STARGAZERS can enjoy the first full moon this spring this weekend before the Lyri meteor shower reaches its peak
The pink moon has been illuminating the sky since early Friday and will continue to do so until Monday morning, according to NASA.
The moon reached its full peak on Saturday afternoon, but is expected to remain highly visible for the rest of the weekend.
Those who want to see the display should “find an open space and watch the moon rise just above the horizon, at which point it will appear the largest and acquire a golden hue,” according to Old Farmers’ Almanac.
According to a spiritual advisor, the full moon in April could have a profound effect on star watchers this weekend.
The celestial event will cause a powerful change in the lives of all 12 star signs, said expert Megan Rose.
Rose noted that the moon “actually marks the beginning of the Taurus-Scorpio eclipse, which occurs in the next year and a half, so it will actually be really powerful.”
The Pink Moon is just one of two celestial displays to look forward to in the coming days.
The Lyridi meteor shower and full pink moon will decorate the night sky over the United States this week.
The peak of the Lyridi meteor shower is scheduled for April 22, when about 18 “shooting stars” will appear per hour.
Read our live blog with Pink Moon and Meteor Rain Lyridi for the latest news and updates …
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NASA returns to the moon
Artemis I will be the first integrated test of NASA’s deep space exploration systems, the Orion spacecraft, the Space Launch System rocket.
Orion will orbit the moon, staying in space for about six days to collect data, according to NASA.
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Upcoming events in astronomy: December, continued
When the Geminid meteor shower peaks in the second full week of December, it will be one of the most anticipated annual meteor showers, as well as one of the final astronomical events of the year.
Geminids can produce over 100 meteors per hour under perfect conditions, but an almost full moon will again interfere with the shower.
Before the moon rises between 22:00 and 23:00 local time, the evening may be the optimal time to watch this year’s event.
The meteor shower, on the other hand, will last all night, with shooting stars visible mostly in the darker parts of the sky where the moon is not visible.
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Upcoming events in astronomy: December
In the second half of 2022, one of the Earth’s closest neighbors will become a notable presence in the night sky, reaching peak brightness in early December as it approaches opposition, according to Accuweather.
When the Red Planet is in opposition to the sun from the Earth’s point of view, it is known to be in opposition to Mars.
As a result, it can be seen all night and shines brighter than most stars in the sky.
Mars is aligned with the Sun only once every 26 months; after 2022 it will not do so again until January 15, 2025.
These close meetings also provide the best opportunity for space agencies such as NASA to undertake missions to Mars.
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Upcoming events in astronomy: November, continued
The meteor shower in North Tavrida, which occurs in mid-November, is usually a small event that goes undetected, but this year may be an exception.
In most years, the Northern Taurids generate only about five meteors per hour, far from the hourly rates of the popular Perseids or December Geminids.
The meteor shower is characterized by the production of extremely brilliant fireballs that illuminate the entire sky for a few seconds and reach their peak on the night of November 11 until the early hours of November 12.
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Upcoming events in astronomy: November
On November 8, the second and final total lunar eclipse for 2022 will occur before dawn, but not everyone in North America will be able to see the moon turn red, Accuweather reported.
The entire phase of the eclipse will be missed from the east coast, as the moon will set shortly before the eclipse reaches its peak.
Weather permitting, the rest of Canada and the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, will be able to see the display.
People in North America will not be able to see a total lunar eclipse from their homes again until March 14, 2025, after the November eclipse.
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Upcoming events in astronomy: September, continued
This is the best time to see Jupiter in 2022, because it is close to the point in its orbit where it is closest to Earth, which makes it look brighter than at any other time of the year.
The planet can be seen without a telescope, but it is a simple and attractive target for anyone learning to use a new telescope.
With a telescope you can see the four largest moons of Jupiter: Europe, IO, Callisto and Ganymede, and the magnification provided by even the smallest telescopes is enough to see them.
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Upcoming events in astronomy: September
As the largest planet in the solar system approaches opposition, the first evenings of astronomical autumn will provide ideal conditions for seeing Jupiter in the night sky, Accuweather noted.
