Did you know that NASA has a Planetary Defense Coordination Office? Thank goodness they do, along with many other government agencies and scientific institutions that track the sky for potentially hazardous asteroids. As much as we might love meteor showers (from innocent 'stardust' and bits of asteroids), we fear a large impactor that could cause significant damage to our planet. 

In this episode of the Translunar podcast, I talk about this agency and the many others who are on the lookout 24x7 to ensure we can identify, track, assess the risk, and be prepared should we ever find an outer space threat. It's an amazing story of how agencies and scientists work together to keep our planet safe.

This NASA video is an excellent overview of the PDCO. 

Image courtesy of NASA. 

Daytime Astronomy

Can we see the Moon, Planets, even stars during the daytime? The answer is a resounding Yes, but it is more nuanced and subtle thing and it takes some practice to know where to look and what to look for. In my new podcast on the Translunar series, I talk extensively about finding the Moon, Venus, Jupiter and more.

You can listen to all episodes of Translunar from your favorite podcast player (Spotify, Apple, etc.) and you can hear both my episodes in English and astrophysicist Jana Steuer in German. 

Image courtesy of NASA. 

The Late Summer Sky

Summer into Fall Sky

As summer comes to a close and the days begin to shorten, the weather is often quite favorable for good astronomy viewing. Join me on a tour of the night sky in this special time of year, a chance to bid farewell to the Summer Triangle and Milky Way and to welcome new constellations and planets to the scene. My podcast, part of the Translunar podcast series from the Volkssternwarte München (Munich Public Observatory) provides a guided tour of the highlights in the sky.

Image courtesy of SkySafari. 

August 12, 2026 Solar Eclipse

It's Eclipse Season, that magical time when the Sun, Moon and Earth line up to remind us of how special we are here on planet Earth ... because we are the only planet in our Solar System that has a Moon that perfectly covers our Sun. Every six months the two distant bodies align and give us eclipses, sometimes lunar, sometimes solar, sometimes partial, sometimes total. 

On August 12, 2026 we will have a Total Solar Eclipse visible from a narrow band that stretches from the North Pole through Greenland and Iceland, across the North Atlantic Ocean, and then across Portugal, Spain and the Balearic Islands. And for 100s of millions of people across Europe, they will experience a dramatic partial eclipse at sunset. The image (above) shows how it will look for many observers. 

There are many factors to consider when viewing an eclipse, from timing to weather to eye safety. My latest Translunar podcast recording entitled The Sunset Solar Eclipse covers all of this and more. 

This page on Instagram from the creators of the Star Walk App is a very fine summary of what to expect from different locations across Europe. Good luck with this eclipse and I'll send my report from the Balearic Islands (specifically Mallorca). 

Moonbase

NASA's Vision of a Moonbase

We are building a Moonbase. A place on our own Moon where human will be able to live and work. NASA is hard at work creating the infrastructure, logistics and missions to deliver the materials to the Moon and later to have humans land at the same place to build a base. It's our first attempt to live on another planet in our Solar System and I am thrilled to see us do this. It's going to take time, will require phases of development, but in the next decade should be ready to house us and provide a dramatic step in our evolution as a species that can live on more than one planet.  

In my Translunar Podcast entitled "The Moon Base is Coming," I talk about the many facets of this significant project. 

Image courtesy of NASA.  

The June 2026 Conjunction of Jupiter and Venus

We have a wonderful opportunity to watch a grand spectacle of nature, a close encounter of two of the brightest objects in the night sky. A rare conjunction of Jupiter and Venus which will reach its peak on Tuesday June 9th. These two objects are so bright, they will be easy to spot in the western sky after sunset and will put on a show for many days. They will start with a very close encounter on June 9th and continue for the next week with the planet Mercury and additional close encounters with the Moon on June 16th and 17th. 

Conjunction of Jupiter and Venus 

My detailed explanation of this conjunction can be found on my latest Translunar Podcast episode from the Volkssternwarte München, detailing what to look for today and for the next week. 

This article from Sky and Telescope Magazine provides much details where to look and what to expect.

Image courtesy of Sky & Telescope. 

The Big Dipper

Ursa Major and The Big Dipper

We all love the Big Dipper, don't we? It's a constellation that nearly everyone can identify. And it is a helpful aid to find other things in the night sky. 

I recorded a podcast for the Translunar series that covers this topic. You can find it here. Give it a listen and enjoy the lovely Big Dipper, high in the night sky right now. 

