Moon Watching: It's just a Phase

Lunar X and V

The Moon is a wonderful object to behold. It brings us ever-changing patterns as it orbits our home planet every 29 days. Each seven days, we reach a new phase and a new and different way to see the Moon. Just after new Moon, it's a fun challenge to find a young Moon. At the first quarter, there is a special window of time to see the Lunar X and V. At full Moon, libration reveals edges that we don't normally see, and special views on the surface. And at last quarter, we can see the Moon guiding our way around the Sun. 

On the March edition of the Translunar podcast, I talk in depth about these four unique ways to see the Moon. Each of these visual experiences are quite challenging yet bring new perspectives on our good friend, the Moon. Enjoy! 

It's Good to be King: Mighty Jupiter

Track of Jupiter

The planets create lovely patterns across the night sky and this February there is a good alignment of planets in the evening sky. Some are close to the horizon and challenging to find, but one reigns from high above us and outshines everything else in the night sky: the mighty Jupiter. 

The chart on the right shows the track of Jupiter in 2026 as it moves through its retrograde path at present, moving back to prograde motion toward the west later this year. 

In my latest podcast on the Translunar podcast series, I talk about how to find the planets and what to look for now and in the coming months. Enjoy! 

Your New Telescope 101: Peering Deep into the Night Sky

A big telescope reveals the beauty and majesty of the universe. It's truly astonishing what you can see when the conditions are just right and you have a powerful telescope at your fingertips. But which telescope is the best for doing this, or if you live in a city, what's the right choice for a telescope? 

I recorded a podcast for the Translunar series from the Munich Public Observatory to explore this subject in more detail. Most people love seeing the night sky and getting a close-up view of impressive galaxies, nebulae and star clusters. Doing this is a challenge, however, because telescopes are scientific instruments and take time and experience to make them work as you wish. 

Have a listen to the podcast before you buy a telescope for yourself. I am sure you will have a few new ideas to consider when you make your purchase. 

Image courtesy of Unsplash.

A Close-up Look at the Southern Skies

The Southern Sky

For us 'northerners' who live north of the equator, traveling south of the equator means that you see the heavens from a very different point of view. I spent four nights under those skies two months ago and found it very challenging to adapt to the view of the skies. Familiar constellations and celestial dynamics were turned upside-down, and entirely new constellations and celestial objects came into view. 

Navigating this new world was very inspirational and opened my mind to new ways of seeing the sky above me. I created a podcast to share my thoughts and ideas, the latest episode in the Translunar series from the Munich Public Observatory. You can also find the Translunar podcast on any podcast player. 

Image courtesy of SkySafari. 

The Darkest Skies on Earth

Southern Sky & Milky Way

For many years, my astronomy dream has been to spend time in a dark location with excellent viewing and reliable weather, a location close to a comfortable room to sleep in and yet fully dark and respectful of the needs of astronomers. And finally, somewhere with a very wide and expansive viewing with few or no trees to block the view and with a safe spot to spend a night under the stars without risk of wild animals. 

After thinking about this for years and talking with many fellow amateur astronomers, I followed the lead of a fantastic astrophotographer and went to Namibia, and in particular to a lodge in the middle of the desert called Rooisand. It encompasses all of the above-mentioned traits. I only spent part of a week there but it was extraordinary. 

In this episode of the Translunar Podcast I talk at length about my experience there. Give it a listen if you want to get the full picture. 

I am not an astrophotographer but the image is of the southern sky featuring the southern cross (on its side near the bottom of the image) and the Milky Way glowing in the background. I took this with my mobile phone. It just starts to capture the dazzling sky that is there every night. 

Note: I am not affiliated with Rooisand nor receive any compensation for this post. I just love their location and lodge :-) 

Eyes on the Infinite: The Vera C. Rubin Observatory

Earlier this year, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory came online and has been delivering amazing astronomy. The observatory incorporates the largest digital camera ever built, and is conducting the most comprehensive sky survey ever. 

The observatory, in the Atacama desert of Chile, is superlative in every sense. I recorded a podcast about Vera C. Rubin Observatory for the Translunar Podcast series and describe in detail what makes this place so extraordinary. 

You can visit the website here and view the first images from the observatory. The depth and quality are stunning. I recommend you spend some time on the "First Look" images. 

Happy Viewing! 

The Magic of the Milky Way

We live in an SBc galaxy, a Barred Spiral galaxy, according to the Hubble Sequence classification method. What does that mean? Well actually, it means we live in a very nice example of a galaxy in the Local Group of the Virgo Cluster in the Lanaikea Supercluster in the Universe. How's that for a mouthful? 

OK: we can make this simpler. The Milky Way is a lovely band of light that we can see in the night sky. And when we look up in the summertime, it's full of treasures to discover. We can see the spiral arms, the dark dust lanes, and the vast array of star clusters, nebulae, and more. 

In the August 2025 episode of the Translunar Podcast, I provide a tour of our own galaxy and a way to think about the band of light we see in the sky when we view the summer sky from a dark location. And I share some insights into how we categorize and classify galaxies. Savor the moment and happy listening (and viewing). 

Translunar Podcast, courtesy of the Volkssternwarte München, available anywhere you get your podcasts. 

Image courtesy of NASA. 

The Midnight Sun

Above the Arctic Circle, days during the summer are very unusual. At some point in May or early June the sun does not set, but instead stays above the horizon continuously, and remains above the horizon for several weeks. At midnight during this season, you can see the sun shining brightly above the horizon. 

I had the good fortune to experience the Midnight Sun in June of 2025 and found the entire visual to be very special, in particular when I thought about the actual physics and astronomy behind the motion of the sun in summer in these very high latitude locations. 

In the July 2025 episode of the Translunar Podcast, I provide a description of this unique experience and share some insights into the physics and astronomy behind this special phenomenon. 

Translunar Podcast, courtesy of the Volkssternwarte München, available anywhere you get your podcasts. 

Image courtesy of the author.