stargazing news stories on Newser

Meteors Put On a Show Tonight

John Johnson — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:30:30 CDT

Your local weather permitting, the annual Perseid meteor shower should light up the skies in the wee hours tonight, reports the Christian Science Monitor . The usual caveats apply—like the further you can get from the lights of the big city, the better your show. Best bet is to start...

Mars Makes Final Appearance Until 2012 Tonight

Kevin Spak — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:54:34 CDT

If you get a chance and the skies are clear tonight, take a gander up toward the moon. There should be one bright, solitary star next to the moon—or at least, it’ll look like a star. It’s actually Mars, and this will be your last chance to get a...

Tonight's Full Moon Will Be Brightest of the Year

Kevin Spak — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:25:00 CST

If you’re planning to do something moonlit in the near future, tonight might be the night. The full moon tonight will be the biggest and brightest of 2010. If you have a clear sky, the so-called wolf moon offers a great chance to see if you can spot the satellite’s...

Big Moon Rising This Weekend

Rebecca Smith Hurd — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 13:03:54 CST

Star-gazers are hoping for clear skies this evening, when the full moon will make its biggest and brightest appearance of 2009. As it rises at sunset, the moon will appear 14% larger and 30% brighter than the year's subsequent moons, Space.com reports. The show—the result of the moon...

Perseid Meteors Fly Tonight

Neal Colgrass — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:33:51 CDT

Earth will plow into the heart of the Perseid meteor stream tonight and give star-gazers a spectacle, Space.com reports. We'll hit the stream's densest part at 7 am EST, but best viewing hours may be after 1:30 am local time—when the moon sets and gives viewers a...

Light Pollution Veils Starry Skies

Rob Quinn — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:03:28 CDT

Dark skies are being engulfed by light all over the world, creating some unexpected consequences, the Wall Street Journal reports. Over two-thirds of the world's people— including nearly all Americans—can no longer see "what is possibly the most extraordinary natural wonder," said one astronomer. The amount of artificial light...

Take a Peek at Lunar Eclipse

Nick McMaster — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:10:50 CST

The sky is putting on a show tonight. The last total eclipse of the moon until 2010 got under way about 8:45pm ET, Space.com reports. The moon went into full eclipse at 10:01, and the show will be over at 12:09. The spectacle should be visible...

Moon to Make Rare Pass Over Mars Tonight

John Abell — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 16:54:48 CST

Scanning the heavens for a sighting of Santa tonight? Star-gazers will also see the full moon appear to pass just over Mars, which is still glowing a strong yellow-orange color. Skygazers farther north and west will get the best view—especially in the Pacific Northwest, western Canada, and Alaska—where...

Western US Awaits Total Lunar Eclipse

Caroline Zimmerman — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 13:48:00 CDT

The Western US will get a celestial treat early Tuesday morning: a total lunar eclipse. Residents of the Western Hemisphere and eastern Asia will get at least a glimpse of the spectacle, but Europeans will miss out—the moon will be below the horizon. Space.com tells you how to...