by Shaphan Shank | Nov 1, 2023 | 2023, 11 November, Articles & Stories, Astronomy, In Our Skies, Meteors, Moon, Planets
View the November 2023 Nature Friend Magazine As Earth orbits the Sun, it passes between the Sun and the outer planets. Each time Earth passes between the Sun and another planet, that planet is said to be at opposition. This is because, from our perspective on Earth,...
by Kevin Shank | Oct 1, 2023 | 2023, 10 October, Astronomy, Birds, Dragonflies & Damselflies, Favorite Focus, Insects & Arachnids, Moon, Nuthatches, Plants & Fungi, The Photo Focus, Wildflowers
View the October 2023 Nature Friend Study Guide
by Shaphan Shank | Jul 1, 2023 | 2023, 07 July, Articles & Stories, Astronomy, In Our Skies, Meteors, Moon, Planets
View the July 2023 Nature Friend Magazine The Perseid meteor shower is the most popular meteor shower of the year. This is partly because it always peaks during the warm nights of summer, and partly because it is the second-strongest shower of the year, with a zenith...
by Shaphan Shank | Jan 1, 2023 | 2023, 01 January, Articles & Stories, Astronomy, Comets, Conjunctions, In Our Skies, Meteors
View the January Nature Friend Magazine Comet Neowise 2020. Photo © Cheryl Shank. If you look over a list of the year’s best meteor showers, the Quadrantid meteor shower will likely catch your attention. First, the Quadrantid shower sits at the top of virtually every...
by Shaphan Shank | Nov 1, 2022 | 2022, 11 November, Articles & Stories, Astronomy, Eclipses, In Our Skies, Meteors, Moon, Planets
View the November 2022 Nature Friend Magazine The second total lunar eclipse of 2022 will take place on the night of November 7–8. The eclipse will be most visible from eastern Asia, Oceania, and western and central North America. The eclipse will also be mostly...
by Shaphan Shank | Sep 1, 2022 | 2022, 09 September, Articles & Stories, Astronomy, Eclipses, In Our Skies, Meteors, Moon, Planets, Sun
About once a year, Earth passes between the Sun and Neptune. This event is called an opposition because Neptune is on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun, rising around sunset and setting around sunrise. Earth is closer to Neptune at opposition than at other times...
by Shaphan Shank | Jul 1, 2022 | 2022, 07 July, Articles & Stories, Astronomy, Conjunctions, In Our Skies, Meteors, Moon, Planets
Moon. Photo © Shaphan Shank. This month, nearly all the bright planets are strung across the early morning sky. Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are all easy to find, thanks to their brilliance. Venus and Jupiter are brighter than any star in the night sky, and Mars...
