Tag: Stargazing

What a difference a year makes! Just a year ago, countless millions across North America were anxiously awaiting the “great North American total eclipse of the sun” on April 8. Now, less than a year later, on Saturday, March 29, another eclipse of the sun will take place, but it’s quite likely that the prospective viewing audience will be considerably smaller. To produce this eclipse, the moon’s shadow falls chiefly on the north polar regions of Earth. Keep up to date with the latest solar eclipse news and events with…

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There’s something special about the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025. For North Americans in the right place at the right time — and who get clear skies — there’s a chance to see the unique spectacle of “solar horns,” a phenomenon where the cusps of an eclipsed crescent sun appear as two distinct points above the horizon during sunrise. For observers in the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada aiming to witness this rare event, selecting the optimal location is crucial. Selecting a location for ‘solar horns’ “Solar horns”…

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A partial solar eclipse will come to Earth on Saturday, March 29, 2025, as the moon passes in front of the sun. From Earth, photographers will capture images of a bite being taken out of the sun. From space, a fleet of satellites will image a shadow being cast across Earth. The moon projects two kinds of shadows at all times. There’s a large fuzzy outer shadow, called the penumbra, and a much smaller, darker central shadow, the umbra. The latter causes a total solar eclipse, which is seen across…

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Although it won’t be as spectacular as North America’s April 2024 total solar eclipse, the first solar eclipse since the “ring of fire” eclipse in October 2024 is set to bring stunning views to some lucky eclipse chasers. Just two weeks after a stunning total lunar eclipse on March 13-14, 2025, skywatchers across the western Northern Hemisphere will see at least a partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025. For some observers, an eclipsed sun will appear on the eastern horizon at sunrise — if skies are clear — as…

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When the moon falls into Earth’s shadow Thursday night into Friday (March 13-14), observers will be treated to views of a “blood moon” total lunar eclipse. But given that lunar spacecraft are solar-powered, how do they survive when they’re cut off from the sun? For NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), which has been orbiting the moon since 2009, it will be time to batten down the hatches. “LRO’s science instruments and some components not needed by the spacecraft will be powered off during the total lunar eclipse,” Noah Petro, project…

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