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The article discusses the Werner-Airy Enigma, a lunar region that may contain a forgotten impact basin. The area is characterized by large, flat-floored craters and smooth plains, which have been interpreted as old volcanic materials. While most scientists discount the idea of the Werner-Airy Basin due to the lack of typical basin features, China's recent Geologic Map of the Moon accepts it as a basin. The article explores the unique features of the Werner-Airy area and suggests that it may have formed so early in lunar history that its topographic and gravitational anomalies have been erased. [Extracted from the article]

This article from Sky & Telescope provides a tour of Mare Crisium, a quasi-circular lunar mare on the Moon. The article highlights the various features of Mare Crisium, including the mare ridges known as Dorsa Tetyaev and Dorsa Harker, as well as the craters Picard and Peirce. The article also discusses the age of the lavas in Mare Crisium, with the oldest lavas being 3.5 billion years old. The article concludes by questioning the origin of Mare Crisium and its irregular tail zone. [Extracted from the article]

Syrtis Major is a prominent feature on Mars that has changed significantly over time. It was named by Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli in 1877 and was initially believed to be a body of water. However, it was later discovered to be a dried-up bed of ancient seas surrounded by deserts. The appearance of Syrtis Major has varied over the years, with its shape and size evolving. These changes are attributed to the deposition and removal of dust and sand by winds. The article also mentions another large triangular feature called the "Arrowhead" that disappeared in the 19th century, which remains a mystery. [Extracted from the article]

In the early 20th century, there was a debate about the existence of canals on Mars. Some astronomers argued that the canals were too narrow to be resolved by telescopes, while others believed that the eye's ability to resolve dark linear objects against a bright background was greater than the Dawes limit, which calculates the resolving power of a telescope. Experiments were conducted to determine the minimum aperture required to discern certain features, such as the Cassini Division in Saturn's rings. It was found that linear features, such as divisions in Saturn's rings and lunar rilles, could be seen with smaller apertures than predicted by the Dawes limit. Other dark linear features, such as radial striations in sunspots and festoons in Jupiter's atmosphere, also defied conventional wisdom about resolution limits. [Extracted from the article]

Sinuous rilles on the lunar surface are meandering lava channels that have a complex origin. While some scientists initially suggested that these channels were evidence of past flowing water on the Moon, there is no significant evidence to support this theory. It is now understood that sinuous rilles are formed through thermal erosion, where the hot lava melts the underlying material and carries it away, deepening the channel. Factors such as temperature, composition of the lava, erodibility of the substrate material, and the duration of contact between the lava and substrate contribute to the effectiveness of thermal erosion. The article discusses specific examples of sinuous rilles on the Moon, such as Vallis Schröteri and Rima Hadley, and provides information on their dimensions and formation. Observing sinuous rilles can be challenging, as they are often narrow and require specific lighting conditions to be visible. [Extracted from the article]

In December 2024, there are several celestial events to observe. On December 4th, the waxing crescent Moon and Venus will be in close proximity, providing a good opportunity to view earthshine on the Moon. On December 7th, the Moon and Saturn will meet, and Mars will be near the Beehive Cluster in Cancer. On December 14th, there will be an alignment of Aldebaran, Jupiter, and the full Moon. Finally, on December 18th, the waning gibbous Moon will pass close to Mars. Additionally, on December 28th, the waning crescent Moon will be near Antares, and Mercury will be visible in the southeast before sunrise. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the colors that can be observed on the Moon, contrary to the common perception that it is uniformly gray. The dominant mineral on the lunar surface is gray, but traces of other materials create a subtle palette of hues. The article highlights specific areas on the Moon where color variations can be seen, such as the Aristarchus Plateau, which has a ruddy hue due to iron-rich volcanic glass. The article also mentions other colors that transiently appear under certain lighting conditions, such as olive-green and bottle-green. Overall, observing the colors on the Moon can be a challenging but rewarding activity. [Extracted from the article]

Sky & Telescope has reached its 1,000th issue, marking over 80 years of publication since its first issue in November 1941. The journal has covered significant developments in astronomy, from the discovery of black holes and pulsars to the exploration of planets and moons. With a rich history of milestones in astronomy, Sky & Telescope continues to bring together skygazers and professionals to explore the wonders of the universe. [Extracted from the article]

The article titled "Planetary Almanac" provides information on the visibility and positions of various planets in the month of November 2024. It includes details such as right ascension, declination, elongation, magnitude, diameter, illumination, and distance from Earth for each planet. The article also mentions the website skyandtelescope.org for additional information on the planets. The article features a table with the mentioned details and includes diagrams of planet disks and orbits. [Extracted from the article]

