A SPECIAL CONJUNCTION OF THE MOON AND JUPITER: This weekend, the Moon and Jupiter are converging in the constellation Libra. Conjunctions between the Moon and Jupiter are not uncommon--but this one is special. It's happening only days before Jupiter's closest approach to Earth in early May, making the giant planet unusually big and bright alongside the full Moon. Look for them rising in the southeast at sunset. Sky maps: April 28, 29, 30.
ODD-RADIUS SUN HALOS: Many sky watchers have witnessed a halo around the sun--a single ring of light that surrounds the solar disk at a radius of 22 degrees. The phenomenon is caused by pencil-shaped ice crystals in cirrus clouds that bend sunlight. On April 26th, Harlan Thomas of Bowness, Alberta, witnessed rare concentric halos:
"I was working in the yard doing spring cleaning when I saw these most unusual halos around the sun," says Thomas. "I have really never seen multiple halos around the sun before. It was so funny. I was running around on the street looking for the right tree to block the sun, and people were asking what I was looking at. At first they couldn't see it--then it was Wow what is that!?"
The answer is odd-radius sun halos. They are caused by ice crystals in the shape of pyramids. Sunlight passing through these unusual crystals creates rings with radii of 9, 18, 20, 23, 24 and 35 degrees. At least 2 or 3 of those are present in Thomas's photo.
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FAR-OUT MOTHER'S DAY GIFT: Mother's Day is less than 3 weeks away. To get ready, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched an array of cosmic ray sensors to the stratosphere onboard a helium balloon. This Mother's Day pendant went along for the ride:
You can have it for $99.95. The students are selling these pendants as a fund-raiser for their cosmic ray monitoring program--and they make great Mother's Day gifts. All proceeds support atmospheric radiation measurements and hands-on STEM education.
Each pendant comes with a greeting card showing the jewelry in flight and telling the story of its journey to the stratosphere and back again. Mom-satisfaction guaranteed.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All proceeds support hands-on STEM education
THE GOLDEN HANDLE: Once a month, about 4 days before the full Moon, the sun rises behind the Moon's towering Jura Mountains. For a few magic hours, sunlight dances along the mountain crest while the hardened lava plains below remain in darkness. These are the hours of the Golden Handle. Peter Lowenstein observed the phenomenon on April 26th from Mutare, Zimbabwe:
"I was lucky to catch it," says Lowenstein. "The night sky was perfectly clear when the crest of the Jura Mountains lit up, curving around the edge of Sinus Iridium (the Bay of Rainbows) to form the Golden Handle. This only happens when the Moon is about 11 days old."
The Golden Handle was famously depicted in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: a Space Odyssey when the lunar lander Aries departed en route to the Moon. It's next appearance is slated for May 25, 2018, when the sun rises again over Montes Jura. Lunar photographers, mark your calendar.
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