Welcome to StarDate
Home of America’s longest-running national daily astronomy radio feature.
And so much more.
Stardate:
April 18, 2024Radio: Today’s Episode
Galactic ‘Twin?’
Possible galactic “twins”
Premium Same-Day Audio Access lets you stream episodes of StarDate the same day they air.
Log in or subscribe now to listen!
Radio: Yesterday’s Episode
Moon and Leo
The Moon and a “one-percenter”
/RSS Feed
Stargazing
Time Bombs
Several time bombs are in view this evening. The list includes most of the bright stars of Orion, which is low in the west, plus Spica, the brightest star of Virgo, in the southeast. All of these stars are destined to explode as supernovas.
Moon and Leo
The bright star Regulus, the heart of the lion, stays close to the Moon the next couple of nights. It will stand to the lower left of the Moon at nightfall this evening, and to the upper right of the Moon tomorrow evening.
Jupiter and Uranus
Jupiter and Uranus are low in the west as twilight fades. Jupiter looks like a brilliant star. Uranus is above it tonight, by about the width of a finger held at arm’s length, but you need binoculars to see it. The planets will slide past one other on Sunday night.
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).
Today’s Sponsor
Stardate Magazine
Current Issue: March/April 2024
The Great North American Eclipse
by Damond Benningfield
This issue answers all of your questions about the upcoming Great North American Eclipse on April 8th, 2024! This is our guide to one of nature’s most beautiful and astounding events: a total solar eclipse. We’ll also have all the latest astronomy news, a comprehensive two-month stargazing guide for the months of March and April, detailed skycharts, and answers to your astronomy questions from our science guru Merlin.
Shop
Combos – Bundle and Save
Popular
Explore
Featured Images
Fun Factoid
More fun facts in our Astro Field Guide!
Star Teachers
Stars and Galaxies
Galaxies contain billions of stars. Do galaxies collide? Do the stars within them collide?