This article from the Adler Planetarium is quite helpful as well. 

Image courtesy of the Adler Planetarium. 

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. 

The Most Distant Planetary Probes to leave Earth

Humans have pushed the frontiers of exploration in space by sending probes to the edge of our Solar System and beyond. Just how far have we traveled, and what have we seen along the way? How do we keep in touch with the most distant objects, and what is left to learn from these probes? 

In the June 2025 episode of the Translunar Podcast, I discuss the very old Pioneer and Voyager missions past Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, as well as the New Horizons mission past Pluto and into the Kuiper Belt.

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

Image courtesy of NASA. 

All the Colors of the Stars

Jewel Box Cluster

When you go out at night and look up into the night sky, you might not immediately think to yourself "how colorful the sky is tonight ..." but indeed there are many dazzling colors in the fabric of the night sky, and you sometimes have to work a bit harder to see it. In this podcast for the Translunar Series, I talk about what you can see with the naked eye and through binoculars. And yes, there is much color in the sky if you take the time to look for it. 

The Translunar podcast series can be heard on most podcast players including iPhone and Spotify. If you speak German, Astrophysicist Jana Steuer also contributes riveting episodes on many deep cosmological and astronomical topics. 

Image courtesy ESO. 

Watching Planets Move: focus on Mars and Jupiter

Jupiter, Mars and Moon on 6 March

I love watching planets move. So did the ancient Greeks and they named these wandering objects 'planetes' and to this day, the name stuck. The planets normally move in a graceful arc across our night sky, slipping from one Zodiac constellation to the next, bringing a change in composition to the tapestry of the night sky, modifying the normal patterns of the constellations. And showing us just how extraordinary our Solar System really is, a collection of planets orbiting a star alongside us on Earth, and creating a window into the universe of how systems emerge around our galaxy and the universe. 

Right now, Mars and Jupiter are extremely well placed in the night sky. They both are occupying the 'Winter Hexagon' which is a rich span of winter sky that includes many of the brightest stars in the night sky. At the moment, Mars and Jupiter are nicely bookending the circle of stars in the hexagon, Mars on the east side of the circle and Jupiter on the west side. Both planets are moving gradually eastward and the pattern we see now will change over the coming weeks. In particular, Mars will form very interesting patterns with the twin starts of Gemini, something you can watch and enjoy from night to night. 

My latest podcast for the Volkssternwarte München in the Translunar series features this alignment and part of the night sky. Give it a listen on a night when you have clear skies and you will make discoveries on your own. 

Image courtesy of SkySafari. 

The Real Planetary Parade

I love to see planets in our night sky. They are wonderful. They are wanderers. In motion, always gently sweeping across the sky, often the brightest objects in the sky and certainly some of the most colorful and interesting, both to the naked eye and in a telescope. I've recorded a podcast for the Translunar series to share some ideas of what you can see right now and for the next few months, with a Mars challenge built in.

And for those of you looking for a big “Planetary Parade” on January 25th, well, I am sorry to say, January 25th will look a lot like January 24th, and 26th, and the 27th, and so on. It’s just hype and to be honest, I think it is just something someone created to drive clicks to their website. But don’t be disappointed: the reality behind the hype is that there really are lovely planets spread across the night sky and there are wonderful things to see and enjoy for the coming weeks and months. Have a listen to my podcast and you will get a clear and thoughtful explanation of the planets, what to see, and what to look for night after night. 

Planetary Exploration

Viking Lander on Mars 1976

We humans have come a long way, evolving into a technologically advanced species. Over the past 60 years we have mastered the ability to send robotic spacecraft throughout the Solar System, getting a close up look at all of the worlds, even landing on some of them. As a young person in Los Angeles in the 1970s, I would regularly ride my bicycle to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and pick up the latest pictures from the Solar System, from the first landing on Mars in 1976, throughout the entire Voyager missions and fly-bys in the late 70s through the end of the 80s. I am personally moved to watch and learn as we (NASA, ESA, other space agencies) push the frontier and travel farther and wider in our own home solar system. 

I recently recorded a podcast for the Translunar series talking about Planetary Exploration. You can listen here. And for those of you in and around Munich, Germany, I will be delivering talks in English and in German at the Volkssternwarte München on the same topic in November 2024. 

NASA and the Planetary Society have amazing stories, reports and photos from these missions. If you like learning about our Solar System, you will be happy to find endless resources on their websites. 

Image courtesy of NASA.