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3 days ago
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Venus is at its farthest from the sun on June 1: Here's how to see the bright 'morning star' this weekend
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Venus reaches its point of greatest western elongation on June 1, at which time the dazzling 'morning star' will be at its most distant point from the sun in Earth's sky during its pre-dawn apparition. The rocky planet will hit the orbital milestone at 00.00 a.m. EDT (0400 GMT) on June 1, while Venus is below the horizon for skywatchers in the U.S, according to stargazing website At this time, Venus will be separated from the sun by a gulf of 46 degrees along the line of the ecliptic, which is the apparent path taken by the sun and planets as they journey through the constellations crowding the night sky. The best time to spot Venus for stargazers in the U.S. is during the pre-dawn hours on May 31 and June 1, when the planet will appear as a bright, magnitude -4.3 morning star rising over the eastern horizon, easily visible to the naked eye (remember, the brightest objects in the sky have lower or negative magnitudes). You'll need a telescope with an aperture of at least 60mm (2.4") to see the planet's disk, which appears half lit at this point in the Venutian orbit, according to telescope-maker Celestron. Venus has been a regular fixture in the morning sky following its inferior conjunction on March 22, when it passed between Earth and the sun, marking an end to its evening appearances. Its tight orbit around the sun ensures that Venus never strays far from the horizon, at least in comparison to Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, whose distant orbits allow them to be seen throughout the night when conditions allow. TOP TELESCOPE PICK: Want to see the planets of our solar system for yourself? The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 4SE review. While June 1 may mark the point of greatest separation between the sun and Venus during its morning apparition, it won't be the highest that the planet will rise above the eastern horizon over the coming months. This is because a planet's altitude in the sky is dependent in part on the inclination of the ecliptic relative to the horizon, which shifts throughout the year due to Earth's wobbling orbit. Editor's Note: If you would like to share your astrophotography with readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Science
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Astrophotographer captures the moon and Jupiter suspended above one of Europe's oldest lakes (photo)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Photographer Riste Spiroski snapped a striking view of the moon and Jupiter hanging over the ancient lake Ohrid in northern Macedonia on the night of April 29, complete with a pair of stargazing swans! Spiroski took the shot of the moon and the solar system's largest planet at 7:45 p.m. local time using a Canon R6 camera in conjunction with a Canon EF 24–70mm f/2.8 lens. The image was captured during a period known to photographers as the 'blue hour', which stargazing site describes as a brief window of post sunset twilight when the landscape is bathed in soft blue light. "This image was captured during a spontaneous walk with a friend," Spiroski said in an email to "We headed out around blue hour, hoping to shoot some long exposure shots by the shore of Lake Ohrid. As the sun was setting below the horizon, I spotted the thin crescent moon beginning to set - it was very beautiful. I quickly opened an astronomy app to check what else might be visible, and noticed Jupiter would soon be appearing low on the horizon." TOP TELESCOPE PICK: Want to explore the solar system? The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 4SE review. To capture the low-light scene, Spiroski raised his ISO to 1000 and set the lens aperture to f/6.3, before snapping a 1.6 second exposure. The result is a mesmerising blend of astronomy, nature and humanity, in which the city of Ohrid casts streaks of light over a pair of white swans basking in the placid lake. Lake Ohrid sits on the border between North Macedonia and Albania, and is estimated to be somewhere between 3 and 5 million years old, according to NASA. "As the sky turned that deep blue, everything came together - the crescent moon, Jupiter, and the calm water of Lake Ohrid, which is actually Europe's oldest lake," continued Spiroski. "I love mixing sky elements with landscapes, and Ohrid always gives me something beautiful to work with." MORE NIGHT SKY: — Night sky for tonight: Visible planets, stars and more in this evening's sky — Night sky, May 2025: What you can see tonight [maps] — The brightest planets in May's night sky: How to see them (and when) Earth's moon is visible hanging above the scene as a waxing crescent, with the unlit regions of its surface softly illuminated by Earthshine. Three stellar bodies belonging to the Perseus constellation can also be picked out shining to the right of the image, while the bright star Hassaleh can be found directly above the moon near the top of the image. Jupiter meanwhile is visible as a bright point of light to the upper left of the photo, with the magnitude +1 star Aldebaran located below the gas giant, and to the left of the moon, forming a triangle of bright celestial bodies. Interested in capturing your own image of the night sky? Then be sure to check out our guides on the best cameras for astrophotography and the best lenses for astrophotography. Night sky enthusiasts looking to explore the wonders of our solar system and beyond should also read guides for the best binoculars deals and the best telescope deals that 2025 has to offer.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Science
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A spacecraft from the 1970s could crash-land on Earth in May
