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April 16, 2024

Radio: Today’s Episode

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Radio: Yesterday’s Episode

Stargazing

  • 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 and Gemini

    The Moon creeps up on the twin stars of Gemini this evening. As night falls, Pollux and Castor are above the Moon. Pollux is on the left, and is a bit brighter than its “twin.”


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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Stardate Magazine

Current Issue: March/April 2024

The Great North American Eclipse

by Damond Benningfield

This issue answers all of your questions about the upcoming Great North American Eclipse on April 8th, 2024! This is our guide to one of nature’s most beautiful and astounding events: a total solar eclipse. We’ll also have all the latest astronomy news, a comprehensive two-month stargazing guide for the months of March and April, detailed skycharts, and answers to your astronomy questions from our science guru Merlin.

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Fun Factoid

Star Teachers

  • Stars and Galaxies

    Galaxies contain billions of stars. Do galaxies collide? Do the stars within them collide?

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