Astronomy sights for April
April has a number of astronomy sights that do not require any equipment.
Category: Spacey Stuff
The Role Weather Played In An Apollo 13 Fire At The Launch Pad
Weather directly caused a fire on the pad at Cape Canaveral prior to the launch of the fateful Apollo 13 mission.
Why Night Is Not Equal On The Equinox
A great explanation on the meaning of “equinox” and how it affects the sunlight and the dark hours across Central Alabama.
Venus and Mars, Both Earthlike and Not So Earthlike
Throughout March, you can see Mars and Venus in the evening sky. Each is Earthlike in some respects but not so Earthlike in others, such as the weather.
Moon Performs a Disappearing Act Tonight
The Moon will perform a bit of a disappearing act tonight with Aldebaran, the brightest star in the constellation Taurus the Bull. The moon will pass in front of the star, an event also known as a lunar occultation. This will be visible across the Southland as well the rest of the continental United States south […]
Citizen Science Wants Your Eclipse Images
The August 21 total eclipse spanning the continental United States is just 25 weeks away. A first-of-its-kind citizens science project kicks off this week which will gather valuable scientific data during the eclipse. The Eclipse Megamovie Project will gather images and video from over 1000 volunteer photographers and amateur astronomers. Stitching these together will provide […]
Venus Is Actually Getting Closer To The Earth
A WeatherBrains listener had a great question: “Venus is so bright tonight it looks closer. I know we’re nearing the end of the Venus viewing time in the evening sky, is it getting closer?” Venus is getting closer and will continue to do so until the end of March. Each night this week Venus will […]
2/16/17: Spot the Station Over Central Alabama Tonight!
The International Space Station will be making a pass through the sky over Alabama this evening and it will give you a great chance to see it! It will be visible to the naked eye and will look like a fast moving plane, only hundreds of miles higher and moving thousands of miles an hour […]
Who’s Your Astronomer?
NASA JPL Solar System Ambassador and WeatherBrains Contributor Tony Rice will be sharing his weekly astronomy column with us here on Alabama. It will start regularly appearing next Tuesday, February 21st. Welcome Tony to the team! His Twitter account is @RTPHokie! Don’t get me wrong, I’m of course all for getting people outside and enjoying […]