A Soviet spacecraft that has been circling Earth for over 50 years is set to reenter the planet's atmosphere next month and could crash into Earth's surface, according to Kosmos 482 launched on March 31, 1972, charting a course for the planet Venus, according to the astronomy website. The 3.2-foot-wide, 1,091-pound landing module successfully established a temporary orbit around Earth, but a problem with a timer stopped an engine burn too early, preventing it from being able to leave the planet's orbit. After 53 years, the spacecraft is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere sometime between May 8 and 11, according to The astronomy website will predict a more precise reentry date in the coming days. While it is unlikely that Kosmos 482 will reenter Earth's atmosphere over a populated area or even over land at all, since it was built to withstand rapid acceleration, extreme heat and high pressure, most of it could reach the planet's surface — even if it's not intact, according to The spacecraft may be visible around dawn and dusk in some areas as it continues to orbit Earth, according to the astronomy website. It would look like a dim, moving satellite. In the unlikely event that Kosmos 482 reenters Earth's atmosphere above your location, it will be visible, according to The spacecraft would look like a bright and slow meteor. will share more information on Kosmos 482's reentry in the coming days. Iconic punk band announces first new music in 12 years with new members Popular fast-food restaurant chain plans to close up to 200 locations All-day rain, thunderstorms expected in Massachusetts on Saturday Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Science
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Lyrid meteor shower 2025. Here's when the dazzling show peaks
It's one of the oldest known meteor showers and you'll be able to see it as of this week. The Lyrids have been observed annually for about 2,700 years, according to NASA, and now you could be a part of that tradition just by looking up to the sky. The first recorded sighting of a Lyrid meteor shower was in 687 BC by the Chinese, Lyrids are also known for "meteor trains," which are trails of ionized gases that glow for a few seconds after the meteor has passed, according to the website, which added that "Lyrids are known to produce fireballs." The Lyrid meteors come from Comet Thatcher, a comet discovered in 1861 that orbits the sun every 415.5 years. In a past interview with Wicked Local, MIT planetary sciences professor Richard Binzel explained that meteor showers are "basically debris from the tails of comets." Do you want to see the upcoming Lyrid meteor shower? Here's what to know. It will occur starting today, Wednesday, April 16 and will last until April 29, according to which noted, "this time period is when we're passing through the meteor stream in space." The shower will peak on April 21-22, during which stargazers will see the best show. According to EarthSky, "The best time to watch is late evening on April 21 until the moon rises a few hours before dawn on April 22. Then, after the moon rises, place yourself in the moon's shadow." The EarthSky website explained that, "in a dark sky with no moon, you might see 10 to 15 Lyrids per hour" during the weeks that the meteor shower can be seen. But the view can be much more impressive than that. EarthSky added that people should "watch for meteors before the fat crescent moon rises after midnight. The Lyrids are known for uncommon surges that can sometimes bring rates of up to 100 per hour." The Lyrid meteor shower is visible in the northern hemisphere, though it can be seen in the southern hemisphere near where constellation of Lyra is visible. Your best bet for seeing it is to find dark skies away from light pollution. More: These isolated forests in Maine are 'dark skies sanctuaries:' See where In a past interview with Massachusetts Institute of Technology technical Instructor and observatory manager Tim Brothers, he explained that seeing meteor showers is possible with the naked eye, but with any case of stargazing, it's much better if you're using a good telescope or a pair of binoculars. He also explained at the time that moonlight detracts from being able to see astronomical events. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Lyrid meteor shower 2025: Here's the date for when it peaks
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Climate
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When was the last total lunar eclipse? Hint: It's been years!
It has been nearly three years since the last total lunar eclipse. The phenomenon occurs when the moon and the sun are on exact opposite sides of Earth, according to NASA. When this happens, Earth blocks sunlight that normally reaches the moon. Instead of that sunlight hitting the moon's surface, Earth's shadow falls on it. Total lunar eclipses are often called a "blood moon" because of its tendency to turn red when covered by the Earth's shadow. Here's a look back at the last total lunar eclipse, and how celestial fans can see the next one. The last total lunar eclipse took place on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. It marked the first Election Day total lunar eclipse in U.S. history, according to The phenomenon was also visible in Asia, Australia and the Pacific, according to the website. The upcoming total lunar eclipse occurs March 13-14. The website Time and Date predicts the moon will complete all of the eclipse phases in 6 hours, 3 minutes. If you live in the U.S., the eclipse should begin around 11:57 p.m. EST on Thursday, March 13, reach totality around 2:30 a.m. EST and complete the process around 6 a.m. EST Friday, March 14. The total lunar eclipse will be visible in North America, South America, western parts of Europe and Africa on Thursday, March 13 into Friday, March 14. According to NASA, another total lunar eclipse won't be visible in the U.S. until March 2026. The next Election Day lunar eclipse will take place in 372 years, on Nov. 8, 2394. Contributing: Janet Loehrke Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When was the last total lunar eclipse? See 2022 'blood moon'
