January’s Wolf Supermoon welcomes 2026 with a vivid celestial display, reaching peak illumination around 5 a.m. EST on a Saturday. Its larger-than-usual appearance is due to its close proximity to Earth, making this lunar event an especially bright start to the new year.
This December 27, the moon enters its First Quarter phase, with about half of its surface visible on the right side. NASA reports that around 47% of the moon is currently lit, offering a striking nighttime view.
December 21, 2025, marks the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. As the sun reaches its lowest point in the sky, this annual event draws attention from stargazers and environment enthusiasts alike.
Comet 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar visitor monitored by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is making its closest approach to Earth. This rare event offers insight into celestial objects that originate far beyond our solar system.
As December unfolds, winter’s official arrival comes at 9:03 a.m. on Sunday, December 21. At that precise moment, the sun halts over the Tropic of Capricorn and begins its journey north, signaling the start of a new season.
After decades of looking for the invisible substance that may hold galaxies together, one scientist believes he has finally stumbled upon a faint indication of dark matter’s presence. Though details remain limited, the discovery underscores how this elusive “stuff” continues to captivate scientific minds worldwide.
On November 24, the moon is in a waxing stage, marking the fourth day of its lunar cycle. As it grows bigger in the sky, observers can spot new shadows and contours each night, revealing glimpses of its shifting surface.
In a groundbreaking study, astronomers identified a magnetically-guided streamer delivering star-building material into a newborn system in the Perseus region. Led by Paulo Cortes from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory and the Joint ALMA Observatory, this finding offers fresh insight into how young stars—particularly binary systems—gather essential resources.
The Hill Country Astronomers invite the community to delve into the fascinating journey of stars at their upcoming meeting on July 7. Join local enthusiasts for an evening exploring the “Life and Death of a Star” at the Zion Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg.
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower, composed of debris from Halley’s Comet, is peaking and offers a chance to see up to 15 meteors per hour early Tuesday. The celestial event continues until May 28, providing multiple opportunities for stargazers to witness this spectacular show.
