Skylights

Science Outreach Specialists

Greater Toronto Area Space Station Flyovers for the week of November 26th, 2023

As shown above, on Saturday, December 2, 2023 from 5:41 to 5:47 pm EST, the International Space Station will be visible flying over the GTA in an extremely bright pass, rising from the northwestern horizon and then flying closely past Polaris before entering Earth’s shadow low in the eastern sky near Jupiter. (courtesy: Heavens-above.com) Artificial…
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The Waxing Moon Passes Planets, Comets Continue, Gas Giants Glow, and Algol Grows Dim

This image taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter shows the fascinating Aristarchus Plateau. The crater Aristarchus at lower right is very prominent, and can be seen even with unaided eyes as a very bright patch. To its left is the similar-sized, but darker crater Herodotus. Vallis Schröteri, the largest sinuous rille on the moon, starts…
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Greater Toronto Area Space Station Flyovers for the week of November 19th, 2023

As shown above, on Monday, November 20, 2023 from 5:38 to 5:44 pm EST, the International Space Station will be visible flying high overhead of the GTA in an extremely bright pass, rising from the southwestern horizon and then flying through the summer triangle before entering Earth’s shadow low in the east-northeastern sky. (courtesy: Heavens-above.com)…
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The New Moon Drives Diwali, Lots of Leonids Meteors, Plentiful Planets, and Copious Comets!

My friend Lisa Ann Fanning of New Jersey captured the spectacular morning conjunction of the crescent moon and Venus from the Cape May Lighthouse on November 10, 2023. Hello, November Stargazers! Here are your Astronomy Skylights for the week of November 12th, 2023 by Chris Vaughan. Feel free to pass this along to your friends…
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Greater Toronto Area Space Station Flyovers for the week of November 12th, 2023

As shown above, on Saturday, November 18, 2023 from 5:36 to 5:42 pm EST, the International Space Station will be visible flying over the GTA in an interesting bright pass, rising over the south-southwestern horizon and then flying closely past the crescent moon, passing Saturn, and then closely above Jupiter before entering Earth’s shadow low…
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Night Falls Earlier, the Crescent Moon in Morning Kisses Venus, Taurus Spits Stars, a Comet, and Andromeda Reclines on High!

Mirach’s Ghost aka NGC404 is the elliptical / lenticular galaxy sitting to the upper left of the bright star Mirach in Andromeda. Other smaller galaxies are scattered around the region. This terrific image by Kent Wood of Utah was the NASA APOD for Oct 27, 2017. Kent’s original image with details of his equipment is…
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Greater Toronto Area Space Station Flyovers for the week of November 5th, 2023

As shown above, on Monday, November 6, 2023 from 5:41 to 5:45 am EST, the International Space Station will be visible flying over the GTA in a bright pass, exiting Earth’s shadow in the west-southwestern sky near Aldebaran, and then flying past Sirius before setting in the south-southeast. (courtesy: Heavens-above.com) Artificial satellites are visible because…
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A Mid-Autumn Moon Leaves Evening, Planets Dance, Jupiter Peaks and the Demon Fades While the Bull Shoots Stars, and the Owl Hoots!

NGC 457, better known as the Owl Cluster, ET Cluster, and Dragonfly Cluster, was imaged by “Astrodoc” Ron Brecher of Guelph, Ontario. The bright stars are the eyes. The body and feet extend down to the right. Squint to see the upswept, curving chains of stars for the wings.This image covers a finger’s width of…
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Greater Toronto Area Space Station Flyovers for the week of October 29th, 2023

As shown above, on Saturday, November 4, 2023 from 6:41 to 6:46 am EDT, the International Space Station will be visible flying high overhead of the GTA in an extremely bright pass, exiting Earth’s shadow in the west-northwestern sky, then flying past the moon and Venus before setting in the east-southeast. (courtesy: Heavens-above.com) Artificial satellites…
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Shadows Join Jupiter, Reading the Rings, Diminishing Meteors, a Mounting Moon Sips Earth’s Shadow, and Venus Gleams at Dawn!

This image of the Lunar Straight Wall or Rupes Recta in Mare Nubium was captured by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. While the feature can be seen through binoculars, a backyard telescope will reveal more detail. (Adapted from NASA LRO) Hello, October Stargazers! Here are your Astronomy Skylights for the week of October 22nd, 2023 by…
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