moon – Page 22 – Astronomy Now

Ten years ago Cassini imaged Saturn’s moon Iapetus

31 December 2014 Astronomy Now

A decade ago, the Cassini probe made a New Year’s Eve close approach to Saturn’s moon Iapetus and captured astonishing views of its remarkable surface.

Polar scars on Saturn’s moon Mimas

29 December 2014 Astronomy Now

This image from the Cassini probe of Saturn’s moon Mimas shows the scars of numerous impacts near the north pole.

Is that a moon behind you?

21 December 2014 Astronomy Now

Tethys appears to be peeking out from behind Rhea in this image from the Cassini probe. Scientists believe that Tethys’ surprisingly high albedo is due to the water ice jets emerging from its neighbour, Enceladus.

Double the fun as magnitude-3.6 star λ Geminorum is hidden by the Moon

8 December 2014 Ade Ashford

The last lunar occultation of a conspicuous naked-eye star for UK observers in 2014 occurs around 6 am on Tuesday, 9th December. Set your alarm and prepare your telescope for the disappearance and reapparance of λ Geminorum.

New interactive website tools for observers

8 December 2014 Ade Ashford

Astronomy Now Online brings you a powerful interactive global Almanac and UK-based all-sky star maps — the first of a new suite of tools to help plan your observing sessions and travel.

Craters Hipparchus and Albategnius

4 December 2014 Mark Armstrong

First or last Quarter Moon is the best time to see some of the magnificent crater chains near the centre of the Earth-turned lunar hemisphere. Marnix Praet from Belgium provides this high-resolution view of the Hipparchus and Albategnius region.

See the year’s largest First Quarter Moon on 29th November

28 November 2014 Ade Ashford

The Moon’s distance from the Earth, and hence its apparent size, waxes and wanes just like its phases. It so happens that Saturday’s First Quarter Moon is closer than normal…

Cassini sees sunny seas on Titan

31 October 2014 Astronomy Now

This near-infrared, colour mosaic from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft shows the sun glinting off of Titan’s north polar seas.

Saturn’s mini moons Pandora and Atlas dwarfed by rings

25 October 2014 Astronomy Now

The moons visible in this Cassini probe image, Pandora and Atlas, are quite small by astronomical standards, but the rings are also enormous!

Chinese probe launched on round-trip flight to the Moon

24 October 2014 Stephen Clark

China launched a demonstrator probe Thursday on a round-trip flight around the Moon to test out a heat shield and landing capsule planned for use on a lunar sample return mission in 2017.