Why hadn’t I ever wondered what kind of legends and lore (if any) the Northern Lights had inspired? It seemed so obvious once it hit me, yet it wasn’t until I watched It’s a Wonderful Knife that I found myself pondering the question. The lights play a key role inContinue Reading
“We’re already getting inundated with viewer photos of the Northern Lights,” one of the local meteorologists said during the 10 p.m. Friday news. “Look at all these sightings. Keep those pics coming.” Wait. What? We were really getting a chance to see the aurora borealis in Middle Tennessee? Clearly, fromContinue Reading
With a name like the “Devil Comet,” it’s easy to understand why its rare, “once-in-a-lifetime” appearance might cause alarm. Although, “once-in-a-lifetime” is a little misleading. It depends on when you’re born. There are those who were alive the last time it made an appearance in 1954. Just like today’s youthContinue Reading
Updated December 1, 2023 “These magnificent purple and green lights aren’t auroras. This is Steve.” That CNN article title caught my eye for two reasons. One, it referenced auroras, the colorful night sky phenomenon I’m hoping one day to see in person for myself. But also because I wondered ifContinue Reading
What do Earth Day and International Dark Sky Week have in common? The month of April, during which they’re both observed. Which is fitting. April is when Spring really gets underway. A lot of us find ourselves getting outside more to enjoy Mother Nature again. And that’s something else bothContinue Reading
Most people are super excited —and rightly so— about the recent discovery of a new bright green comet. After all, it’s not every day a new comet comes along. And this one is a rare find indeed. Scientists estimate it hasn’t been seen from Earth in 50,000 years. I, onContinue Reading
“People go missing during a blood moon.” That line is included twice, once at the beginning and again at the end, of the trailer for the horror movie The Stairs. (Included below.) I couldn’t help but wonder a few things upon hearing it, including “Do people really go missing duringContinue Reading
I always think New Year’s Eve is a great time to look back and see where I’ve been in the past year. Sadly, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, my big travel plans were interrupted. But it wasn’t so bad. I had more time to write so I thought it’d beContinue Reading
Like the Halloween full moon, 2020’s Winter Solstice will bring a rare astronomical event too: a planetary alignment between Jupiter and Saturn. But that’s not the only rarity that’s happening with the Great Conjunction. So what makes this alignment so special? What are Jupiter and Saturn’s significance from an astrologicalContinue Reading
Leave it to 2020 to have a milestone-marking full moon on Halloween, which hasn’t happened in decades. Specifically, the last time there was a full moon on Halloween in all time zones was 76 years ago on October 31, 1944. The Farmer’s Almanac reported that in 2001 there was aContinue Reading
I decided to add something new to the Weird Holidays & Observances section this year: Full Moon Names and Dates. Last year’s total solar eclipse piqued my interest in astronomy, a subject that’s always haunted me. It all stems from my inability to memorize the planets. I can’t keep themContinue Reading
From Oregon to South Carolina, there are literally thousands of total solar eclipse events scheduled across the country on August 21, 2017. The eclipse’s coast-to-coast cut across the U.S. makes viewing totality accessible for millions of Americans. Not just the ones lucky enough to live in the eclipse’s path, butContinue Reading
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