by Shaphan Shank | Sep 1, 2023 | 2023, 09 September, Articles & Stories, Astronomy, Eclipses, In Our Skies, Lunar Eclipse, Meteors, Moon, Solar Eclipse, Sun
View the August 2023 Nature Friend Magazine You’ve probably noticed that the Moon appears larger when it lies just above the horizon. This is just an optical illusion. However, the Moon actually does vary in its distance from Earth because its orbit is eliptical....
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 | Nov 23, 2021 | 2021, 11 November, Articles & Stories, Astronomy, Comets, Eclipses, In Our Skies, Meteors
The last major meteor showers of 2021 will all be affected by moonlight. The Orionid meteor shower in October peaked on the night of Full Moon, and the Leonid meteor shower this month will fare little better. The Leonid shower will peak around November 17, with a...
by Kevin Shank | Aug 26, 2021 | 2021, 09 September, Articles & Stories, Astronomy, In Our Skies, Meteors, Planets
Just after sunset the night of September 14, the planet Mercury will be visible in the western sky just above the horizon. While it is only 26.8° from the Sun and, therefore, close to the horizon, it is at its farthest point from the Sun during the Eastern...
