The Space Place
Blog: Lost in the horror
Obviously, the 43rd anniversary of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landing on the moon was not mentioned Friday. But to me, it became even more important to remember the Apollo 11 lunar landing because it provided needed contrast to what human beings are capable of.
Voyager 1 set to make interstellar history
Voyager - The Interstellar Mission, is designed to find out where the limits of the Sun's influence ends and true interstellar space begins.
Venus crosses the Sun in once-in-a-lifetime event
Venus last transited the Sun in 2004 and will not do so again until 2117, so it is literally a once- in-a-lifetime event.
Where to watch the solar eclipse online
The New Moon and the Sun meet today in the sky to create an annular eclipse for some, a partial eclipse for others, and a day to watch online for me and millions more who are not in the path of the Moon's shadow.
The 'Supermoon' and Venus head toward the Sun
On May 20 there will be an annular eclipse of the Sun that will be visible for much of the globe, but not the easternmost U.S. In an annular eclipse the New Moon cannot cover the Sun completely so a "ring" is seen around the Sun.
Did the Moon sink the Titanic?
There are astronomical aspects to the sinking of Titanic that have come forward on the 100th anniversary and they involve the Moon.
Venus and Jupiter waltz toward one another this week
The wait is over as the two brightest planets in the sky, Venus and Jupiter, will waltz their way toward one another in the western sky this week. For months the two planetary luminaries have been edging closer and closer together with Venus being the lower and brighter of the two.
Jupiter and the Moon meet tonight
Jupiter and the Moon dance tonight after sunset high in the west with Venus and Mercury looking on. This will be a pretty sight to see and enjoy.
See Venus in broad daylight
The key is to have Venus as far from the Sun and its glare as possible and have a bright blue sky. It also is a big help when you have a celestial beacon nearby such as the Moon to help you spot the second planet from the Sun.
Beautiful sky show underway
The skies are supposed to be clear Monday, so swing by the George Mason University Observatory for Public Night at 6:45 p.m.
A crowded universe
For many years, astronomers thought it to be a good possibility that planets other than those in our own solar system existed around other stars. The problem was that they needed proof to confirm the theory and exoplanet ponderings. It took the decades-long technological evolution of our instruments, telescopes, computers and eventually spacecraft for astronomers to get into the realm of exoplanets.
Twin spacecraft enter lunar orbit over New Year's weekend
NASA was busy over New Year's Eve and New Year's Day as its twin lunar spacecraft, GRAIL-A and -B entered lunar orbit after a 3 month, 2.5 million mile journey.
Moon and Venus to pair up Monday night
Skywatchers will get a treat on Monday, Dec. 26 right after sunset as the thin crescent Moon and Venus pair up in the west.
A What's Up: The Space Place roundup
I have made some changes to What's Up: The Space Place as well that are in keeping with what WTOP is trying to accomplish for its website readers.
Kamikaze Comet's last day?
At approximately 7 p.m. EST Thursday, we will know the fate of Comet Lovejoy, a kamikaze comet diving toward the sun at speeds that will reach 1 million miles per hour when it is closest to the sun.
Autumn brings long nights for skywatching
Autumn begins on Sept. 23 at 5:05 a.m. EDT and brings with it longer nights. As the temperatures begin to cool -- hopefully -- this is a good time of year to get out and enjoy the night sky.
Follow the Moon
This month the Moon will be your guide to finding planets, star clusters and only the brightest Perseid Meteors.
Vesta's Visitor
On Saturday, July 16, at approximately 1 a.m. EDT, a visitor from Earth entered orbit around Vesta, the second largest object in the asteroid belt.
End of Another Era
America is once again out of the intrinsic manned spaceflight business for the foreseeable future.
A.M. and P.M. planets in July skies
Whether you look at the sky in the early morning before dawn or just after sunset, July offers planets to suit you.
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Coming up on WTOP 103.5 FM on Friday at 5:40 am:
WTOP Film Critic Jason Fraley: What's the deal with Star Trek?