Widener University Observatory

06/04/2026

Three full Moons will quietly shape the summer of 2026.

The first arrives on June 29–30.

Known as the Strawberry Moon, it rises during the shortest nights of the year, hanging low above fields, lakes, forests, and coastlines across North America.

One month later comes the Buck Moon.

For generations, this was the Moon associated with midsummer growth, when young deer begin growing new antlers and the forests reach their deepest green.

Then comes August's Sturgeon Moon.

Named for the giant fish once abundant in North America's lakes and rivers, it marks the slow transition toward autumn skies.

Three different Moons.

Three different summer nights.

One reason to keep looking up.

Some sky events last only a few minutes.

These shape an entire season.

Save thisة you'll want these dates before summer slips by.

06/04/2026

https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-blogs/a-globular-season-surprise/?fbclid=IwY2xjawSOyyZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFZa085dEw5Sjh1YTNaM3E0c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHjwv4PQyISzvNY-KPkVAfeiLtm7sUwdNA5YGyy4z_qdsCIrkray49o89ExS8_aem_sbgPGulsTc3idfK9HsFA5w

The true origins of some globular clusters can give you a new perspective when you're viewing them through your telescope.

05/28/2026

Zubeneschamali and Zubenelgenubi skitter across the southern sky on May evenings. They are far above Antares, the bright heart of the scorpion, which climbs into view by about 10 p.m.
Although they're in Libra, they represent the claws of the scorpion.

05/28/2026

The Widener Observatory's monthly Night Sky Guide and Night Sky Calendar are available as pdf files which can be downloaded under Stargazing Resources from www.widener.edu/stargazing
Click on the images below to get them directly as jpg files.

05/26/2026

https://www.delcotimes.com/2026/05/26/astronomers-notebook-mercury-the-elusive-innermost-planet/

The best opportunities in a long time to see the closest planet to the sun are available now.

05/24/2026

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=122166035762969956&set=a.122100960200969956

Two of the brightest planets in the sky are slowly moving toward one unforgettable meeting. ✨

Every evening between now and June 9, Venus and Jupiter will appear closer together in the western twilight, shrinking the gap night after night until they almost seem to touch.

Tonight, they still sit comfortably apart.
By the end of May, the distance between them will narrow dramatically. And on June 9, the pair will glow just 1.6° apart, close enough to fit beneath two fingertips held at arm’s length.

But there’s another reason to keep watching.

Beginning May 27, tiny Mercury returns low in the northwestern sky below Venus, briefly joining the planetary gathering before disappearing again into twilight. It’s the smallest planet in our solar system, and one of the hardest to catch without a perfectly clear horizon.

This is one of those rare sky stories that changes every single night.
Step outside after sunset and watch the planets slowly rewrite the western sky.

Save this, best night to observe is June 9.

05/24/2026

https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/webb-and-hubble-sink-deep-into-the-dazzling-whirlpool-galaxy-space-photo-of-the-week?utm_term=33ACA226-590B-4324-B709-380E2926FDF4&lrh=d1aa950ae217805e87be3713d3947276071d3a47b58ace9c3a7ab7b64905cce3&utm_campaign=368B3745-DDE0-4A69-A2E8-62503D85375D&utm_medium=email&utm_content=9A70ED4A-3359-431C-AC86-B95C52C4FAA2&utm_source=SmartBrief

A striking new image of the Whirlpool Galaxy is helping astronomers solve one of the biggest mysteries in star formation.

05/09/2026

As night falls, look in west for Procyon, the brightest star of Canis Minor, the little dog. It’s to the lower left of much brighter Jupiter, the Sun’s largest planet. Procyon sets by about midnight.

05/09/2026

: Flower Moon, 2026

Photographer Josh Dury captured this gorgeous view of the Flower Moon on May 1, 2026, hanging above a cherry tree in full bloom and giving weight to the origin of the moon's name.

"May Day; the second quarter day. With rich smells and colours all around, it is yet another signal that solstice is not far away. Within the period of this lunar cycle - flowers come, flowers go. From vibrant blossom displays, to moonlight stretching across a carpet of bluebells."

Credit: Josh Dury Photography