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Venus phases: Late 2019 and early ’20
This video tracks a telescopic view of Venus from when it came into easy view in our evening sky - around October 2019 - to May 2020. It shows how Venus wanes in phase as the planet's disk size increases, and explains why.
February 29, 2020
Photos: When the moon hid Mars
The moon will cover Mars 5 times in 2020, but the occultation on February 18, 2020, was the only one accessible to viewers in much of North and Central America. Photos from the EarthSky Community here.
February 19, 2020
Watch Mars disappear behind the moon on February 18
Given clear skies, all of the U.S. (except Alaska and Hawaii) can watch the red planet Mars disappear behind the moon - or reappear, or both - on the morning of February 18, 2020.
February 15, 2020
Valentine Venus
Talk about an awesome Valentine's Day activity! Go outside and show your sweetie Venus, the planet of love. Astronomer Guy Ottewell provides a chart and more.
February 13, 2020
Is this weekend’s full moon a supermoon?
The full moon on February 9, 2020, ranks as the 4th-closest (and therefore the 4th-largest) full moon of 2020, but is it a supermoon?
February 6, 2020
This week’s Venus and Neptune conjunction
The Venus-Neptune in conjunction on January 27 was the closest planetary conjunction of 2020. But - because Neptune is so faint - it wasn't easy to capture. Plus a star near Venus confused people!
January 28, 2020
Close and far moons of 2020
In periods of four years, lunar perigees and apogees fall on the same, or nearly the same, calendar dates.
January 27, 2020
Lengths of lunar months 2020
In 2020, the longest lunar month happens between the February 23 and March 24 new moons; and the shortest one between the August 19 to September 17 new moons.
January 26, 2020
Middle of eclipse season December 30
The annular solar eclipse on December 26, 2019, happened some 4 days before the middle of the eclipse season, which came to pass on December 30, 2019.
December 30, 2019
Photos of December 26 ‘ring of fire’ eclipse
The December 26, 2019, annular or 'ring of fire' solar eclipse was viewed across a narrow track that started at sunrise in Saudi Arabia and ended at sunset over the North Pacific Ocean.
December 26, 2019
