The moon has been an important subject in English poetry dating back to Chaucer in the 14th century, who was an astronomer as well as a poet. There is a crater on the far side of the moon named for Chaucer.
Outdoors, we experience the majesty of the Sun’s trajectory from sunrise at its extreme northeast reach, climbing to what seems to be the top of the sky at midday and then arcing to set at its extreme northwest position on the horizon.
Even though moonlight this year will overwhelm the light of many Geminid meteors, begin to look skyward every night at about 9 p.m., facing away from the moon.
The haze that more or less obliterates – especially in towns and cities – what would be a clear, awe-inspiring, star-filled sky at night, is slow to be recognized for what it is: a smog of light pollution.
Whereas Altair’s magnitude remains constant going forward, Mercury dims and, of more significance, sets a minute or two earlier every night this week.
Even faint shooting stars may be visible in dark skies in locations away from artificial light. The peak of the Eta Aquariids is predicted to be before dawn Sunday morning, May 5.
While the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of the July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 moon walk – and we are continually awed by the results of space exploration since – it is sobering to learn that in 85 percent of locations on Earth, only a few stars are visible when looking up to the sky at night.
