Tag: astronomy events
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Jupiter at its Brightest: What to Expect for the 2026 Opposition Tonight
Jupiter at Opposition: A Rare Night to Observe the Gas Giant Tonight, Jupiter is at its best and brightest for 2026 as it reaches opposition, placing the giant planet opposite the Sun in our sky. This event makes Jupiter visible all night and at its peak in the pre-dawn hours, offering stargazers a striking view…
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Mars and Venus Conjunction Over Beehive: A Southern Sky Treat on January 9, 2026
Two Planets Aligned Over a Starry Nursery In a spectacle treasured by skywatchers, Mars and Venus appeared to share the same slice of the night sky on January 9, 2026, forming a striking conjunction near the Beehive Cluster, also known as Messier 44 (Praesepe). Observers in the Southern Hemisphere were treated to a rare planetary…
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The Sun Appears Largest in 2026: Earth at Perihelion Today
What is perihelion and why does the Sun look bigger today? On January 3, 2026, Earth reaches perihelion, the point in its orbit closest to the Sun. This annual event, part of a predictable celestial dance, isn’t dramatic in terms of distance—Earth comes within about 147 million kilometers (91 million miles) of the Sun—but it…
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Seeing the First Fiery Quadrantids of 2026: A Skywatcher’s Guide
What to Expect from the Quadrantids 2026 The Quadrantid meteor shower traditionally kicks off the year with a sharp, blue-white display high in the pre-dawn hours. For 2026, observers can anticipate bright fireballs—large meteors that blaze across the sky and sometimes fragment, producing dramatic bolides. While meteor showers vary in strength from year to year,…
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13 Must-See Moon Events in 2026: Eclipses, Supermoons and Conjunctions
Introduction: A Year of Lunar Highlights The year 2026 promises an exciting slate of lunar spectacles that will captivate skywatchers around the world. From dramatic eclipses to multiple supermoons and visually striking close conjunctions between the Moon and planets, 2026 offers something for amateur stargazers and seasoned observers alike. This guide highlights 13 must-see moon…
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Geminid Meteor Shower Lights Up Night Skies Worldwide: A Spectacle for Skywatchers
The Geminid meteor shower returned with its characteristic brilliance this year, captivating skywatchers from city parks to remote rural skies. Known for producing some of the year’s most colorful and abundant fireballs, the Geminids offer observers a reliable and dramatic display each December, and this year’s conditions were particularly favorable across many latitudes. What makes…
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Final Supermoon of 2025: December’s Cold Moon
Overview: December’s Cold Moon grows bright as 2025’s final supermoon The last supermoon of 2025 is set to illuminate skies on December 4, just one week after Thanksgiving. Known to stargazers as the Cold Moon, this full moon will appear larger and brighter than usual as it coincides with a perigee—the point in its orbit…
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Witness the Taurid Meteor Shower: Fireballs Could Light Up the Night This Week
What makes the Taurid meteor shower special The Taurid meteor shower is known for producing bright meteors and, on occasion, spectacular fireballs that can outshine ordinary shooting stars. Unlike some peak events that burn bright for a few minutes, the Taurids offer a broader window of viewing opportunities, with higher chances of catching something memorable…
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Moon Meets the Seven Sisters: A Dawn-Watching Guide for Nov. 6
Overview: A Pre-Dawn Celestial Meetup On November 6, skywatchers in many regions can glimpse a stunning early-morning spectacle as the Moon appears close to the Seven Sisters star cluster, the Pleiades, in the western sky before sunrise. The nearly full Moon—about 94% illuminated—will rise in the west and drift toward Taurus as dawn approaches. This…
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The Largest 2025 Supermoon Tonight: November Full Moon Guide
Overview: A spectacular November full moon and a sky full of fire The November full moon is set to put on one of the most dramatic nighttime shows of the year, as the largest supermoon of 2025 rises near the peak of the Southern Taurid meteor shower. This pairing means a brighter-than-usual moon and a…