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Articles by Guy Ottewell
Asteroid Juno at its best now, around opposition Original
Space This chart shows the position of Asteroid 3 Juno – the 3rd asteroid ever to be discovered – from March to September 2026. Asteroid Juno will be at its brightest around its opposition on July 26, 2026. That’s when it’ll lie opposite the sun as viewed from Earth. It’s a great time for people with telescopes to search for it, as it moves slowly among the stars of the constellation Aquila the Eagle. Image via Guy Ottewell’s 2026 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission.
Happy 90th birthday to Guy Ottewell, chart-maker of the night sky
Human World Guy Ottewell is a poet and artist, as well as a master astronomy chart-maker. Here’s one of his illustrations. It shows the asterism – or noticeable star pattern – known as the Northern Cross in the night sky. Image via Guy Ottewell. Used with permission. Beloved British astronomer Guy Ottewell turns 90 on July 4, 2026. EarthSky wishes him a warm congrats on completing another trip around the sun.
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A superb Venus inferior conjunction by Guy Ottewell
UK astronomer Guy Ottewell published this blog Superb inferior Venus at his website on March 15, 2025. Reprinted with permission. Edits by EarthSky. Venus has an important appointment at 1 UTC March 23, 2025, when it will pass between us and the sun. While Venus does this roughly every 19.5 months. However, this one offers you a chance to spot Venus in both the evening and morning sky on the same day.
Tonight’s young moon emerges into the evening sky
Guy Ottewell originally published this article as a blog post at his website, Universal Workshop. Reprinted here with permission. The young moon emerges into the evening sky tonight (May 9, 2024), as if peering jealously about at a bevy of her rivals in brightness. The light the moon is sending to us at this time, expressed in the astronomical magnitude scale as -4, adds up to more than these stars put together.
Penumbral lunar eclipse to pass quietly March 24-25, 2024
Guy Ottewell originally published this post at his blog. Re-printed here with permission. The first of this year’s four eclipses will flit by like a ghost in the night between March 24 and 25. The moon arrives at full phase – opposite to the sun – more than 21 hours before descending southward across through the ecliptic. So it passes well north of the middle of Earth’s shadow, through the outer region called the penumbra, from within which the sun is not completely hidden.
Observable comets in 2024, by Guy Ottewell
British astronomer Guy Ottewell originally published this article about comets in 2024 on his website on January 12, 2024. Reprinted with permission. Edits by EarthSky. The reason hairy stars were not included in Guy Ottewell’s last few astronomical calendars was that it was difficult to find information about likely observable comets far enough in advance.
Observable comets in 2024, from Guy Ottewell
UK astronomer Guy Ottewell originally published this piece about comets in 2024 on his website on January 12, 2024. Reprinted with permission. EarthSky edits. The reason “hairy stars” are not in Guy Ottewell’s last few Astronomical Calendars is that it is difficult to find information in advance about comets that are likely to be observed.
Observable Comets in 2024: Predictions by Guy Ottewell
Tonight British astronomer Guy Ottewell originally published this piece about comets in 2024 at his website on January 12, 2024. Reprinted with permission. Edits by EarthSky. The reason “hairy stars” have been absent from the last few Guy Ottewell’s Astronomical Calendars it was difficult to find information far enough in advance about comets likely to be observable.
Sky trio for you, Southern Hemisphere friends
Tonight Sometimes we get notes from people in Australia and New Zealand – who are across the International Date Line – that they wish we’d provide our charts a day earlier. This chart is for you! There’ll be a pretty gathering of three objects low in the west after sunset on November 15, 2023. But the meet-up is more likely to be seen from Earth’s Southern Hemisphere.
Where is Proxima Centauri, the nearest star?
Space Editor’s Note: Proxima Centauri is the nearest star to Earth. It’s part of the triple Alpha Centauri star system, visible as a single star from very southerly latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere and best seen from the Southern Hemisphere. Generally speaking, the three stars in the Alpha Centauri system are 4.4 light-years away. Proxima is the closest of the three at 4.2 light-years. But where is Proxima Centauri?
