NGC 6188: A nebula or a dragon fight to the death?

NGC 6188: A nebula or a dragon fight to the death?

The Milky Way’s plane cuts through the northwestern corner of Ara the Altar, blessing this southern constellation with a surplus of deep-sky delights. But perhaps none surpasses the stunning emission nebula known as the Fighting Dragons of Ara, the Rim Nebula, or simply NGC 6188. The battling mythological beasts face off at the center of Continue reading "NGC 6188: A nebula or a dragon fight to the death?" The post NGC 6188: A nebula or a dragon fight to the death? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine .

See a comet inside a comet

See a comet inside a comet

I just received this image of Comet 240P/NEAT from longtime Astronomy contributor Chris Schur, and I had to share it. This comet was discovered by the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) program December 7, 2002. At that time, it glowed weakly at magnitude 18.4. It orbits the Sun every 7.6 years, and most recently arrived at perihelion (its Continue reading "See a comet inside a comet" The post See a comet inside a comet appeared first on Astronomy Magazine .

2026 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases

2026 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases

The phenomenon of a Full Moon arises when our planet, Earth, is precisely sandwiched between the Sun and the Moon. This alignment ensures the entire side of the Moon that faces us gleams under sunlight. Thanks to the Moon’s orbit around Earth, the angle of sunlight hitting the lunar surface and being reflected back to Continue reading "2026 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases" The post 2026 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases appeared first on Astronomy Magazine .