INSIDER
August skies arrive!
Read full article: August skies arrive!Can you stand another supermoon?! This month is our last for the year and shows up August 11 at 8:36pm! If the skies are clear, I’d expect a pretty fabulous moonrise in the east, opposite the setting sun. This one is called the Full Corn Moon although, as we are seeing, Texas corn is not doing so well as production is generally less than half of normal. So we can go with the other name: the Full Sturgeon moon--one of the ugliest fish I’ve ever seen but August is peak season for catching them in the Great Lakes.
Saturn will reach its closest point to Earth early Monday morning. Here’s how to see it
Read full article: Saturn will reach its closest point to Earth early Monday morning. Here’s how to see itThe ringed planet Saturn, already one of the solar system’s most dazzling sights, will shine bigger and brighter this month. On Monday, August 2, at around 1 a.m. the planet will reach alignment with the Earth and the sun in an event known as “opposition.” During this event, the sixth planet will reach its closest point to Earth and wil shine at its absolute brightest.
What to know about Tonight’s Great Conjunction
Read full article: What to know about Tonight’s Great ConjunctionWelcome to Winter as the solstice occurred at 4:02am this morning and just in time for the world to witness the Great Conjunction this evening of Saturn and Jupiter! Where and When to LookWith a clear evening forecast and temperatures right around 60°, we are in for a treat. When it gets dark, simply look southwest, below the moon, and you’ll see the two planets appear almost as one. They “set” at 8:30pm so make sure to look before then and, if you use binoculars or a telescope you’ll even be able to pick out Jupiter’s moons and Saturn’s rings! Enjoy and feel free to send any great pics my way via email or post on Click2pins!
Jupiter, Saturn merging in night sky, closest in centuries
Read full article: Jupiter, Saturn merging in night sky, closest in centuries(Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Jupiter and Saturn will merge in the night sky Monday, appearing closer to one another than they have since Galileo’s time in the 17th century. Jupiter passes its neighbor Saturn in their respective laps around the sun every 20 years. Saturn and Jupiter have been drawing closer in the south-southwest sky for weeks. Despite appearances, Jupiter and Saturn will actually be more than 450 million miles (730 million kilometers) apart. A telescope will not only capture Jupiter and Saturn in the same field of view, but even some of their brightest moons.
‘Christmas Star’: Jupiter and Saturn to align in rare phenomenon for first time since Middle Ages
Read full article: ‘Christmas Star’: Jupiter and Saturn to align in rare phenomenon for first time since Middle AgesHOUSTON – Houstonians and the rest of the Earth may want to look up into the night sky on Friday, Dec. 18. This upcoming winter solstice, the Earth will witness a sky-high event not seen in over 800 years, as planets Jupiter and Saturn will line up and appear to collide to create what is called a “Christmas Star” or “the Star of Bethlehem,” Forbes reported. Rice University Astronomer Patrick Hartigan told Forbes March 4, 1226 was the last time Earth has seen an alignment between two planets visible in the night sky. “Alignments between these two planets are rather rare, occurring once every 20 years or so, but this conjunction is exceptionally rare because of how close the planets will appear to be to one another,” he told Forbes in an interview. The rare event begin around 45 minutes after sunset and sightings will last throughout the entire week, Forbes reported.
Everything you need to know to experience the best stargazing in Texas
Read full article: Everything you need to know to experience the best stargazing in TexasTo experience the best stargazing on a campout, Katie Raney, a regional interpretive specialist with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, recommends getting away from any kind of light—such as lanterns, restrooms, or street lights—and finding an open area. Good options include South Llano River and Guadalupe River state parks, which are relatively near San Antonio and Austin; Lake Ray Roberts and Lake Mineral Wells state parks in the DFW area; and Brazos Bend and Lake Somerville state parks near Houston. Eakins says her favorites Enchanted Rock, Pedernales Falls, Garner, and Davis Mountains state parks. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Dark Skies: A website about the agency’s efforts to control light pollution and preserve night skies. EarthSky Tonight: A daily guide to what you can see in the night sky.