Articles by: Joe Rao

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

Venus and the crescent moon, as seen in July 2018.

What makes a planet look bright? It's complicated.

By Joe Rao

The planets are a dynamic bunch, and throughout the year as seen from Earth, these celestial bodies appear not only to move across the sky but also to brighten and fade in turn.

On Monday (July 12), the waxing crescent moon will pass about 3 degrees to the north of Venus.

Venus and the moon pass a fading Mars in the evening sky this weekend

By Joe Rao

Catch the trio above the western horizon about 45 minutes after sunset.

The sun shines over planet Earth in this photo taken by astronauts aboard the space shuttle Discovery in April 1990.

Aphelion Day 2021: Earth is farthest from the sun today!

By Joe Rao

On July 5, 2021, Earth will be at the farthest point in its orbit around the sun, also known as aphelion.

july 2021 night sky Venus Passes Regulus

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

By Joe Rao

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

Look up! Now is a great time to see Centaurus and his neighbors in the night sky

By Joe Rao

This month, lying just above the southern horizon as darkness falls is a bright complex of stars stretching along the southern Milky Way. They include the constellations of Centaurus, Lupus and Crux.

See the crescent moon swing by Venus on the evening of June 11, 2021.

Venus and the moon will shine bright in the night sky tonight

By Joe Rao

Venus and the moon will shine bright together in the night sky tonight (June 11)!

Evan Zucker captured this photo of a partially eclipsed setting sun on May 20, 2012, just south of Elida, New Mexico. Zucker used a Canon EOS Rebel Xsi camera with a Canon f/5.6 400 mm lens.

'Ring of fire' eclipse 2021: When, where and how to see the annular solar eclipse on June 10

By Joe Rao

Northern and eastern sections of North America will experience a dramatic solar eclipse next Thursday (June 10).

During a partial solar eclipse, the moon takes a “bite” out of the sun.

Here's the US weather forecast for the 'ring of fire' solar eclipse of 2021

By Joe Rao

On Thursday morning (June 10) much of North America will see the moon block some portion of the sun during the first solar eclipse of the year — weather permitting, of course.

A partial solar eclipse as seen during sunrise in the coastal town of Gumaca, in the Philippines, on May 21, 2012.

A 'ring of fire' solar eclipse will bring a subdued sunrise to the northeast US and Canada on Thursday

By Joe Rao

The sunrise eclipse on Thursday (June 10) will bring a striking image of a crescent sun rising in the east-northeast.

This composite photograph of the moon shows various phases of a total lunar eclipse on April 15, 2014, as seen from Magdalena, New Mexico.

What time does the 'Super Flower Blood Moon' eclipse begin?

By Joe Rao

Find out when to look up (or tune in online) for the Super Flower Blood Moon lunar eclipse on Wednesday (May 26).

A weather forecast for the United States predicts lots of rain and clouds across the nation.

Here's the US weather forecast for the Super Flower Blood Moon

By Joe Rao

What will the weather in your area be for observing Wednesday morning's total lunar eclipse?

An animation of a total lunar eclipse, also known as a "blood moon."

The stages of the Super Flower Blood Moon lunar eclipse of 2021 explained

By Joe Rao

Images showing a lunar eclipse that occurred on Oct. 7, 2014.

Just how 'bloody' will the Super Flower Blood Moon eclipse look this week?

By Joe Rao

'Blood moons,' caused by total lunar eclipses, can actually come in a wide range of colors.

Joe Matus, an engineer at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, captured this image of the Great American Total Solar Eclipse from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, on Aug. 21, 2017.

Solar eclipses: When is the next one?

By Joe Rao

Solar eclipses are one of nature's most spectacular events.

The "Super Blood Wolf Moon" eclipse of Jan. 20-21, 2019, captured at mid-totality by Imelda Joson and Edwin Aguirre from the suburbs of Boston.

Look up! The Super Flower Blood Moon lunar eclipse is coming May 26

By Joe Rao

Early on Wednesday (May 26), the full moon will become completely immersed in Earth's dark umbral shadow, producing the first total lunar eclipse since January 2019.

Venus will spend all of May parked low in the northwestern post-sunset sky.

The bright 'evening star' Venus returns to the night sky this month

By Joe Rao

You might have been wondering where the most brilliant of all the planets has been in recent months.

China's space station core module 'Tianhe' flies over the Bell Tower on May 2, 2021 in Beijing, China.

You can see the International Space Station (and China's Tianhe, too) in the night sky this weekend

By Joe Rao

You can see two space stations in the night sky this weekend, China's Tianhe and the International Space Station.

Justin Ng of Singapore captured this view of a bright Eta Aquarid meteor hurtling across the night sky over Mount Bromo, on the Indonesian island of Java.

The Eta Aquarid meteor shower of 2021 peaks this week. Here's how to see it.

By Joe Rao

Astrophotographer John Chumack took this image of Tycho Crater on the moon's surface on Feb. 19, 2016.

In the light of the Super Pink Moon, look for the radiant Tycho crater

By Joe Rao

If you look up at the Super Pink Moon this Monday (April 26), don't expect to see anything rosy. But with binoculars, you may be able to spot a magnificent lunar feature.

This photo by Eduardo R. shows a view of a predawn SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch from Florida as it appeared from Chesapeake Beach, Maryland on March 14, 2021. A similar sight may be visible when SpaceX launches its Crew-2 mission April 23.

How to see SpaceX's predawn Crew-2 launch from the US East Coast early Friday

By Joe Rao

People across the eastern United States could witness a SpaceX rocket launch four astronauts into space early Friday (April 23)

Lyrid meteors face off against a bright moon this week

By Joe Rao

The Lyrid meteor shower peaks on Thursday morning (April 22), the first good meteor shower in nearly four months, although a bright moon could interfere.

A total solar eclipse is seen on Monday, August 21, 2017 above Madras, Oregon. Another total solar eclipse will be visible across North America on April 8, 2024.

The Great North American Solar Eclipse of 2024 is just three years away

By Joe Rao

Three years from today, on Monday, April 8, 2024, more than half a billion people across North America have the chance to see another Great American Solar Eclipse.