The "Planetary Almanac" from the February 2025 issue of Sky & Telescope provides information on the visibility and positions of various planets throughout the month. It includes details such as right ascension, declination, elongation, magnitude, diameter, illumination, and distance from Earth for Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The document also offers a visual representation of planet disks and orbits for the month of February. [Extracted from the article]

This article from Sky & Telescope provides information on the best time to observe Mars. Unlike other outer planets, Mars reaches opposition every two years, making it a unique planet to view directly in a telescope. The apparent size of Mars varies, with the best views typically occurring when its apparent diameter reaches 10" and greater. The upcoming closest approach to Mars is on January 12, 2025, four days before its opposition on January 16th. The article also includes a graph showing the angular size and magnitude of Mars throughout its upcoming apparition, which is expected to yield satisfying telescopic views between November 12, 2024, and March 10, 2025. [Extracted from the article]

The article titled "Planetary Almanac" provides a concise summary of the visibility and positions of various planets in the month of September 2024. It includes information on the visibility of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, as well as their right ascension, declination, elongation, magnitude, diameter, illumination, and distance from Earth. The article also provides additional information on the Earth's equinoxes and solstices. [Extracted from the article]

The article titled "Planetary Almanac" provides information on the visibility and positions of various planets in the month of August 2024. It includes details such as right ascension, declination, elongation, magnitude, diameter, illumination, and distance from Earth for each planet. The article also mentions that the table provides information on the equinox, solstice, and orbits of the planets. The article is a useful resource for individuals interested in observing and studying the planets during the specified time period. [Extracted from the article]

If Mars were going half the speed of Earth, the synodic cycle would be exactly two Earth years. Babylonian astronomers consistently tracked and recorded the positions of Mars and the other naked-eye planets from about the mid-7th century BC and kept it up for another half millennium. Some of the centuries-long synodic recurrences found in the ACT turned out to be even more accurate than the shorter Goal-Year periods - Babylonian astronomers, for example, discovered that Mars completes 133 synodic cycles in 284 years. Mars takes about 1.88 Earth years for one orbit, so one Earth year later - when our planet has returned to the location of the most recent opposition - the Mars hand on our clock has advanced about halfway around the clock face from that position. [Extracted from the article]

The article titled "Planetary Almanac" provides information on the visibility and positions of various planets in the month of May 2024. It states that Mercury and Venus will be lost in the Sun's glare throughout the month, while Mars will be visible at dawn. Jupiter will be visible low in the west until the 6th, and Saturn will be visible at dawn and climb to an altitude of 28° by mid-month. The article also includes a table with the right ascension, declination, elongation, magnitude, diameter, illumination, and distance from Earth for each planet on selected dates. [Extracted from the article]

Last are the percentage of a planet's disk illuminated by the Sun and the distance from Earth in astronomical units. Exact for latitude 40°N. WHEN TO USE THE MAP Late April 2 a.m.* Early May 1 a.m.* Late May Midnight* Early June 11 p.m.* Late June Nightfall 'Daylight-saving time JUNE 2022 OBSERVING Planetary Almanac Mercury June 1 11 21 30 Venus 1 16 30 Mars 1 16 30 Jupiter 16 Saturn 16 Uranus Neptune 10" PLANET DISKS are presented north up and with celestial west to the right. ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during June. [Extracted from the article]

The article titled "Planetary Almanac" provides information on the visibility and positions of various planets in the month of February 2024. According to the almanac, Mercury will be out of view for the entire month, while Venus will be visible at dawn throughout February. Mars will be lost in the Sun's glare, and Jupiter will be high in the southwest at dusk and sets at midnight. Saturn will be visible at dusk until the 13th. The article also includes data on the right ascension, declination, elongation, magnitude, diameter, illumination, and distance of the Sun and planets on selected dates. [Extracted from the article]

For other timely information about the planets, visit skyandtelescope.org. ht DIAGRAM: PLANET DISKS are presented north up and with celestial west to the right. Instead, the thrill of hunting galaxies with handheld optics is not the visual splendor of the views, but the pleasurable tingle of reaching far beyond our own Milky Way - 30 million light-years beyond, in the case of NGC 2903. DIAGRAM: ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during April. [Extracted from the article]

Blue ticks indicate the pole currently tilted toward Earth. u ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during October. PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury visible at dawn to the 8th • Venus visible at dawn all month • Mars is lost in the Sun's glare this month • Jupiter rises around sunset and is visible all night • Saturn transits in the evening and sets before dawn. Last are the percentage of a planet's disk illuminated by the Sun and the distance from Earth in astronomical units. [Extracted from the article]