Solar eclipse in 2077 almost repeats last Saturday’s eclipse
Today's Image Many people enjoyed the recent annular solar eclipse on October 14, 2023. If you missed it – or want to see it again from roughly the same location – you’ll have another chance for a similiar eclipse on November 15, 2077. The 2024 lunar calendars are here! Best Christmas gifts in the universe! Check ’em out here. According to the renowned astronomer Guy Ottewell, a very similar solar eclipse to the eclipse on October 14, 2023, will occur on November 15, 2077.
The Astronomical Calendar 2024 by Guy Ottewell is here
Beloved British astronomer Guy Ottewell announced his Astronomical Calendar 2024 is out and ready for purchase. Reprinted with permission. Edits by EarthSky. Guy Ottewell’s Astronomical calendar is well-known and popular among amateur astronomers. It was available in printed form from 1974 to 2016, and used by thousands of sky-lovers in more than 100 countries. After 2016, the Astronomical Calendar was released in an electronic format.
Guy Ottewell asks, is there a smile across the sky?
Space EarthSky joins the many fans of beloved UK astronomer Guy Ottewell in wishing him a speedy recovery from a recent heart surgery. We were thrilled to see this post at Guy’s blog on September 13, 2023. Reprinted here with permission. Edits by EarthSky. Live long and prosper, Guy! It’s human nature to see patterns in things, and definitely among the stars. Can you find a cosmic smile, an east-west line of at least four stars, the end ones tilted to the north?
Equation of time: Why times vary for your high noon
Originally published on June 17, 2023 at Guy Ottewell’s blog. Edits by EarthSky. The equation of time The length of our day is 24 hours. Yes, but that is only its mean length, the average time between noons, or the sun’s crossings of the meridian. If you time those crossings with a stopwatch, you find that the sun sometimes reaches the meridian slightly early. And it sometimes it crosses the meridian slightly late. So, the observed, or apparent, lengths of the day vary.
What is the equation of time? And what is noon, for you?
Earth Originally published on June 17, 2023, at Guy Ottewell’s blog. Edits by EarthSky. The length of our day is 24 hours. You could look at day length as the average time between local noons, when the sun reaches its highest point in your sky. If you time those crossings with a stopwatch, you will find that the sun sometimes reaches the meridian – a line across your sky from due north to due south, dividing your sky in half – slightly early. And it sometimes crosses the meridian slightly late.
Other-centered perspectives, from neighboring stars
Beloved British astronomer Guy Ottewell originally published this piece as Allocenters on his website on June 11, 2023. Reprinted with permission. Edits by EarthSky. Other-centered perspectives, from Alpha Centauri The nearest star beyond the sun is Alpha Centauri. It’s an unfamiliar star for most of us because it is more than 60° south of the equator.
Other-centered perspectives, from neighboring stars
Space Beloved British astronomer Guy Ottewell originally published this piece as Allocenters on his website on June 11, 2023. Reprinted with permission. Edits by EarthSky. Other-centered perspectives, from Alpha Centauri The nearest star beyond the sun is Alpha Centauri. It’s an unfamiliar star for most of us because it is more than 60° south of the equator.
Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon sweeps through southern skies
Renowned British astronomer Guy Ottewell originally published this piece about Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon on May 25, 2023. Reprinted with permission. Editing by EarthSky. Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon was discovered on October 7, 2021, in images taken at the Mount Lemmon Observatory, northeast of Tucson, Arizona. T4 means the 4th discovery or recovery in the first half of October. Mount Lemmon is the highest point in the Santa Catalina Mountains, one of four mountain ranges around Tucson.
Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon sweeps through the southern sky
Renowned British astronomer Guy Ottewell originally published this article on Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon on May 25, 2023. Reprinted with permission. Edits by EarthSky. Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon was spotted on October 7, 2021 in images taken at Mount Lemmon Observatory northeast of Tucson, Arizona. T4 means the 4th discovery or salvage in the first half of October. Mount Lemmon is the highest point in the Santa Catalina Mountains, one of the four mountain ranges surrounding Tucson.
Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon is piercing the southern sky
Renowned British astronomer Guy Ottewell originally published this piece about Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon on May 25, 2023. Reprinted with permission. EarthSky edits. Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon was discovered on October 7, 2021, in images taken at the Mount Lemmon Observatory, northeast of Tucson in Arizona. Q4 means the 4th discovery or recovery in the first half of October. Mount Lemmon is the highest point of the Santa Catalina Mountains, one of four mountain ranges around Tucson.
Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon is sweeping through southern skies
Renowned British astronomer Guy Ottewell originally published this piece about Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon on May 25, 2023. Reprinted with permission. Edits by EarthSky. Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon was discovered on October 7, 2021, on images taken at the Mount Lemmon Observatory, northeast of Tucson in Arizona. T4 means the 4th discovery or recovery in the first half of October. Mount Lemmon is the highest point of the Santa Catalina Mountains, one of four mountain ranges around Tucson.
Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon is sweeping through southern skies
Renowned British astronomer Guy Ottewell originally published this piece about Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon on May 25, 2023. Reprinted with permission. Edits by EarthSky. Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon Comet C/2021 T4 Lemmon was discovered on October 7, 2021, on images taken at the Mount Lemmon Observatory, northeast of Tucson in Arizona. T4 means the 4th discovery or recovery in the first half of October. Mount Lemmon is the highest point of the Santa Catalina Mountains, one of four mountain ranges around Tucson.
How many red dwarf stars in nearby space?
British astronomer and EarthSky friend Guy Ottewell originally published this piece about star density on his website on May 20, 2023. Reprinted here with permission. Edits by EarthSky. How many red dwarfs? Huge stars are rare. And tiny stars (mostly red dwarfs) are numerous in our Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers believe this is true. But it’s based on an assumption … that what we see in nearby space holds true in larger volumes of space, and perhaps throughout the galaxy.
How many red dwarf stars in nearby space?
British astronomer and EarthSky friend Guy Ottewell originally published this piece about star density on his website on May 20, 2023. Reprinted here with permission. Edits by EarthSky. How many red dwarfs? Huge stars are rare. And tiny stars (mostly red dwarfs) are numerous in our Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers believe this to be true. But it’s based on the assumption that what we see in nearby space more or less holds true in larger volumes of space, perhaps even throughout the galaxy.
Artificial intelligence: Thoughts by astronomer Guy Ottewell
Human World Beloved British astronomer Guy Ottewell originally published this piece about AI at his website on May 10, 2023. Reprinted with permission. Edits by EarthSky. Artificial intelligence … boom There’s been a lot of talk about artificial intelligence, aka AI. There’s concern that it will displace human beings. For example, it can compose texts and music, which are said to be indistinguishable from what humans can do.
The Drake Equation and the late planet
Originally published on May 5, 2023, at Guy Ottewell’s blog. Reprinted with permission. Edits by EarthSky. Last week, EarthSky reported on the sun-like star ZTF SLRN-2020, which lies some 12,000 light-years away. And in its process of becoming a red giant star – a stage of stellar evolution that awaits our own sun, too – ZTF SLRN-2020 appears to be engulfing a hot gas giant planet. It’s thought that Earth, too, will someday be engulfed by our sun in this way.
The late planet and the Drake Equation
Space Originally published on May 5, 2023 at Guy Ottewell’s blog. Reprinted with permission. Edits by EarthSky. Last week, EarthSky reported on the sun-like star ZTF SLRN-2020, which lies some 12,000 light-years away. In its process of becoming a red giant star – a stage of stellar evolution that awaits our own sun, too – ZTF SLRN-2020 appears to be engulfing a hot gas giant planet. It’s thought that Earth, too, will someday be engulfed by our sun in this way.
The attitude of the Swan and the Northern Cross
Originally published on March 17, 2023, at Guy Ottewell’s blog. Edits by EarthSky. Reprinted with permission. The Northern Cross is in the west now A famous feature of the sky is that a huge cross stands upright as it goes down to set in the west. It’s in the constellation Cygnus the Swan. Cygnus is long line of stars as the bird’s neck and body, from Albireo (the beak) to Deneb (the tail). And an intersecting line forms the wings.
How fast is daytime growing? Guy Ottewell explains
Originally published on March 11, 2023, at Guy Ottewell’s blog. Reprinted with permission. How fast is daytime growing? Clocks in the U.S. and Canada (but not Mexico) were twisted forward an hour on Sunday, March 12. From now until November 5, some North American clocks will have to grin and bear it, showing “daylight saving time” in which natural 12 noon, when the sun is highest, is called “1 p.m.” Of course, time isn’t really shifting or being saved.
