SkyCaramba

By SkyCarambaScience Astronomy

SkyCaramba episodes

May 24 Comparing the moon's sides
Two constellations are each accompanied by two planets. The moon passes by the lion and the maiden. Why the far side of the moon looks different.
6 min
May 17 Memories of the moon and something mysterious
Mercury moves to the evening while Uranus leaves. Venus at the feet of the twins. The moon meets M44 and then hides Regulus. Pisces accompanied by planets. And what happened to the moon in 1951?
6 min
May 10 Mission accomplished and hungry for galaxy hunting
The moon passes by the morning planets. Mercury goes behind the sun. Venus goes over Orion's head. Something to see--or not--in the control room. A galaxy named for a popular food.
6 min
May 03 Picking out Pluto--and easier things to see
The moon hides Antares. Pluto goes retrograde. Venus is by the V. What's that?--Wasat by Jupiter. Uranus gets hard to see but Neptune gets easier.
6 min
April 26 Constellations and asterisms
Venus passes by the Pleiades. Three planets remain close in the morning sky. Jupiter passes by Wasat. And learn the difference between a constellation and an asterism.
6 min
April 19 Planetary proximity and plagues
The Lyrid meteor shower peaks this week. The moon occults the Pleiades and Regulus. Southern solstice happens on Mars. Three planets appear very close in the morning. A fourth is nearby for observers with telescopes and binoculars. Nearly seven centuries ago, French physicians thought such planetary close calls might make people sick.
6 min
April 12 International Dark Sky Week
Venus climbs the evening sky. Jupiter approaches Wasat. Mercury follows Mars in the morning. The Lyrid meteors are coming. And learn about International Dark Sky Week. Preserving nighttime darkness isn't just about protecting the night sky.
6 min
April 05 The Beehive and the Air Pump
Jupiter's at quadrature. The moon hides Antares. The moon's at apogee. Saturn pokes into southern hemisphere skies.
A smudge of light that looks like a beehive in a telescope is high in the sky at dusk.
And there's a constellation named for an air pump. Yes, really.
6 min
March 29 A south pole sways toward us
Mars appears to wobble if we watch long enough. Its south pole is tipping toward Earth this week.
Jupiter is almost at quadrature. Maybe you can see it just before the sun goes down.
Mercury reaches greatest elongation.
6 min
March 22 Saturn moves to the morning; Mercury approaches its best
Saturn passes by the sun. Venus goes by the Pisces linkage. Mercury's up in the morning. Mars is at perihelion and also hard to find.
5 min