Of course, we now understand that the two planets simply orbit closer to the Sun than Earth does and instead are today referred to as the interior planets - there's nothing inferior about either world! Since Mercury and Venus orbit closer to the Sun than Earth does, they can't reach opposition. These are called the superior planets, a term that originated long ago, before astronomers understood that the planets orbit the Sun rather than Earth. [Extracted from the article]

Last are the percentage of a planet's disk illuminated by the Sun and the distance from Earth in astronomical units. PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury visible at dusk starting on the 14th • Venus visible at dusk to the 30th • Mars visible at dusk and sets In the late evening • Jupiter visible at dawn all month • Saturn rises in the late evening and visible to sunrise. ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during July. [Extracted from the article]

OBSERVING WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3 As the Moon makes its monthly journey eastward along the ecliptic, it passes by a handful of bright stars, and one of the brightest is 1st-magnitude Spica, in Virgo. However, Spica is offset just 2° below that solar system superhighway known as the ecliptic, compared with 5½° for the Taurus luminary. By the time the Moon revisits Spica in late September, the star will be just 20° from the Sun and lost in twilight's glare. [Extracted from the article]

ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during June. Planetary Almanac PLANET DISKS are presented north up and with celestial west to the right. Last are the percentage of a planet's disk illuminated by the Sun and the distance from Earth in astronomical units. [Extracted from the article]

ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during May. PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury invisible all month «Venus visible at dusk all month • Mars high In the west at dusk and sets in the predawn «Jupiter emerges at dawn starting on the 6th «Saturn visible at dawn all month. PLANET DISKS are presented north up and with celestial west to the right. [Extracted from the article]

PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury visible at dusk starting on the 26th • Venus visible at dusk all month • Mars transits the meridian at sunset and sets in the predawn • Jupiter visible low in the west at dusk until the 30th • Saturn visible at dawn starting on the 23rd. p PLANET DISKS are presented north up and with celestial west to the right. Last are the percentage of a planet's disk illuminated by the Sun and the distance from Earth in astronomical units. Blue ticks indicate the pole currently tilted toward Earth. u ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during March. [Extracted from the article]

PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury visible at dawn to the 13th • Venus visible at dusk all month • Mars transits the meridian in the evening and sets before dawn • Jupiter visible at dusk and sets in the early evening • Saturn lost in the Sun's glare all month. ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during February. PLANET DISKS are presented north up and with celestial west to the right. [Extracted from the article]

PLANET DISKS are presented north up and with celestial west to the right. Last are the percentage of a planet's disk illuminated by the Sun and the distance from Earth in astronomical units. PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury visible at dawn starting on the 15th • Venus visible at dusk all month • Mars transits the meridian in the evening and sets before dawn • Jupiter culminates around sunset • Saturn visible at dusk and sets in the early evening. [Extracted from the article]

ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during December. DECEMBER 2022 OBSERVING PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury visible at dusk from the 10th to the 31 st «Venus visible at dusk all month • Mars rises before sunset and is visible to dawn • Jupiter transits in the early evening and sets after midnight • Saturn visible at dusk and sets in the evening. [Extracted from the article]

NOVEMBER 2022 OBSERVING PLANET DISKS are presented north up and with celestial west to the right. ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during November. PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury is lost in the Sun's glare all month • Venus visible at dusk starting on the 27th • Mars rises in the evening and is visible to dawn • Jupiter visible at dusk and sets before dawn • Saturn transits in the evening and sets before midnight. [Extracted from the article]

ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during October. Last are the percentage of a planet's disk illuminated by the Sun and the distance from Earth in astronomical units. PLANET DISKS are presented north up and with celestial west to the right. [Extracted from the article]

BOTH URANUS AND CERES reach opposition this month. At maximum northern and southern elongations, Titania is a faint speck about 30" from Uranus's limb compared to Oberon's 40". Compared to Uranus, finding the dwarf planet Ceres will prove relatively easy. [Extracted from the article]

For other timely information about the planets, visit skyandtelescope.org. p PLANET DISKS are presented north up and with celestial west to the right. PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury is lost in the Sun's glare all month • Venus visible low at dawn all month • Mars rises in the evening and is visible until dawn • Jupiter is visible all night • Saturn is visible at dusk and sets before dawn. Blue ticks indicate the pole currently tilted toward Earth. u ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during September. [Extracted from the article]

