The Night Sky

Observing planetary events in the night sky is a relatively easy, free experience you can share with your children.

Sometimes you’ll need to set an alarm because events happen in the middle of the night or early morning.

Watch the related 3-minute video.

Calendar of 2024 Night Sky Events

Calendar 2024 (Searchable by month.)

What to look for in December 2024

The Old Farmers Almanac – Rotation of the Stars

What to look for in November 2024

Click image for more details.

What to look for in October 2024

What you can see tonight [maps]

What to look for in August 2024

The big event for the month will be the Perseid meteor showers.

What to Look for July 2024

July 2024 will have lots to see. It ends with a triangle formed by a crescent moon, Jupiter, and Mars.

July 4-5 watch.

What to Look for June 2024

Here’s what’s expected (weather permitting).

Use the links at the bottom of the post for additional details and information about other upcoming events.

UPDATE: Watch the night sky in late January, February & March 2024

Planetary Conjunction | Planet Conjunction 2024 | Conjunction of Planets | Venus Mars Conjunction 2024 | Star Walk

The March 24 Venus and Saturn event will probably be the most convenient to view at 6:06 PM EST

Special Event During the Solar Eclipse

If cloud cover stays away, there is a chance to see a horned comet during the total solar eclipse of 2024.

Have you looked at the night sky lately?

Did you notice anything a little different?

Starting this week and continuing into next week, Jupiter and Venus (the two brightest planets) have been moving toward conjunction.

The image to the right was taken with an old camera phone, so it’s not that crisp. Despite the technical limitations and much light pollution, you can see the conjunction in its early phase. The object toward the bottom is the crescent moon. Jupiter is on top, slightly to the left, with Venus closer to the moon. Read More

How much do you know about your neighborhood?

Have you taken note of the flora and fauna around you?

Exploring your surroundings is a great way to spend time with your children, stimulate their curiosity, and instill a passion for learning.

An explosion of wildlife.

During the start of the pandemic, when vehicles were off the roads, wildlife flourished in my (and other) suburban towns. We began to see animals that had been missing for years, as well as some that had never appeared in the area before.

I was fascinated by the abundance of new birds in the area. I started snapping photos of the ones I didn’t know. I’d go online to identify them.

Last week I captured this goshawk hanging out on the roof of a car.

That was a first!

We’ve always had hawks in the area, but never so comfortable in the environment that they’d be stationary with a human this close.

Another first was spotting a hummingbird. Sadly, I didn’t capture a picture or video of that one.

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Toy blocks have existed since the 1820s, but the concept predates their popularity.

You probably grew up with them, as did your parents and their parents before them. Blocks were perhaps one of your child’s early toys.

They’re colorful, easy to hold, and can be used for various activities.

When is a toy block not a toy block?

Whenever you want it to be.

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