Skywatching

Science & Nature

The Moon’s appearance shifts each night in a dependable cycle called moon phases, shaped by the relative positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon. A phase is defined by how much...

Skywatching

The full moon on November 5 occurs when the Moon reaches opposition to the Sun, typically visible all night at moonrise around sunset. Exact timing varies by time zone and local...

Science & Space

A meteor dog is a colloquial name for a very bright meteor that appears to end near the horizon or near a landmark, creating an illusion that it is "touching down" or lying on t...

science-skies

Observing and naming the Moon’s changing appearance begins with understanding the sequence of eight primary phases, each defined by the Moon’s position relative to the Sun a...

Science

The Moon’s changing height in the sky from night to night is mainly due to its orbital tilt relative to Earth’s equator and the shifting point of moonrise and moonset. The l...