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Joe Rao
SPACE.COM SKYWATCHING COLUMNIST — Joe Rao 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, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for Verizon FiOS1 News in New York's lower Hudson Valley.

Articles by: Joe Rao

A time-lapse image shows Perseid meteors in August 2009.

Moon may outshine Perseids this 'meteor month'

By Joe Rao

Skywatchers beware: the moon will hinder attempts to observe the Perseids, typically one of the best meteor displays of the year.

As November begins, Mercury will be in the western evening sky and swinging sunward towards inferior conjunction on November 11, when the speedy planet will transit the sun. The transit will be visible in whole or in part from westernmost Russia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, South America, North America (except for the extreme north), most of the Pacific Ocean, and New Zealand. After mid-month, Mercury will return to view with an excellent morning apparition for Northern Hemisphere observers, but a poor one for the Southern Hemisphere. The planet will reach peak visibility at greatest western elongation on November 28. Viewed in a telescope during mornings in November, Mercury's disk will diminish in apparent size and wax in illuminated phase from a thin crescent to a 68% full. Over the same period, the planet will brighten. The old crescent moon will pass north of Mercury on November 24-25.

The brightest planets in August's night sky: How to see them (and when)

By Joe Rao

Here's how to see planets visible in August's night sky.

The Coat Hanger asterism, also known as Collinder 399 or Brocchi's Cluster, is located in the constellation of Vulpecula, the little fox.

How to see a cosmic 'Coat Hanger' rise with the little fox in the night sky

By Joe Rao

Small asterisms, or star patterns, are often overlooked. One striking example of this than the Coat Hanger, which is now well placed for evening viewing in the constellation of Vulpecula.

On July 18, 2020, astrophotographer Evan Zucker and his wife, Paula, drove three hours to the Mojave Desert north of Desert Center, California, to see Comet NEOWISE. "The comet itself was an very obvious naked eye object, even all the way down to the horizon, but the ion tail was a challenge to perceive naked eye," Zucker said. They used a Sony a7iii camera with a Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM lens, set to f/1.4 and ISO 800, mounted on a 6-in. Celestron telescope to provide tracking. The single 13-second exposure was processed in Adobe Lightroom and Topaz AI De-Noise.

The curtain is about to come down on Comet NEOWISE

By Joe Rao

The brightest comet to appear in Northern Hemisphere skies in nearly a quarter of a century will soon be ending its run as a naked-eye object.

A close-up view of Jupiter, taken one week after the planet reached opposition in June 2019, reveals detailed cloud bands — and Jupiter's moon Europa!

See Jupiter and Saturn at their brightest this week

By Joe Rao

This week, Jupiter and Saturn appear at their very best, with Jupiter having just arrived at opposition July 14 and Saturn to reach its own opposition July 20.

Astrophotographer Chris Schur captured this view of Comet NEOWISE F3 from Payson, Arizona before dawn on July 5, 2020.

How to see Comet NEOWISE in the night sky this month

By Joe Rao

The early reviews are in: Comet NEOWISE is a hit!

Throughout July, Venus will rise about two hours before the sun and then shine prominently in the eastern sky until sunrise. Between July 3 and 12, Venus' orbital motion will carry it eastward and directly through the Hyades star cluster, the large, triangular grouping of stars that forms the face of Taurus, the bull. On July 10, Venus will reach its greatest illuminated extent, at magnitude -4.47, for the current morning apparition.

The 'morning star' Venus is at its brightest for 2020 this week. Here's how to see it.

By Joe Rao

After putting on a great show in our evening sky during the first half of this year, dazzling Venus puts on a spectacular showing for early morning risers for the balance of 2020.

Astrophotographer Chris Schur captured this view of Comet NEOWISE F3 from Payson, Arizona before dawn on July 5, 2020.

Comet NEOWISE could give skywatchers a dazzling show this month. Here's what to know.

By Joe Rao

Comet NEOWISE could become a tantalizing object for skywatchers in the July 2020 night sky.

This sky map from the SkySafari astronomy software shows the path of the July 2020 full moon, known as the Buck Moon or Thunder Moon, as it dips through the outer edge of the Earth's shadow in the penumbral lunar eclipse of July 4-5, 2020.

A 'Buck Moon' lunar eclipse occurs this Fourth of July. Don't expect to see much.

By Joe Rao

The Full Buck moon of July 2020 will experience a minor penumbral lunar eclipse this weekend (July 4 and 5), but don't expect much.

The full moon, Jupiter and Saturn as seen on the evening of July 5, 2020 from Seattle.

Celestial fireworks: See Jupiter and Saturn with a 'Buck Moon' lunar eclipse this Fourth of July weekend

By Joe Rao

Nature has its own fireworks in store this Independence Day weekend with a stunning full moon ornamented by two shining planets.

This graphic shows how the Summer Triangle arrangement of stars will appear at 9 pm ET on June 25, 2020 as seen from New York. <a href=http://www.space.com/spacewatch/summer-triangle-night-sky-100625.html>Full Story</a>.