How fast is daytime growing? Guy Ottewell explains
Earth Originally published on March 11, 2023, at Guy Ottewell’s blog. Reprinted with permission. How fast is daytime growing? Clocks in the U.S. and Canada (but not Mexico) were twisted forward an hour on Sunday, March 12. From now until November 5, some North American clocks will have to grin and bear it, showing “daylight saving time” in which natural 12 noon, when the sun is highest, is called “1 p.m.” Of course, time isn’t really shifting or being saved.
The green comet: Comet 2022 E3 ZTF
Originally published on January 15, 2023, at Guy Ottewell’s blog. Reprinted with permission. Comet 2022 E3 ZTF: The green comet You may have heard about the “green comet” C/2022 E3 ZTF. The fact is, green, though in the middle of the visible spectrum, is relatively rare as an impression given to our eyes by astronomical objects. So why is this comet green? It’s thought to be due to a reaction of diatomic carbon (C2) molecules. Available now! 2023 EarthSky lunar calendar.
Full and near moon July 13
Originally published on July 11, 2022, at Guy Ottewell’s blog. Reprinted with permission. A full and near moon is a supermoon The moon will be full, and at its nearest to Earth for 2022, on Wednesday, July 13. Twice or sometimes three times every year, there is a near-in moon (a supermoon. It’s defined as being a moon near its perigee, or closest point in orbit to Earth, at a time when the moon is also new or full.
Helioconjunction of Jupiter and Neptune on June 6
Originally published on June 2, 2022, at Guy Ottewell’s blog. Reprinted with permission. Jupiter will overtake Neptune on Monday, June 6, in the race of the planets around the sun. This event takes place once every 12.7 years. Helioconjunction: Jupiter passes Neptune Jupiter goes around the sun in just under 12 years. This is its sidereal period, the period in relation to the stars, or space in general.
Constellations and signs: What’s the difference?
Maybe you associate the word zodiac with astrology. But it has an honored place in astronomy, too. Here’s why. Guy Ottewell published this post on May 19, 2020, under the title The Difference Made by 2 Thousand Years. Reprinted here with permission. Updated by EarthSky editors. At 1 UTC on May 21, 2026, the sun will enter the astrological sign of Gemini.
Double star orbits: New charts of Sirius and Albireo
The brightest star in the sky, Sirius, has a companion, Sirius B. The 2 stars are tough to “split” or separate, even using a telescope. But, as this chart shows, now is a good time to observe this double star. Sirius A lies at the location of the circle in this chart. Sirius B, its white dwarf companion, can be found at each of the smaller dots at the years indicated. See how Sirius B is just past its greatest separation from Sirius A? Image via Guy Ottewell. Used with permission.
Venus passages compared: 2017 to 2022
View larger. | Illustration of crescent Venus, over several days, as it sets in the west at sunset with the sun. Venus comes to inferior conjunction – when it goes between us and the sun in space – on January 8-9, 2022. At this juncture, Venus will pass just under 5 degrees north of the sun. It will officially shift from the evening to the morning sky for all observers on Earth. Illustration via Guy Ottewell. Guy Ottewell originally published this article at his website, Universal Workshop.
Past-and-future Earths ring in New Year
View larger.| You can visualize past-and-future Earths any day of the year. To think of past Earths, look up after sunset. As each evening falls, when you look along the ecliptic (sun’s path) – approximately at its zenith (highest point in your sky) – you’re looking backward along Earth’s orbit. This illustration shows December 31, 2021, as an example.
The 5 petals of Venus and its 8-year cycle
Guy Ottewell originally published this article as a blog post at his website, Universal Workshop. Reprinted here with permission. What is the pentagram or petals of Venus? When plotted geocentrically – from an Earth-centered perspective – there is a highly noticeable rhythm in the motion of Venus. After eight years, it returns to the same place in our sky on about the same date.
The late June evening sky is rich
View larger. | The June evening sky is rich with bright stars. This chart shows the sky on June 23, 2021. The arrows through the moving bodies, including the sun, show their movement from 2 days before to 2 days after the time of the picture, in relation to the starry background. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s blog. Used with permission. Originally published at Guy Ottewell’s blog on June 23, 2021. Used here with permission.
