of people live under light-polluted night skies

(Newser) - One in three humans can no longer see the Milky Way from their home, according to a paper published Friday in Science Advances . "We've lost some of our view into the cosmos," Chris Elvidge tells NPR . Elvidge, along with other researchers, created a updated "world atlas"...

Meteors Put On a Show Tonight

 Meteors Put On 
 a Show Tonight 
when to watch
Aug 12, 2010 4:30 PM CDT

Meteors Put On a Show Tonight

Annual Perseid shower should be dazzling

(Newser) - Your local weather permitting, the annual Perseid meteor shower should light up the skies in the wee hours tonight, reports the Christian Science Monitor . The usual caveats apply—like the further you can get from the lights of the big city, the better your show. Best bet is to start...

Mars Makes Final Appearance Until 2012 Tonight
 Mars Makes Final 
 Appearance Until 
 2012 Tonight 
Stargazer Alert
Mar 25, 2010 2:54 PM CDT

Mars Makes Final Appearance Until 2012 Tonight

It will look like a bright star near the moon

(Newser) - If you get a chance and the skies are clear tonight, take a gander up toward the moon. There should be one bright, solitary star next to the moon—or at least, it’ll look like a star. It’s actually Mars, and this will be your last chance to...

Tonight's Full Moon Will Be Brightest of the Year
 Tonight's Full Moon Will 
 Be Brightest of the Year 
Stargazer Alert
Jan 29, 2010 2:25 PM CST

Tonight's Full Moon Will Be Brightest of the Year

If you've got a clear sky, try scoping out some lunar topography

(Newser) - If you’re planning to do something moonlit in the near future, tonight might be the night. The full moon tonight will be the biggest and brightest of 2010. If you have a clear sky, the so-called wolf moon offers a great chance to see if you can spot the...

Big Moon Rising This Weekend
 Big Moon Rising This Weekend 
Jan 10, 2009 1:03 PM CST

Big Moon Rising This Weekend

Star-gazers who missed December's perigee get a second chance to look up Saturday

(Newser) - Star-gazers are hoping for clear skies this evening, when the full moon will make its biggest and brightest appearance of 2009. As it rises at sunset, the moon will appear 14% larger and 30% brighter than the year's subsequent moons, Space.com reports. The show—the result of the moon...

Perseid Meteors Fly Tonight
 Perseid Meteors
 Fly Tonight 
Aug 11, 2008 7:33 PM CDT

Perseid Meteors Fly Tonight

Best viewing hours after 1:30 am moonset

(Newser) - Earth will plow into the heart of the Perseid meteor stream tonight and give star-gazers a spectacle, Space.com reports. We'll hit the stream's densest part at 7 am EST, but best viewing hours may be after 1:30 am local time—when the moon sets and gives viewers a...

Light Pollution Veils Starry Skies

Obscured night sky could be a health hazard

(Newser) - Dark skies are being engulfed by light all over the world, creating some unexpected consequences, the Wall Street Journal reports. Over two-thirds of the world's people— including nearly all Americans—can no longer see "what is possibly the most extraordinary natural wonder," said one astronomer. The amount of...

Take a Peek at Lunar Eclipse
Take a Peek at Lunar Eclipse
UPDATED
Feb 20, 2008 8:10 PM CST

Take a Peek at Lunar Eclipse

Celestial show is under way

(Newser) - The sky is putting on a show tonight. The last total eclipse of the moon until 2010 got under way about 8:45pm ET, Space.com reports. The moon went into full eclipse at 10:01, and the show will be over at 12:09. The spectacle should be visible...

Moon to Make Rare Pass Over Mars Tonight

Stargazers further north and west will get best view

(Newser) - Scanning the heavens for a sighting of Santa tonight? Star-gazers will also see the full moon appear to pass just over Mars, which is still glowing a strong yellow-orange color. Skygazers farther north and west will get the best view—especially in the Pacific Northwest, western Canada, and Alaska—where...

Western US Awaits Total Lunar Eclipse

Early birds who look to the skies will get an eyeful on Tuesday

(Newser) - The Western US will get a celestial treat early Tuesday morning: a total lunar eclipse. Residents of the Western Hemisphere and eastern Asia will get at least a glimpse of the spectacle, but Europeans will miss out—the moon will be below the horizon. Space.com tells you how to...

Star Light, Star Bright
Star Light,
Star Bright
Aug 26, 2007 7:07 AM CDT

Star Light, Star Bright

To have a real celestial experience, get away from urban hotspots

(Newser) - There's no better season than summer for sleeping outdoors under the stars. Get your fill of the Big Dipper at USA Today's ideal star-gazing spots:
  1. Assateague Island National Seashore, Md./Va.
  2. Canyonlands National Park, Moab, Utah
  3. Big Bend National Park, Texas

14 Stories