December 22, 2021 The planet Venus can be found in the southwest after sunset. Venus is approaching inferior conjunction on January 8, 2022. If you grab binoculars and look at Venus about 30 minutes after sunset, it will exhibit a crescent phase. You will see only 9.1% of the Venusian disk illuminated. Make sure the… Continue reading
The James Webb Space Telescope – Who Was James Webb?
The James Webb Space Telescope is the largest, most powerful space telescope ever built. Learn who James Webb was and why he’s important to U.S. space program history. Visit NASA’s website to learn more about the James Webb Space Telescope!
Astronomy Fact of the Day: December 20, 2021
December 20, 2021 Tomorrow marks the first day of winter or what is called the winter solstice. This is when the Sun appears lowest in the sky. From St. Louis, the solar altitude of the Sun at local noon on the winter solstice will be about 27.9°. The images show the Sun at local or… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: December 18, 2021
December 18, 2021 Full moon occurs tonight at 10:35 pm. December’s full moon is often called the Full Cold Moon. This will be the last full moon of the year. Full moon occurs on December 18, 2021, at 10:36 pm. The above image is what the Moon will look like on the night of December… Continue reading
Night Sky Update: December 17 – December 25, 2021
This is the Saint Louis Science Center’s NIGHT SKY UPDATE for the week of Friday, December 17, 2021. Information updated weekly or as needed. Times given as local St. Louis time which is Central Standard Time (CST). For definitions of terminology used in the night sky update, click the highlighted text. If relying on times… Continue reading
Night Sky Update: December 16, 2021 Comet Leonard Update
This is the Saint Louis Science Center’s NIGHT SKY UPDATE for Comet Leonard. December 16, 2021 Update for Comet Leonard Position of Comet Leonard at 5:11 p.m. on December 16, 2021. Image created using Stellarium. Over the past few weeks, what was supposed to be a decently bright comet, appeared to be going down the… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: December 16, 2021
December 16, 2021 Tonight the Moon will appear between the Pleiades and the Hyades star clusters. The Hyades looks like a V-shape and the Pleiades looks like a small spoon. Both star clusters are in the constellation Taurus the Bull. Tonight, the Moon is found between the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters. The Moon will… Continue reading
Artifact of the Week: Chameleon Gold Weight
In the 17th century, the Ashanti, or Akan peoples of Western Africa became the dominant force in the region and one of the richest African kingdoms. Historically the area contained substantial gold deposits and the Ashanti built their strength on the gold trade. This bronze chameleon was used as a counterweight to measure out exact… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: December 15, 2021
December 15, 2021 Today in 1923, physicist John Dyson was born. Dyson is best known for his speculative work on extraterrestrial civilizations. One of his theories proposed that a highly advanced civilization would be able to construct a giant shell around their host star to capture 100% of the star’s energy. A ‘Dyson Sphere’ was… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: December 14, 2021
December 14, 2021 Tonight you will find the Summer Triangle low in the west at 7 pm. This summer asterism is seen most of the year, but summer is when we see it the best. The constellations and asterisms we use are a reminder of how the night sky can be used to track the… Continue reading