The Perseids meteor shower is visible from July 17 to Aug. 24 but will peak between Aug. 9 and 14. The Perseids are renowned for producing up to 60 meteors per hour, but some experts think this might be an exceptional year for the Perseids, with meteor rates as high as 120 per hour. They […]
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By GERRY LEBING By GERRY LEBING July will begin with Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn all prominent in the evening skies. Jupiter is the brightest object in the southwest. The prominent triangle formed by Mars, Saturn, and Antares will be almost due south at dusk. Neptune will rise at about 11:30 p.m., followed by Uranus at […]
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By GERRY LEBING
Mars will be at opposition on May 22. Opposition occurs when the sun and Mars are on opposite sides of the earth. That means Mars will be the brightest it’s been in 11 years, with a magnitude of -2.1. This is the great opportunity to observe the “red planet.” Jupiter will be well above the […]
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April will start with Jupiter (magnitude -2.6) well above the eastern horizon at sunset. You should be able to spot it just after sundown. If you view it with a pair of binoculars or a telescope, you should be able to see its bands. On a good night, you might spot several of its larger […]
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Venus (magnitude -4) will continue to be the bright morning star close to the eastern horizon during March. With a little luck, you’ll be able to see Mercury between Venus and the rising sun. Look for both planets around 6 a.m. If you’re up that early, you can also look for Saturn and Mars […]
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By GERRY LEBING The five planets that are visible to the naked eye will be in the skies simultaneously for most of February. Jupiter starts the month rising in the East at about 8:30 p.m. Mars will follow at 1 a.m., Saturn at 3:06 a.m., Venus at 5:09 a.m., and Mercury at 5:30 a.m.. Astronomical […]
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By GERRY LEBING Recently, my wife and I spent some time with my son in Washington, D.C. We were at the Kennedy Center waiting for a late show to start, and knowing it was the peak of the Geminids Meteor Shower, we decided to step out into the clear night skies and enjoy the celestial […]
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The Draconid meteor shower on Oct. 8 proved to be less than spectacular. I spotted three faint shooting stars. On the other hand, in the early morning of Oct. 23, I saw a very bright meteorite shoot across the body of the Orion Constellation! On the same morning, the light show of Venus, Jupiter, and […]
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September started off well, and I was able to take this image of the Lagoon Nebula (M8). M8 is about 6,500 light years away. It is located in the constellation Sagittarius, which can be found slightly above the southern horizon. The last week of September was plagued by high winds, clouds, and rain. The weather […]
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