05/01/2026
You've probably heard the term "once in a blue moon," but how often is that, really?
The answer is… every 2.5 to 3 years. A blue moon occurs when two full moons fall within the same calendar month, or when a season has four full moons. The last monthly Blue Moon was in August of 2024, and the next won’t be until December 31, 2028!
May is a great month for stargazing! Along with the Eta Aquariids meteor shower, you'll have great opportunities to spot planets near a beautiful crescent moon.
The Corona Borealis or the "Northern Crown" can be found with a few easy steps: Locate the Big Dipper, and follow it's handle until you see the bright star Arcturus.
Find the bright blueish white star Vega for a second reference point.
Corona Borealis is a semi-circle shaped constellation (crown shaped, hence the name) located about one third of the way between Arcturus and Vega. The brightest star in the group is "Gemma", found at the bottom of the curve.
Let’s learn more about Saturn!
Size & Mass: Saturn is the second-largest planet in the solar system, with a diameter 9.5 times that of Earth and a mass 95 times greater.
Composition: It is a gas giant composed mainly of hydrogen and helium.
Notable Features: Saturn is renowned for its bright and extensive ring system and features a unique hexagonal storm at its north pole.
Rotation & Orbit: The planet rotates rapidly, completing a rotation in about 10.7 hours, and takes 29.5 Earth years to orbit the Sun.
Moons: Saturn has more than 146 known moons, with Titan being the largest. Titan is notable for its thick atmosphere and lakes of liquid methane.
Rings: Saturn's rings are the most prominent in the solar system, made primarily of ice and rock.
Magnetic Field: The planet has a strong magnetic field that generates auroras.
Role in the Solar System: Saturn's gravitational influence affects other bodies in the solar system and plays a significant role in our understanding of planetary formation.
