January 13, 2024 Tonight at 6 pm, it is possible to find the Moon just south of Saturn in the southwestern sky. The Moon exhibits a thin waxing crescent phase. As the Moon orbits Earth, it appears to move quickly in our sky relative to the stars and planets. By tomorrow night at 6 pm,… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: January 12, 2024
January 12, 2024 On this date in 1959, McDonnell Aircraft of St. Louis, Missouri, was selected as the prime contractor to develop and produce the Mercury spacecraft. A McDonnell Douglas hangar located in St. Louis. Image credit: SLSC/McDonnell Planetarium
Astronomy Fact of the Day: January 11, 2024
January 11, 2024 Tomorrow morning before sunrise, it is possible to find Mercury at its greatest western elongation, 24°. When Mercury is at its greatest elongation, it is at its greatest separation from the Sun. Mercury will be low in the southeast approximately 30 minutes before sunrise. The southeastern sky as it will look tomorrow… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: January 10, 2024
January 10, 2024 At any point throughout the year it is possible to find Polaris, or the North Star, in the same location in our northern sky. Unlike other stars, it does not appear to move through the sky throughout the night. Instead, other stars appear to revolve around Polaris while it remains stationary. This… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: January 9, 2024
January 9, 2024 Tomorrow morning at 6:15 am, it is possible to find both Mercury and Venus low in the southeastern sky. As these two planets are closer to the Sun than Earth, they are only ever visible just before sunrise or just after sunset. The southeastern sky as it will appear tomorrow morning at… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: January 8, 2024
January 8, 2024 This morning just before 8 am, the Moon appeared to pass in front of, or occult, the red star Antares. Unfortunately, the occultation was not visible as light from the Sun washes out even the brightest stars. The Moon exhibits a thin waning crescent phase. The south-southeastern sky as it appeared this… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: January 7, 2024
January 7, 2024 Tomorrow morning, Mercury will reach its highest point in the sky for the current apparition. At sunrise tomorrow, Mercury will appear 16° above the horizon in the constellation Ophiuchus. Venus and a waning crescent moon are also visible. The southeastern sky as it will look tomorrow morning at 6:30 am. The planets… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: January 6, 2024
January 6, 2024 The dark regions we see on the Moon were once thought to be seas by ancient astronomers. They are referred to as maria, which is Latin for seas. The dark material is solidified lava that once erupted to the surface of the Moon, filling large craters and impact basins. A waning crescent… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: January 5, 2024
January 5, 2024 On this date in 1972, President Richard Nixon signed a bill that marked the start of the space shuttle program. In total, five different space shuttles would fly to space over a period of 30 years. 135 space shuttle missions occurred during the space shuttle era. Former president Richard Nixon (right) with… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: January 4, 2024
January 4, 2024 Looking northeast around 10 pm, you will find the Big Dipper beginning to rise. By 5:30 am it will be seen due north. If you watch this famous asterism through the night, it will circle around the pole star Polaris. This behavior is called circumpolar. The north-northeastern sky tonight at 10 pm.… Continue reading