Swimming up sky and up river | EarthSky.org
A couple of charts from master chart-maker Guy Ottewell, showing Mercury in the sky now and throughout 2021. Plus a word about a lost whale … View larger. | Chart showing Mercury on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, 45 minutes after sunset as seen from 40 degrees N. latitude. The arrows through Mercury, the sun, Venus, and Mars show their movements, against the starry background, over a span of 5 days.
A magnified view of Jupiter and Saturn at conjunction | EarthSky.org
On December 21, 2020, Jupiter and Saturn will be only 1/5th of a moon-diameter apart! Guy Ottewell offers insights and charts showing a magnified (telescopic) view of their once-in-20-years great conjunction. A magnified view of the conjunction as it would look through a telescope, just before the closest approach (December 20, 2020) and just after (December 21, 2020). The planets are depicted in their true size as they will appear through the telescope.
Earth in the balance today | EarthSky.org
View larger. | The equinox arrives on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, at 13:30 UTC. Here is the equinoctial evening scene. Image via Guy Ottewell. Originally published September 21, 2020, at Guy Ottewell’s blog. Reprinted here with permission. We arrive on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, at the equinox: when day and night hang (almost) equal.
2020 is your year to see Capricornus | EarthSky.org
Poor Capricornus. The early Greek stargazers labeled it as a Sea Goat, but no amount of squinting – or even imagining – can help you see a Goat in this part of the sky. In 2020, Jupiter and Saturn come to the rescue! This chart works for September 9 or 10, 2020 … and for lots of nights after that, approximately through late September. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s blog. Originally published at Guy Ottewell’s blog. Reprinted here with permission.
Planetary alignment? Increase in volcanoes? | EarthSky.org
The book called “The Jupiter Effect” suggested an alignment of planets in 1982 would cause earthly catastrophes, including a great earthquake on California’s San Andreas Fault. There’s another planetary alignment, of sorts, going on now. Will it cause volcanic eruptions? Charts, and info, from Guy Ottewell. View larger.
Insights on Saturn at opposition | EarthSky.org
Astronomer Guy Ottewell offers his insights – and chart-making skills – to you during this 2020 opposition of our solar system’s golden and glorious planet of the rings, Saturn. View larger. | Here is Saturn ascending in the east on the night of its opposition – July 20, 2020 – shortly after sunset, just behind Jupiter, which passed the anti-sun point (its opposition) on July 14. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s blog. Originally published July 19, 2020, at Guy Ottewell’s blog. Reprinted with permission.
Insights on Jupiter at opposition | EarthSky.org
Like so much in astronomy, Jupiter’s opposition happens in a way that’s cyclical. And the cycle of oppositions for Jupiter is especially pleasing to the mind. Astronomer Guy Ottewell offers his insights – and chart-making skills – to you during this 2020 opposition of our solar system’s largest planet. View larger. | The moment in 2020 when Jupiter is in the opposite direction from the sun is July 14 at 08:00 UTC. This is 2 a.m. in, for instance, the Central time zone of North America.
Where is Proxima Centauri? | EarthSky.org
View larger. | Stars within 12 light-years of our sun. The lines on the grid are 4 light-years apart. Proxima is part of the triple star system we see as the single star Alpha Centauri. Diagram published originally in Guy Ottewell’s beloved Astronomical Companion. Do click in to view larger; Guy commented, “It’s quite vivid when it fills the screen.” Editor’s Note: Proxima Centauri is the nearest star to Earth.
Jupiter, Saturn and the moon cluster again | EarthSky.org
As Jupiter continues to catch up with Saturn – preparing for a great conjunction by the year’s end – the moon comes by, this time passing Jupiter, Saturn, and the moon ascending in the east some 3-and-a-half hours after sunset tonight. The white orb represents the moon on various dates in early June. This chart shows the sky from 40 degrees N. latitude. For your specific view, or a different time of night, try Stellarium. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s blog.
An illustration of the difference between 'signs' and constellations
When – astrologically – the sun enters the “sign” of Gemini, it is still nearly 2 months away from entering the constellation Gemini in the sky. Astronomer Guy Ottewell illustrates and discusses this difference. Here is the sun (below the horizon) at its May 20 position. On May 20, the sun enters the astrological “sign” of Gemini. Yet, as you can see from this chart, the actual constellation Gemini is still above the horizon when the sun is below it.
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