2020 June 8 Atmospheric Ring of Venus Image Credit & Copyright: Pete Lawrence (Digital Sky) Explanation: Why is Venus surrounded by a bright ring? Sometimes called a ring of fire, this rare ring is caused by the Sun’s light being visible all around an object. Usually seen around the Moon […]
2020 June 3 The Dance of Venus and Earth Video & Text Credit: James O’Donoghue (JAXA); Data: NASA, HORIZONS; h/t: Josef Chlachula Explanation: Every time Venus passes the Earth, it shows the same face. This remarkable fact has been known for only about 50 years, ever since radio telescope
2020 May 30 Green Flashes: Sun, Moon, Venus, Mercury Image Credit & Copyright: Marcella Giulia Pace Explanation: Follow a sunset on a clear day against a distant horizon and you might glimpse green just as the Sun disappears from view. The green flash is caused by refraction of light rays trave
2020 May 21 Phases of Venus Image Credit & Copyright: Richard Addis Explanation: Just as the Moon goes through phases, Venus’ visible sunlit hemisphere waxes and wanes. This composite of backyard telescopic images illustrates the steady changes for Venus during its current stint as our ev
2020 April 15 A Cosmic Triangle Image Credit & Copyright: Scott Aspinall Explanation: It was an astronomical triple play. Setting on the left, just after sunset near the end of last month, was our Moon — showing a bright crescent phase. Setting on the right was Venus, the brightest planet
2020 April 11 Venus and the Pleiades in April Image Credit & Copyright: Antonio Finazzi Explanation: Shared around world in early April skies Venus, our brilliant evening star, wandered across the face of the lovely Pleiades star cluster. This timelapse image follows the path of the inner plane
2020 April 4 Venus and the Sisters Image Credit & Copyright: Fred Espenak (Bifrost Astronomical Observatory) Explanation: After wandering about as far from the Sun on the sky as Venus can get, the brilliant evening star is crossing paths with the sister stars of the Pleiades cluster. Look west
2020 April 3 The Traffic in Taurus Image Credit & Copyright: Lionel Majzik Explanation: There’s a traffic jam in Taurus lately. On April 1, this celestial frame from slightly hazy skies over Tapiobicske, Hungary recorded an impressive pile up toward the zodiacal constellation of the Bull
2020 April 2 Venus and the Pleiades in April Digital Illustration Credit & Copyright: Fred Espenak (Bifrost Astronomical Observatory) Explanation: Venus is currently the brilliant evening star. Shared around world, in tonight’s sky Venus will begin to wander across the face of the lovely
