Latest news with #SkyAtNight
Forbes
a day ago
- Science
- Forbes
Don't Miss Monday's Moon Encounter With The Largest Star You Can See
A 94 percent illuminated waxing gibbous moon rises behind the EdgeNYC outdoor observation deck at ... More Hudson Yards in New York City on November 16, 2021. (Photo by) Skywatchers will be treated to a striking celestial pairing soon after sunset on Monday, July 7, as the moon passes close to one of the largest stars visible to the naked eye. Now, just a few days from being full, the moon will be very bright and make stars hard to see in the night sky, but Antares won't be missed. This red supergiant will shine to the upper right of the moon. Meet The 'Rival Of Mars' Antares is a red supergiant star — a dying star. The 15th brightest in the night sky, it's one of the largest stars we know of. If it was in the solar system in place of the sun, Antares would stretch all the way to between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. According to BBC Sky At Night, Antares is 76,000 times more luminous than the sun. Its name means the 'rival to Mars,' with ant meaning anti and Ares referring to the Greek name for Mars. It gets that name not only because it's reddish but because Mars sometimes passes close to Antares. As the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius — a constellation best known for its curved 'tail' — Antares is often called the 'heart of the scorpion.' Monday, July 7: Moon Meets Antares When And Where To Look And What You'll See To catch this event, head outside shortly after sunset and find a clear view of the southeastern sky. The 92%-lit waxing gibbous moon will already be visible long before it gets dark, but as twilight begins, Antares will appear, glowing about four degrees above it. The moon will be around 248,145 miles (399,350 kilometers) from Earth, while Antares is about 550 light-years distant — a whopping 13 million billion times farther! From mid-northern latitudes, only part of the Scorpion's body rises above the southern horizon during the summer months. But even from these latitudes, the constellation's claws — Achrab, Dschubba and Fang—should be visible above Antares. Observing Tips All you need for this sight is your naked eyes and a clear sky to the southeast. A stargazing app like Stellarium might help you locate the stars of Scorpius. What's Next In The Night Sky If you can rise before the sun on Tuesday, July 8, you'll see Venus shine brightly at its highest point in the morning sky during its current apparition. Although July 8 sees its highest point, it will be easy to see in the pre-dawn darkness until around July 21. For exact timings, use a sunrise and sunset calculator for where you are, Stellarium Web for a sky chart and Night Sky Tonight: Visible Planets at Your Location for positions and rise/set times for planets. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
In 2025 how and when to see July's full Moon and the Delta Aquariid meteor shower
From a meteor shower, a dual display of the Moon and Mars, to a full Moon - there are an array of celestial events to look out for after dark this first happens on Friday 4 when the July night sky will bring the greatest chance of seeing the planet Mercury in 2025. It will be at its furthest distance from the Sun, making it easier to spot in the sky just after sunset. If you look towards the low western area of the horizon during twilight you should hopefully catch a glimpse of Mercury appearing to look like a small star. But be quick before it follows the Sun and dips below the skyline. Will you or won't you see the full Moon? The full Buck Moon rises on 10 July at around 22:00 BST but whether or not you get to see it depends on where you are - and the weather conditions of course. As with the other full Moons across the year, they are named after events in nature happening around the same time. This month's full Moon was named to represent the time of year when male deer, known as bucks, begin to grow their new antlers. For many it marked the start of the game hunting to the Sky at Night magazine this month's full Moon will be a low hanging one, external, meaning that in some parts of the northern hemisphere, including the UK, it might be too close to the horizon to really see it well. More meteors for July Starting on 12 July, the Delta Aquariid meteor shower begins its annual display, peaking on the nights of 28 and 29 can expect between 15 and 20 meteors an hour especially in dark-sky locations, but you'll need to be up after midnight to see them. While they're best viewed from the southern hemisphere, observers in the northern hemisphere should still catch a decent are believed to originate from Comet 96P/Machholz, a short-period comet that orbits the Sun every five years. The meteors tend to be faint, so darker skies will enhance visibility, especially around the new Moon on 24 July when it could also be possible to see parts of the Milky Way. The Moon and Mars are a double delight Just to keep you on tenterhooks you have to wait until July ends to see a striking conjunction of the Moon and Mars on 29 JulyIf you look to the eastern sky before dawn you should be able to see the waning crescent Moon closely aligned with the red skies are clear, you may be lucky enough to observe Mars and its striking reddish forget that the weather and cloud cover in your location will have an impact on what you can see, but you can check that and the sunrise/sunset times where you are on the BBC Weather app or online.
