Watch for the moon to pair up with very bright Jupiter around September 5 and fainter, golden Saturn around September 7. This chart shows the Northern Hemisphere view, looking south to southwest at nightfall. From the Southern Hemisphere, face north and look nearly overhead at nightfall on these same approximate dates. For your specific view, try Stellarium Online. Where's tonight's moon? Look below. Read more.
Only 2 planets are easy to see in September 2019. Jupiter and Saturn are up after sunset and stay out until late night. Mercury and Venus are lost in the glow of sunset. Mars hides in the glare of sunrise. Read more.
Previous studies showed that methane in Mars' atmosphere varies across the Martian seasons. New research shows daily fluctuations. It's fascinating because, on Earth, methane gas is tied to microbial life. Read more.
The Mars 2020 rover is scheduled for launch next July. It needs a name, and a NASA contest invites U.S. students grades K-12 to suggest one. How to participate.
Pioneer 11 was the first spacecraft ever to encounter Saturn. A true pioneer, it paved the way for 2 more sophisticated missions - the 2 Voyagers in 1980 and '81 - and Cassini from 2004 to 2017. Read more.
That bright star close to the young moon this evening is Spica, the constellation Virgo's one and only 1st-magnitude star. Also, watch for earthshine on the moon. This is the Northern Hemisphere view. From temperate latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, watch on these same approximate dates, and note that the ecliptic (shown as a green line on our chart) will tilt upward to your right, as you stand facing west. Read more.
View larger. | Earliest reasonable arrival time of winds from Hurricane Dorian, as of today at 5 a.m. EDT. The National Hurricane Center still calls Dorian "extremely dangerous." The storm is expected to hit the Abcao Islands and Grand Bahama island later today with life-threatening storm surge, hurricane-force winds and very heavy rainfall. Dorian is forecast to slow down and turn northward as it reaches the U.S. coast. Get the latest on Dorian from the National Hurricane Center.
