Happy Space Science Saturday!
Caldwell 20, also known as the North America Nebula, is about 1800 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus. Its shape is said to resemble the North American continent, hence the nickname. This region is actively forming stars, particularly in a dense area called the Cygnus Wall.

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Happy Space Science Saturday!
Experience the Strawberry Moon on June 11! This Full Moon does not get its name from its hue or appearance but from the Native American Algonquian tribes as well as the Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota who would harvest their ripened strawberry crop around this time of year.

#FullMoon #StrawberryMoon #Moon #SpaceExploration #Space #Astronomer #Astronomy #SpaceScienceSaturday #YorkU #Observatory #AllanICarswellObservatory #Stargazing #YorkUniverse #Telescope #Planets #Stars #Science #Physics #Toronto #YorkUObservator

Happy Space Science Saturday!
Tonight, Venus reaches its greatest western elongation, meaning it is at its furthest point from the Sun in the sky, about 46 degrees. This is an ideal time to observe the planet because it will be at its highest point above the horizon before sunrise. So, get out your telescopes and have a good time stargazing!


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Earthshine nights are coming up on April 30 and May 1! These are the best nights to see the dark portion of a crescent Moon because the Sun’s light reflects off Earth and illuminates the Moon. They occur a few days before and after a New Moon.

#NewMoon #Crescent #Earthshine #Observing #Telescope #AllanICarswellObservatory #YorkU #Toronto #Ontario #Astronomy #Astronomer #Science #Astrophotography #SpaceScienceSaturday

The Lyrids meteor shower is ongoing and will soon peak. The best time to view is the late evening of April 21 into the early morning of April 22, before the moon rises. The Lyrids usually produce about 15 meteors per hour under ideal conditions, but it has been known to produce as many as 100!

#Lyrids #Meteor #MeteorShower #Observing #Telescope #AllanICarswellObservatory #YorkU #Toronto #Ontario #Astronomy #Astronomer #Science #Astrophotography #SpaceScienceSaturday

Did you know that the Moon has a tail made of sodium atoms? It's not visible to the naked eye, but during the New Moon and under the right conditions, some astronomical instruments can detect a faint tail stretching thousands of kilometers into space.

#Moon #Lunar #SodiumTail #Observing #Telescope #AllanICarswellObservatory #YorkU #Toronto #Ontario #Astronomy #Astronomer #Science #Astrophotography #SpaceScienceSaturday

Spiral galaxy NGC 7331, also known as the Caldwell 30, is pretty similar to our Milky Way in terms of mass, size and shape. Located in the constellation Pegasus, Caldwell 30 is about 45 million lightyears away from us. The galaxy got the nickname Caldwell 30 because it is a member of the group of 86 objects catalogued by astronomer Sir Patrick Moore. He named the objects the Caldwell Objects because his full surname is actually Caldwell-Moore.

#Caldwell #NGC7331 #Caldwell30 #Spiral #Galaxy #AllanICarswellObservatory #YorkU #Toronto #Ontario #Astronomy #Astronomer #Science #Astrophotography #SpaceScienceSaturday

Alnitak is a bright bluish star located left of the Horsehead Nebula and just above the Flame Nebula. It is the easternmost star in Orion’s Belt. Alnitak shines ultraviolet light into the Flame Nebula that ionises the hydrogen gas within, causing it to emit its own light.

#YorkU #AllanICarswellObservatory #YorkUObservatory #Astronomy #Astronomer #Space #Star #SpaceFacts #Science #Alnitak #HorseheadNebula #FlameNebula #SpaceScienceSaturday #SpaceFacts