Posts by 

Kelly Kizer Whitt

Dorado and Mensa house the Large Magellanic Cloud

The constellations Dorado and Mensa are deep in southern skies. Between them, stretching across the border, lies the Large Magellanic Cloud.

Heiligenschein is the halo around your head’s shadow

Have you ever looked down at your shadow and noticed it looks like you have a bright halo around your head? That's heiligenschein.

The moon’s terminator line divides night and day

The moon’s terminator line divides day and night on the moon. As we see it from Earth, it marks the line of lunar sunsets or sunrises. Read more.

Here’s what ‘habitable’ means to astronomers

When astronomers say a distant world is 'habitable,' what do they mean? Do they mean humans could live there? Do they mean we've discovered alien life?

Crew-11 astronauts returned to Earth this morning

The 4 Crew-11 astronauts returned to Earth earlier this morning, January 15. The astronaut who needed evacuation, NASA says, is "doing fine".

Meet the Winter Circle, aka the Winter Hexagon

The brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere's winter sky form the shape of the Winter Circle, or Hexagon, that will help you locate 6 constellations.

Earth’s ice ages shaped by tiny tugs from Mars

Computer simulations show the presence of Mars affects the cycles that cause Earth's ice ages. Without Mars, those cycles vanish.

Top 10 brightest objects in our solar system

Ready for some easy astronomy? How about the top 10 brightest objects in our solar system? If you've seen every one of these objects, congrats!

Potentially hazardous asteroid to pass Earth safely Monday

A potentially hazardous asteroid, 2005 UK1, will safely pass Earth on January 12, 2026. At this time it will be more than 32 times the moon's distance away.

Greatest elongation, superior and inferior conjunction

When Mercury and Venus are as far from the sun as they get from our earthly point of view, they are at greatest elongation. It is the best time to observe them.