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April 17, 2024Radio: Today’s Episode
Moon and Leo
The Moon and a “one-percenter”
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Radio: Yesterday’s Episode
Jupiter and Uranus
A giant planet with a “smoggy” sky
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Stargazing
Moon and Leo
The bright star Regulus, the heart of the lion, stays close to the Moon the next couple of nights. It will stand to the lower left of the Moon at nightfall this evening, and to the upper right of the Moon tomorrow evening.
Jupiter and Uranus
Jupiter and Uranus are low in the west as twilight fades. Jupiter looks like a brilliant star. Uranus is above it tonight, by about the width of a finger held at arm’s length, but you need binoculars to see it. The planets will slide past one other on Sunday night.
Arcturus
The bright yellow-orange star Arcturus is in the east at nightfall. Arcturus is a little bit heavier than the Sun. Yet that small difference has a big effect on the star’s evolution: Arcturus entered a late stage billions of years earlier than the Sun will.
Moon Phases
At the new Moon phase, the Moon is so close to the Sun in the sky that none of the side facing Earth is illuminated (position 1 in illustration). In other words, the Moon is between Earth and Sun. At first quarter, the half-lit Moon is highest in the sky at sunset, then sets about six hours later (3). At full Moon, the Moon is behind Earth in space with respect to the Sun. As the Sun sets, the Moon rises with the side that faces Earth fully exposed to sunlight (5).
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