Mercury Aug 1 11 21 31 Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune PLANET DISKS are presented north up and with celestial west to the right. Last are the percentage of a planet's disk illuminated by the Sun and the distance from Earth in astronomical units. ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during August. [Extracted from the article]

JULY 2022 OBSERVING PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury visible at dawn until the 7th Venus visible In the east-northeast at dawn all month Mars and Jupiter visible at dawn all month Saturn rises In the evening and Is visible until dawn. ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during July. [Extracted from the article]

Of course, Pluto lost its planet status in 2006, so officially the last time someone sighted a new planet was in 1846, when the French astronomer Urbain Le Verrier mathematically predicted the location of Neptune and, soon after, his German counterpart Johann Galle became the first person to knowingly lay eyes on it. IMAGINE DISCOVERING a new planet. If it does, imagine the impact its confirmation would have: All those illustrations depicting the eight official planets would need revising again - except this time, the ninth planet would lie roughly 10 times farther out than Pluto. [Extracted from the article]

ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during May. Last are the percentage of a planet's disk illuminated by the Sun and the distance from Earth in astronomical units. PLANET DISKS are presented north up and with celestial west to the right. [Extracted from the article]

ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during April. PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury emerges from the Sun's glare on the 11th and Is visible at dusk «Venus and Mars visible at dawn all month - Jupiter visible at dawn low In the east-southeast all month - Saturn visible at dawn all month. APRIL 2022 OBSERVING PLANET DISKS are presented north up and with celestial west to the right. [Extracted from the article]

The article profiles Australian astrophotographer Anthony Wesley who was able to get an image of a Jupiter impact spot on July 19, 2009. According to the author, interest in Wesley's image of the impact spread and his website crashed due to numerous visitors. His image was later covered by the mainstream media and Wesley was interviewed several times. Wesley won the Solar System Hires photography category at the 2010 David Malin Awards astrophotography competition.

The article reports on the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Juno project which will take a look at Jupiter's interior beginning 2016. According to the author, the Juno spacecraft will skim 5,000 kilometers above the planet's atmosphere and will conduct an 11-day polar orbit. He reports that one of the primary tasks of Juno is to assist scientists in understanding the origin of Jupiter and thereby explain how gas giants influence the evolution of planetary systems and why there are no planets in the asteroid belt.

PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury is lost in the Sun's glare all month • Venus and Mars visible at dawn all month • Jupiter visible at dawn low in the east-southeast starting on the 31st • Saturn emerges at dawn starting on the 8th. ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during March. Last are the percentage of a planet's disk illuminated by the Sun and the distance from Earth in astronomical units. [Extracted from the article]

Last are the percentage of a planet's disk illuminated by the Sun and the distance from Earth in astronomical units. PHOTO (COLOR): ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during February. PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury visible at dawn until the 26th • Venus and Mars visible at dawn all month • Jupiter visible low in the west-southwest at dusk until the 21st • Saturn lost in the Sun's glare all month. [Extracted from the article]

ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during January. PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury visible at dusk until the 15th • Venus visible at dusk until the 5th and then at dawn starting on the 10th • Mars visible at dawn all month • Jupiter visible at dusk all month • Saturn visible at dusk until the 19th. PLANET DISKS are presented north up and with celestial west to the right. [Extracted from the article]

The article looks at the planetary grouping that will happen in December 2006. Venus brightness will have a -3.8 magnitude and can be detected above the west-southwest horizon before any stars come out. Saturn will be visible to the naked eye at around 10 o'clock in the evening with a magnitude of +0.4. The longest night of the year in mid-northern latitudes is on December 21.

The article presents information on astronomical events that will occur in September 2006. A pair of eclipses will occur during the month: a slight partial eclipse of the Moon on the 7th and an annular eclipse of the Sun on the 22nd. Jupiter will be the only bright planet that is easily visible at nightfall, while Saturn will rise a few hours before the Sun and will get fairly high in the east during morning twilight.

DECEMBER 2021 OBSERVING PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury visible at dusk starting on the 25th • Venus shines brightly at dusk all month • Mars visible at dawn on all month • Jupiter culminates around sunset • Saturn visible at dusk and sets in the early evening. ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during December. [Extracted from the article]

PLANET VISIBILITY (40°N, naked-eye, approximate) Mercury visible at dawn to the 11th • Venus shines brightly at dusk all month • Mars emerges at dawn on the 23rd • Jupiter and Saturn transit at dusk and set late at night. Last are the percentage of a planet's disk illuminated by the Sun and the distance from Earth in astronomical units. ORBITS OF THE PLANETS The curved arrows show each planet's movement during November. [Extracted from the article]