Scott's Astronomy Page

Columbus Day
2024-10-14

Full Moon
2024-10-17 06:26, 2024-11-15 15:28, 2024-12-15 03:01 (America/Chicago)
A full moon is opposite the sun in its orbit around Earth. Its sunlit side is entirely visible from Earth. The moon appears full to the eye for two to three nights. However, astronomers regard the moon as full at a precisely defined instant, when the moon is exactly 180 degrees opposite the sun in ecliptic longitude.

Dinosaur Valley State Park Star Party
2024-10-26
Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, TX will have a star party hosted by the Fort Worth Astronomical Society on Saturday evening October 26, 2024, 8 p.m. weather permitting. Please see the link below for more information.
Park Entrance Fees
Adult Day Use: $8 Daily
Child 12 Years and Under: Free

Halloween
2024-10-31

New Moon
2024-11-01 07:47, 2024-12-01 00:21, 2024-12-30 16:26
The new moon happens when the moon is in between the Earth and the Sun on its orbital path. The new moon is described as invisible because the part of the moon that is illuminated by the Sun is not facing the Earth. Only the dark side of the moon is visible.

Daylight Saving Time Ends
2024-11-03 02:00 - 14:00
Daylight Saving Time ends for the DFW area at 2:00 a.m Sunday morning. Fall back. Set your clocks back one hour before bed on Saturday evening.

Veterans Day
2024-11-11

Uranus at Opposition
2024-11-16
The blue-green planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view Uranus.

Dinosaur Valley State Park Star Party
2024-11-23
Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, TX will have a star party hosted by the Fort Worth Astronomical Society on Saturday evening November 23, 2024, 8 p.m. weather permitting. Please see the link below for more information.
Park Entrance Fees
Adult Day Use: $8 Daily
Child 12 Years and Under: Free

Thanksgiving Day
2024-11-28

Jupiter at Opposition
2024-12-07
The giant planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Jupiter and its moons.

December Solstice
2024-12-21
The Winter Solstice happens Sat, Dec 21, 2024, 3:19 AM Central Standard Time when the sun’s zenith is at its furthest point from the equator. On the December solstice, it reaches its southernmost point. When this occurs the sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere.

Dinosaur Valley State Park Star Party
2024-12-21
Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, TX will have a star party hosted by the Fort Worth Astronomical Society on Saturday evening December 21, 2024, 8 p.m. weather permitting. Please see the link below for more information.
Park Entrance Fees
Adult Day Use: $8 Daily
Child 12 Years and Under: Free

Christmas Eve
2024-12-24

Christmas Day
2024-12-25

New Years Eve
2024-12-31

New Years Day
2025-01-01

Quadrantids Meteor Shower
2025-01-03
The Quadrantids is an above average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour at its peak. The shower runs annually from January 1-5. It peaks this year on the night of the 3rd and morning of the 4th. The crescent moon will set early in the evening, leaving dark skies for what should be an excellent show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Bootes, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

Earth at Perihelion
2025-01-04
Earth reaches perihelion (closest point to the Sun) on January 4th at 0.98333 AU in 2025.

Mars at Opposition
2025-01-06
The red planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Mars. A medium-sized telescope will allow you to see some of the dark details on the planet’s orange surface.

Venus & Saturn Conjunction
2025-01-07
Venus and Saturn will be about 2 and a quarter degrees apart high in the southwest sky after sunset making for a great photo op.

Venus at Greatest Elongation East
2025-01-10
Venus has been shining as the evening star since around August last year. On January 10, 2025, it reaches its farthest distance from the Sun in the evening sky.

Full Moon
2025-01-13
The Full Moon occurs at 4:26 p.m. CST on Jan. 13th when the Moon is opposite the sun in its orbit around Earth. Its sunlit side is entirely visible from Earth. The moon appears full to the eye for two to three nights. However, astronomers regard the moon as full at a precisely defined instant, when the moon is exactly 180 degrees opposite the sun in ecliptic longitude.

Occultation of Mars by the Moon
2025-01-13 19:50 - 20:55
If you live in North America, you won’t want to miss this celestial event. An occultation happens when one celestial body passes in front of another, thereby hiding (or occulting) it from view. In this case, on Monday evening the Full (Wolf) Moon is passing in front of Mars. Full Moon actually occurs a few hours earlier at 4:26 p.m. CST but after dark look for the rising Moon in Gemini just below the star Pollux. The occultation begins at about 7:53 p.m. CST with Mars sliding behind the Moon for viewers in the DFW area. Mars will emerge an hour later at 8:55 p.m.

New Moon
2025-01-29
The new moon occurs at 6:35 a.m. CST on Jan 29th when the moon is in between the Earth and the Sun on its orbital path. The new moon is described as invisible because the part of the moon that is illuminated by the Sun is not facing the Earth. Only the dark side of the moon is visible.

Lunar New Year
2025-01-29
Lunar New Year is not a public holiday. Many people in countries such as the United States celebrate Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year. It marks the first day of the New Year on the Chinese calendar. 2025 is the year of the snake.
