Joe Rao
Joe Rao is Space.com's skywatching columnist, as well as a veteran meteorologist and eclipse chaser who also serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmers' Almanac and other publications. Joe is an 8-time Emmy-nominated meteorologist who served the Putnam Valley region of New York for over 21 years. You can find him on Twitter and YouTube tracking lunar and solar eclipses, meteor showers and more. To find out Joe's latest project, visit him on Twitter.
Latest articles by Joe Rao
Saturn and the moon put on a celestial show Sunday night. Here's how to see it
By Joe Rao published
Saturn gets close to the moon tonight, and some skywatchers in Florida, Central America and South America will see the ringed planet briefly disappear behind our lunar companion.
Don't miss the Taurid meteor shower peak with colorful fireballs and shooting stars this week
By Joe Rao published
The Northern and Southern Taurid meteor showers reach their peaks on Nov. 5 and Nov. 12. Here's how to maximize your chances of seeing a colorful fireball from these twin showers.
See the moon snuggle up to Venus after sunset tonight
By Joe Rao published
Monday evening (Nov. 4), the night before Election Day, will bring a lovely celestial display involving the two brightest objects in the nighttime sky: the moon and Venus.
The brightest planets in November's night sky: How to see them (and when)
By Joe Rao last updated
Reference Our guide for viewing the planets tells you when is the best time to see them during the month ahead as well as other skywatching sights to look out for.
Halloween night sky 2024: See Venus, Saturn and maybe some eerie fireballs tonight!
By Joe Rao last updated
Reference Don't miss these celestial treats this Halloween!
A star exploded almost 1000 years ago and left us with the gorgeous Crab Nebula. Here's how to see it
By Joe Rao published
To see the Crab Nebula for yourself, you'll have to wait until around midnight local daylight time, after it has sufficiently risen high enough above the east-northeast horizon.
Headless 'Halloween comet' could already be doomed
By Joe Rao published
While some are hoping for a bright "Halloween comet," astronomers say the speeding cosmic snowball has likely already broken apart.
Orionid meteor shower peaks this weekend: How to see bits of Halley's comet burn up in the night sky
By Joe Rao published
The Orionid meteor shower 2024 reaches its peak in the pre-dawn hours on Monday, Oct. 21, but this year a bright moon could make it difficult to see these shooting stars.
Full moon names 2024 (and how they came to be)
By Joe Rao last updated
Reference The full moon names for each month, why they're named so and what we can expect from these lunar events.
Hunter's Supermoon rises this week, the biggest full moon of 2024. Here's how to see it
By Joe Rao published
The largest full moon of 2024 rises this week when the Hunter's Supermoon takes to the sky on Wednesday (Oct. 16), becoming officially full the next morning.
Hopes dim for another bright October comet after Tsuchinshan-ATLAS
By Joe Rao published
There's been talk of another spectacular comet putting on a show in our sky after Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. Unfortunately, however, it doesn't look like the newcomer will deliver.
The dazzling Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is emerging in the night sky: How to see it
By Joe Rao published
Scientists are excited to begin capturing Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS as the object is expected to soon be very bright in the night sky.
What is a solar eclipse?
By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated
Reference A solar eclipse occurs when the moon positions itself between Earth and the sun, casting a shadow over Earth. We explore the type of solar eclipses here.
See Venus rendezvous with the crescent moon in the night sky tonight (Oct. 5)
By Joe Rao published
These Venus-moon conjunctions occur on roughly a monthly schedule.
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS may dazzle this weekend. But is the best yet to come?
By Joe Rao published
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will have a close encounter with the sun today (Sept. 27) here's how to make the most of comet viewing opportunities this weekend and beyond.
All solar eclipses will be 'rings of fire' in the distant future. Here's why
By Joe Rao last updated
There will come a time 1.21 billion years from now when the phenomenon of a total eclipse of the sun will become an impossibility.
Autumnal equinox 2024 brings fall to the Northern Hemisphere today
By Joe Rao published
The autumnal equinox brings fall to the Northern Hemisphere today as the sun passes directly over the equator at noon. But are day and night actually equal length today?
See the moon meet up with the Seven Sisters of the Pleiades this weekend
By Joe Rao published
During the morning hours of Sunday, Sept. 22, skywatchers will be able to watch a waning gibbous moon cross in front of probably the most popular of all the star clusters in the sky: the Pleiades.
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS nears the sun this month. Will it be visible to the naked eye?
By Joe Rao published
The final hurdle for Tsuchinshan-ATLAS to surmount will come on the afternoon of Sept. 27, when it arrives at perihelion — the closest point in its orbit to the sun.
Partial lunar eclipse of the Harvest Moon: Everything you need to know
By Joe Rao published
The upcoming Full Harvest Moon on Sept. 17 will feature a partial lunar eclipse. Here's what to expect and how to see it.
An annular solar eclipse will put a 'ring of fire' above one of the most isolated spots on Earth: Easter Island
By Joe Rao published
Thousands of skywatchers will gather for a view of the ringed sun from perhaps one of the most isolated and remote spots on the face of the Earth: the legendary and mystical Easter Island.
Is the Sagittarius constellation a teapot or an archer?
By Joe Rao published
Although officially known as the celestial archer, the zodiacal constellation of Sagittarius is far better recognized as a teapot. Here's how to see it this season.
'Doomed' comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS survives brush with sun — may be visible to naked eye this fall
By Joe Rao published
We provide the latest details on this comet, which might (or might not!) blossom into a bright naked-eye object in our October evening skies.
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