The full moon for July, often called the Thunder Moon, happens tonight at 9:37pm. You can look for the Moon to rise at 8:33pm in the southeast.
Astronomy Fact of the Day: July 22, 2021
Jupiter’s largest moon is Ganymede. It was discovered in 1610 by Galileo. Ganymede is larger than the planet Mercury and it is the only moon that has a magnetic field like the Earth’s. It is also one of the moons thought to have a subsurface ocean that is estimated to be about 60 miles thick.
Artifact of the Week: Elephant Sculpture
This intricately detailed elephant sculpture made of ivory features symbols significant in ancient Chinese culture. The crane is a symbol of noble character and represents longevity, long-lasting love and loyalty in marriage. The lotus flower on top symbolizes the heart and mind’s ultimate purity, and is used for religious purposes, in marriage symbolism and food… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: July 21, 2021
Looking west tonight about 30 minutes after sunset, you can find Venus, Mars and the bright star Regulus. Regulus will be the bright object a little more than 1° away from Venus.
Astronomy Fact of the Day: July 20, 2021
On this date in 1969, Apollo 11 achieves the first landing of humans on the moon. The LM touched down on the moon at 4:18pm EDT.. Armstrong reported to mission control at MSC, “Houston, Tranquillity Base here – the Eagle has landed.” Later, Man’s first step on the moon was taken by Neil Armstrong at… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: July 19, 2021
In 1969 on this date, Apollo 11, after over three days’ transit, enters lunar orbit in preparation to land on the surface for the very first time. During the second lunar orbit, a live color telecast of the lunar surface was made. A second service-propulsion-system burn placed the spacecraft in a circularized orbit, after which… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: July 18, 2021
If you look northeast tonight at 10:00pm, you will see a preview of the Fall sky. Rising in the northeast are the constellations Cepheus and Cassiopeia. These two constellations are circumpolar, so we see them throughout the year; they are best seen, however, in the Fall.
Night Sky Update: July 16 – July 24, 2021
This is the Saint Louis Science Center’s NIGHT SKY UPDATE for the week of Friday, July 16, 2021. Information updated weekly or as needed. Times given as local St. Louis time, which is Central Daylight Time (CDT). For definitions of terminology used in the night sky update, click the highlighted text. If relying on times… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: July 17, 2021
First quarter moon occurs today. Until the invention of the telescope, the Moon was the only one we knew about. Today, however, we now know of over 200 moons in the solar system.
Astronomy Fact of the Day: July 16, 2021
On this date in 1969, Apollo 11 (AS-506) – with astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., aboard – was launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, KSC, at 9:32 a.m. In just four days, Armstrong and Aldrin would become the first two people to set foot on the moon.