Adler Skywatch: What’s in the sky throughout May 2023? See Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn, the Hare Moon, and learn where Mercury went!

Header image: A composite of eleven pictures showing the progression of a total solar eclipse. [ Image credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani), edited by the Adler Planetarium ] An entire day is dedicated to celebrating the planet we know best this month, April 2023. Don’t forget to celebrate Earth Day on April 22; and while you’re at […]

Header Image: The 2013 spring equinox, as seen from space. Image Credit: Nasa/ Earth Observer, edited by the Adler Planetarium Possibly the most photogenic planetary pairing of the year kicks-off this month, March 2023. Here’s your stargazing guide to view the Venus-Jupiter Conjunction, the spring equinox and other celestial events.  Venus and Jupiter Conjunction Just […]

Header image: The bright planets, Venus and Jupiter, are close in the sky, nearby a bright Moon. Image taken on June 30, 2015. Composite image credit and copyright: Wang, Letian The two brightest planets and a once-in-a-lifetime comet are among the sky highlights of the shortest month of the year, February 2023. Here’s your stargazing […]

Header Image: Adler Planetarium 24″ reflecting telescope in the Doane Observatory after installation in 2020. Did you know the Doane Observatory is home to the largest publicly accessible telescope in Chicago? Since opening in 1977, the observatory in Chicago has had several telescopes within its walls, and these telescopes have given Chicagoans the opportunity to […]

Header Image: Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) showing its green glow and three blue ion tails. Image Credit: Jose Francisco Hernández Editor’s Note: Updated to include information about hyperbolic orbits. Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), informally called the “Green Comet”, recently made its closest approach to the Sun, after having traveled tens of thousands of years from […]

Header Image: An illustration of the December 2021 Geminid meteor shower. Image Credit: NASA Editor’s Note: This blog has been updated to include information about Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) 2023 opens with Earth’s closest approach to the Sun and a potential showy meteor shower. These events and more are among the sky highlights of this […]

Header Image: Mars reappears on the right side of the moon after an occultation. Image credit: Sergio Scauso An occultation, a meteor shower, a solstice, a planet parade, and Mars’ brightest appearance of the year highlight this month, December 2022. Here’s your stargazing guide for spotting celestial events. Mars and The Moon – A Rare […]

Header Image: Total lunar eclipse on July 7, 2018. Here’s your stargazing guide for November 2022 to help you spot planets and celestial events—including a total lunar eclipse visible in Chicago! Time To Set Your Clocks Back Daylight Saving Time ends on November 6, at 2:00 am local time. This is the day to set […]

Header Image: Hubble Space Telescope portrait of Jupiter taken on June 27, 2019. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, A. Simon (Goddard Space Flight Center), and M.H. Wong (University of California, Berkeley) Jupiter and Saturn appear during evening twilight, Mars continues to get brighter, and Mercury just might be visible this month, October 2022. Here’s your stargazing […]