This post discusses the use of latitude and longitude for mapping locations on the Moon and other celestial bodies in the Solar System. It explains how these coordinates are defined, the arbitrary selection of prime meridians, and variations across different planets, emphasizing the importance of consistent astronomical conventions for navigation and mapping.
The night of 12/13 August will be the peak of the Perseids, one of the most famous prolific meteor showers. Meteors (also known as shooting stars) are bright streaks of light caused by small lumps of rock or metal called meteoroids hitting the Earth’s atmosphere at very high speed (in the case of the Perseids around 200,000 km/h).… Continue reading The Perseids Meteor Shower 2025
There are extended daylight hours and twilight periods during summer at northern latitudes The article focusses on Manchester and Shetland. It defines twilight and its three stages, highlights the Sun's path at various times of the year, and explains the phenomenon of "Simmer Dim" in Shetland and the celebrations associated with these light nights.
In March 2019 the American Vice President Mike Pence surprised many people when he announced an extremely ambitious plan to put American astronauts on the Moon in 2024. NASA named its new crewed Moon programme Artemis, after Apollo’s sister in Greek mythology. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the dates have slipped since this extremely ambitious announcement. After numerous… Continue reading NASA’s Artemis Moon Missions
I saw this article on the BBC News website. about people watching the Sun rise on the June solstice at Ness Point (lat 52.481 oN, long 1.763 oE), which is the UK’s most easterly location. Source Dozens watch sunrise at UK's most easterly point - BBC News It is impressive that 200 people got up… Continue reading The June Solstice at Ness Point
Explaining Science 