The Independent
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
‘Breathtaking' tree image among winners of national park night skies contest
A 'breathtaking' image of lichen-covered trees at night has been named as one of the winners in the annual South Downs National Park astrophotography competition. Giles Embleton-Smith, from Eastbourne, East Sussex, won the life at night category for his photograph called Chanctonbury Coven taken at Chanctonbury Ring, a prehistoric hill fort near Washington, West Sussex. Vicki Wells, a member of the national park authority who worked on the BBC's Sky At Night programme and who was one of the judges, said: 'This is a breathtaking photograph of trees at Chanctonbury. 'The cold, December full moon reveals both lichen-clad trunks and etches stunning shadows at this wonderful and charismatic landmark.' Mr Embleton-Smith also claimed the top prize in the magnificent moon category for a shot of the rising moon at Petworth Park. He said: 'I love exploring and finding new locations under the dark skies of the South Downs National Park. 'Chanctonbury Ring and Petworth Park are both beautiful areas offering different perspectives and composition for nightscape photography.' Jamie Fielding, of Angmering, won the dark skyscapes category with his picture of the Milky Way in the Cuckmere Valley called To Infinity And Beyond. He said: 'This was a shot I had been planning for over a year, waiting for the perfect time when the Milky Way rises over the south coast and aligns with the Cuckmere Valley. 'There's not a huge window of opportunity each year to get this shot. 'I was delighted with the results and feel lucky that we have this quality of dark sky in the national park to capture shots like this, whilst only a matter of miles away from some major towns and cities.' The mobile phone category captured the pure joy of stargazing in the South Downs with a triumphant photograph of a family admiring the night's sky. The photograph by Emily Birtwisle of her family stargazing won the category. She said: 'After a very eventful 2024, my family and I came to the Seven Sisters for a few days for a little break. 'The scenery was absolutely gorgeous, and due to the early darkness we could make the most of the lack of light pollution and appreciate the stars.' The competition was held ahead of the Dark Skies Festival held by the national park, which is one of 22 International Dark Sky Reserves in the world.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Breathtaking' tree image among winners of national park night skies contest
A 'breathtaking' image of lichen-covered trees at night has been named as one of the winners in the annual South Downs National Park astrophotography competition. Giles Embleton-Smith, from Eastbourne, East Sussex, won the life at night category for his photograph called Chanctonbury Coven taken at Chanctonbury Ring, a prehistoric hill fort near Washington, West Sussex. Vicki Wells, a member of the national park authority who worked on the BBC's Sky At Night programme and who was one of the judges, said: 'This is a breathtaking photograph of trees at Chanctonbury. 'The cold, December full moon reveals both lichen-clad trunks and etches stunning shadows at this wonderful and charismatic landmark.' Mr Embleton-Smith also claimed the top prize in the magnificent moon category for a shot of the rising moon at Petworth Park. He said: 'I love exploring and finding new locations under the dark skies of the South Downs National Park. 'Chanctonbury Ring and Petworth Park are both beautiful areas offering different perspectives and composition for nightscape photography.' Jamie Fielding, of Angmering, won the dark skyscapes category with his picture of the Milky Way in the Cuckmere Valley called To Infinity And Beyond. He said: 'This was a shot I had been planning for over a year, waiting for the perfect time when the Milky Way rises over the south coast and aligns with the Cuckmere Valley. 'There's not a huge window of opportunity each year to get this shot. 'I was delighted with the results and feel lucky that we have this quality of dark sky in the national park to capture shots like this, whilst only a matter of miles away from some major towns and cities.' The mobile phone category captured the pure joy of stargazing in the South Downs with a triumphant photograph of a family admiring the night's sky. The photograph by Emily Birtwisle of her family stargazing won the category. She said: 'After a very eventful 2024, my family and I came to the Seven Sisters for a few days for a little break. 'The scenery was absolutely gorgeous, and due to the early darkness we could make the most of the lack of light pollution and appreciate the stars.' The competition was held ahead of the Dark Skies Festival held by the national park, which is one of 22 International Dark Sky Reserves in the world. For details, visit
