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May 5, 2024Radio: Today’s Episode
Leo Triplet
Beautiful “triplets” for the lion
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Radio: Yesterday’s Episode
Moon and Mercury
Timing up a hard-to-see planet
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Stargazing
Leo
Leo, the lion, is high in the south sky at nightfall. It consists of two patterns of stars. A backward question mark represents the lion’s head and mane, while a triangle of stars to the left forms the lion’s hindquarters and tail.
More Moon and Planets
The planet the next few mornings. The planet is passing farthest from the Sun, and it looks like a fairly bright star. Tomorrow, it’s to the lower left of the Moon during twilight, with Mars and Saturn to the upper right of the Moon.
Moon and Planets
Mars stands close to the lower left of the Moon at dawn tomorrow. The planet looks like a fairly bright orange star. The planet Saturn is about the same distance to the upper right of the Moon.
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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