Opposition is an astronomical phrase that describes what a planet looks like on Earth in terms of the sun.
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Upcoming events in astronomy: August
One summer night, one of the most popular annual meteor showers peaks, but this year there will be some competition.
Perseids can make a spectacular show with 50 to 100 shooting stars per hour in perfect conditions, but hourly rates can be halved this year when the phenomenon reaches its peak on the night after a brilliant supermoon.
Despite the moonlight, some meteors need to be seen, but the moonlight will erase many of the weaker meteors.
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Upcoming events in astronomy: June, continued
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are visible to the naked eye and will line up successively before sunrise around the end of June, Accuweather reported.
On June 24, just before sunrise, the unusual alignment will appear over the eastern sky. The crescent moon will shine between Venus and Mars, aligning with the planets.
The planets will appear in a straight line in the sky, but will not be exactly aligned in the solar system. This is what they will look like from the Earth’s point of view.
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Upcoming events in astronomy: June
In 2022, there will be three supermoons, the first of which will appear in mid-June.
When there is a full moon around the perigee, the point in the Moon’s orbit, when it is closest to the Earth, supermoons appear.
The result is a full moon, which is slightly larger and brighter than other full moons throughout the year, although the difference is insignificant.
The supermoon in June will be followed by a second on July 13 and a third on August 12.
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Upcoming events in astronomy: May
As the weather progresses, the moon will turn red on the night of May 15 to May 16, allowing the entire continental United States to watch the moon pass into the Earth’s shadow, according to Accuweather.
There was a spectacular partial lunar eclipse last November, in which 97 percent of the moon had darkened, but that was only a small part of what could be called a total eclipse.
There was also a total lunar eclipse in May 2021, but it was only visible for a few minutes in areas of the West Coast.
The eclipse in May will be the first of two to be observed over the United States this year, while the second will not be visible across North America and could occur on a cold night.
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Upcoming events in astronomy: April, continued
Even with the use of a telescope, the third major astronomical event of the year is the only one that cannot be seen, Accuweather reported.
Although the moon does not turn blue in color, the phrase “blue moon” has gained popularity in recent years to denote the second full moon in the calendar month.
The black moon in April is the polar opposite of the blue moon, which is the second new moon of the month.
The new moon is impossible to see, as the illuminated side of the moon is currently pointing away from the Earth.
Despite the fact that the black moon cannot be seen in the sky, this is a great time of month to observe stars, as there is no natural light pollution from the moon, which offers sky watchers darker views of the universe.
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Upcoming events in astronomy: April
April is the International Month of Astronomy and those who want to enjoy the night sky can do so on April 21 and 22, when the Lyridi meteor shower reaches its peak.
According to Accuweather, this will be the first meteor shower in more than three months to reach its peak, ending a long period without meteor showers and generating approximately 15 shooting stars every hour.
Less than two weeks after the Lyrids, eta Aquarids will occur, a meteor shower that can produce between 20 and 40 meteors per hour on the night of May 4-5.
For the Southern Hemisphere, this is also the best meteor shower of the year.
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New moon against full moon
When the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, its back is illuminated – leaving it in darkness for humanity.
This is called the New Moon.
And when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun, it is fully illuminated – it gives us a full moon.
Between these two there are different phases with a total cycle of about 29.5 days.
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Does the moon produce its own light?
The moon is little more than a rock orbiting the earth.
The important thing is that it does not produce any visible light of its own.
So when we see the moon, it’s only thanks to light from other objects (like the earth or the sun) that hits it and then bounces down to our eyes.
The Moon, Earth and Sun are constantly changing positions, which means that we see different parts of the Moon at any given time.
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How many phases of the moon are there?
There are four lunar phases – new moon, first quarter, full moon and last quarter.
A full moon means that the Earth is between the Moon and the Sun and the near side of the Moon is fully illuminated.
The moon does not change its shape and does not produce any light – what we see is due to the brightness of the sun reflecting on it.
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What is a meteor …
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