The Summer Triangle returns to the night sky

By Joe Rao

Photographer Alexander Krivenyshev of WorldTimeZone.com captured the "ring of fire" annular solar eclipse of Dec. 26, 2019 from Al Hofuf in Saudi Arabia.

'Ring of fire' solar eclipse 2020: Here's how it works (and what to expect)

By Joe Rao

A "ring of fire" solar eclipse, the only annular eclipse of 2020, will wow skywatchers in the Eastern Hemisphere. Here's how it works.

An artist's impression of the June solstice, with the longest daylight hours in the Earth's Northern Hemisphere.

Summer solstice 2020 heralds changing of Earth's seasons this weekend

By Joe Rao

Summer will arrive in the Northern Hemisphere on Saturday (June 20) at 5:43:32 p.m. EDT (21:43:32 GMT). The June solstice also marks the beginning of winter for those in the Southern Hemisphere.

The crescent moon will block the planet Venus from view in the early morning sky on June 19, 2020.

Watch Venus play 'peekaboo' with the crescent moon Friday morning

By Joe Rao

If you live in the northeast U.S. or Canada, mark Friday, June 19, on your calendar. That morning the moon will rise with the brilliant planet Venus hidden behind it.

This composite image of an annular solar eclipse was taken by Koji Kudo from Kawasaki, Japan, on May 21, 2012.

Eclipse season 2020 has arrived! Catch 2 lunar eclipses and a 'ring of fire' this summer

By Joe Rao

During June and early July, it is eclipse season once again. In the coming weeks, there will be three eclipses that take place: one of the sun and two of the moon.

This SpaceX map shows the orbital path of the Demo-2 Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station. They launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 30, 2020.

You can see SpaceX's 1st Crew Dragon with astronauts in the night sky tonight. Here's how.

By Joe Rao

If the skies are clear this evening (May 30), observers across the central and northern United States and southern Canada could get an opportunity to see Crew Dragon move across their local skies.

Farewell Venus, hello Mercury! The innermost planet steals the spotlight this week

By Joe Rao

As the "evening star" Venus begins to retreat from the evening sky, the tiny planet Mercury prepares to put on a show.

Amateur astronomer and Comet SWAN discoverer Michael Mattiazzo of Castlemaine, Australia, captured this image of the comet on May 7, 2020.

Newfound Comet SWAN could soon fizzle out of view

By Joe Rao

During the next couple of weeks we'll have a chance of seeing a new comet as it sweeps past the sun — that is, if the comet doesn't fizzle first.

An Eta Aquarid fireball lights up the sky over Devils Tower, part of the Bear Lodge Mountains in Wyoming. Astrophotographer David Kingham captured this shot during the 2013 Eta Aquarid meteor shower.

The 2020 Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks tonight! See 'crumbs' of Comet Halley rain on Earth

By Joe Rao

The Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks overnight tonight (May 4), with the best views arriving before dawn on Tuesday (May 5).

Astrophotographer Jeff Berkes captured this Lyrid meteor in the marshlands of southern Maryland on April 14, 2013. The 2020 Lyrid meteor shower will peak overnight on April 21-22, 2020.

Lyrid meteor shower 2020 peaks this week! Here's what to expect.

By Joe Rao

The 2020 Lyrid meteor shower this week coincides with the new moon, meaning that there will be absolutely no lunar interference with getting a good view of these celestial streakers.

Astrophotographer Chris Schur captured this view of Comet Atlas on April 9, 2020, from Payson, Arizona. "The comet appears quite diffuse now, hopefully there will be something left to see near perihelion!" Schur told Space.com via email.

As Comet ATLAS crumbles away, Comet SWAN arrives to take its place for skywatchers

By Joe Rao

Comet ATLAS, which was predicted to be the first bright naked-eye comet in a decade, turned out to be a flop. Now another newly discovered comet is poised to steal the spotlight.

Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will all dance near the moon this week.

You can see the moon shine with Jupiter, Saturn and Mars before dawn this week. Here's how.

By Joe Rao

The predawn hours this week will sparkle as Jupiter, Saturn and Mars dance around the moon on consecutive mornings.

A total solar eclipse will be visible on April 8, 2024, over Mexico, the United States and Canada.

We're T-minus 4 years to the next Great American Solar Eclipse in 2024

By Joe Rao

The Great North American Solar Eclipse is coming.

Skywatcher Tim McCord of Entiat, Washington caught this amazing view of the March 19, 2011 full moon - called a supermoon because the moon was at perigee, the closest point to Earth in its orbit - using a camera-equipped telescope.

April's Super Pink Moon is the biggest full moon of 2020. Here's what to expect.

By Joe Rao

On Tuesday (April 7), the moon will arrive at its closest point to Earth in 2020 a few hours before becoming full. This "supermoon" will be the biggest of the year — but you may not see a difference.

Astrophotographer Chris Schur captured this image of Comet ATLAS from Payson, Arizona, on March 29, 2020. He created this 45-minute exposure using a 10-inch Orion Astrograph and a ST10XME CCD camera.

Bright Comet ATLAS could blaze into view this month

By Joe Rao

Already visible in telescopes and high-power binoculars, the comet may be bright enough to see with the naked eye by the end of April.