November 17, 2021 Tonight into early tomorrow morning, the annual Leonid Meteor Shower will peak. The Leonids are produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle. While typically an average shower producing only 15 meteors per hour at its peak, the Leonids have a cyclonic peak every 33 years where hundreds of meteors per… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: November 16, 2021
November 16, 2021 Tonight the Moon will be found in the constellation Pisces exhibiting a waxing gibbous phase with roughly 94% disk illumination. For those with binoculars, you may also find the planet Uranus about 12° to the east. If you have trouble finding Uranus, tomorrow night around 8pm, Uranus can be found about 1.5°… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: November 15, 2021
November 15, 2021 Today in 1988, the Soviet Union launched its first space shuttle, Buran (“Snowstorm”), on its first and only orbital flight. The unmanned flight was limited to two orbits lasting 206 minutes before reentry and a safe automatic touchdown at Tyuratum. The program’s funding was cut and the program eventually canceled in 1993.… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: November 14, 2021
November 14, 2021 At 2 am tomorrow morning, you will find a sickle shaped group of stars. This shape is the head of the zodiac constellation Leo the Lion. Those interested in the Leonid meteor shower later this month will need to become familiar with this shape as it is the location of the Leonid… Continue reading
Night Sky Update: November 12 – November 20, 2021
This is the Saint Louis Science Center’s NIGHT SKY UPDATE for the week of Friday, November 12, 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
Astronomy Fact of the Day: November 13, 2021
November 13, 2021 Today in 1971, Mariner-9, the first man-made object to orbit another planet, entered Martian orbit. The mission of the unmanned craft was to return photographs mapping 70% of the surface, and to study the planet’s thin atmosphere, clouds, and hazes, together with its surface chemistry and seasonal changes. Orbital view of Olympus… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: November 12, 2021
November 12, 2021 Tomorrow morning around 5 am, the bright star called Arcturus is rising in the east. Arcturus is the brightest star in the constellation Boötes. Later this year in December, a comet called Comet Leonard will pass through the constellation. As comets get closer to the Sun they get brighter as their ices… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: November 11, 2021
November 11, 2021 Today in 1966, Gemini 12 was launched from Cape Canaveral, with astronauts Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and James Lovell aboard. This last flight of the Gemini program tested rendezvous methods and extravehicular activities (EVAs, or ‘spacewalks’) in preparation for the start of the final push to the Moon: the Apollo Program. A ‘play-by-play’… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: November 10, 2021
November 10, 2021 Tonight the Moon will exhibit a waxing crescent phase with roughly 44% of the lunar disk illuminated. Those with telescopes can track down the landing site of Apollo 16 which landed in the Descartes Highlands just north of Descartes Crater. A waxing crescent moon will be visible on November 16, 2021. You… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: November 9, 2021
November 9, 2021 Today in 1934, Carl Sagan was born. Sagan was an American astronomy and science communicator who helped to popularize space science through the 13-pat television series “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage.” Learn more about Carl Sagan and his contributions to astronomy here. Carl Sagan unveils the iconic Pale Blue Dot image at a… Continue reading