Joe Rao is Space.com's skywatching columnist, as well as a veteran meteorologist and eclipse chaser who also serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, Sky & Telescope and other publications. Joe is an 8-time Emmy-nominated meteorologist who served the Putnam Valley region of New York for over 21 years. You can find him on Twitter and YouTube tracking lunar and solar eclipses, meteor showers and more. To find out Joe's latest project, visit him on Twitter.
Latest articles by Joe Rao

By Joe Rao Published
The largest full moon of 2024 rises this week when the Hunter's Supermoon takes to the sky on Wednesday (Oct. 16), becoming officially full the next morning.

By Joe Rao Published
There's been talk of another spectacular comet putting on a show in our sky after Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. Unfortunately, however, it doesn't look like the newcomer will deliver.

By Joe Rao Published
Scientists are excited to begin capturing Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS as the object is expected to soon be very bright in the night sky.

By Joe Rao Published
These Venus-moon conjunctions occur on roughly a monthly schedule.

By Joe Rao Published
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will have a close encounter with the sun today (Sept. 27) here's how to make the most of comet viewing opportunities this weekend and beyond.

By Joe Rao last updated
There will come a time 1.21 billion years from now when the phenomenon of a total eclipse of the sun will become an impossibility.

By Joe Rao Published
The autumnal equinox brings fall to the Northern Hemisphere today as the sun passes directly over the equator at noon. But are day and night actually equal length today?

By Joe Rao Published
During the morning hours of Sunday, Sept. 22, skywatchers will be able to watch a waning gibbous moon cross in front of probably the most popular of all the star clusters in the sky: the Pleiades.

By Joe Rao Published
The final hurdle for Tsuchinshan-ATLAS to surmount will come on the afternoon of Sept. 27, when it arrives at perihelion — the closest point in its orbit to the sun.

By Joe Rao Published
The upcoming Full Harvest Moon on Sept. 17 will feature a partial lunar eclipse. Here's what to expect and how to see it.

By Joe Rao Published
Thousands of skywatchers will gather for a view of the ringed sun from perhaps one of the most isolated and remote spots on the face of the Earth: the legendary and mystical Easter Island.

By Joe Rao Published
Although officially known as the celestial archer, the zodiacal constellation of Sagittarius is far better recognized as a teapot. Here's how to see it this season.

By Joe Rao Published
We provide the latest details on this comet, which might (or might not!) blossom into a bright naked-eye object in our October evening skies.

By Joe Rao Published
Riding high in the northeast sky as darkness descends is a striking zigzag row of five stars marking the Queen of Ethiopia, Cassiopeia.

By Joe Rao last updated
This months' full moon falls on Aug. 19 and it will be the only full moon of August 2024. So how can we call it a "Blue Moon?"

By Joe Rao Published
On Aug. 14, Mars and Jupiter will appear to be the closest they've been in over two years.

By Joe Rao last updated
The 2024 Perseid meteor shower should reach its peak during the overnight hours of Aug. 11 into early Aug. 12, when there is almost no moon.

By Joe Rao last updated
The annual Perseid meteor shower should put on a nice show this weekend — but a spectacular Perseid display appears to be in the cards four years from now.

By Joe Rao last updated
Of all of the monthly meetings between the moon and Venus this year, this one is by far the closest.

By Joe Rao Published
As we make the transition from July into August, Venus has finally begun climbing up out of the sunset glow in earnest and is now about to reclaim its role as the brilliant Evening Star.

By Joe Rao Published
The moon, Mars and Jupiter form a triangle in the early morning hours of July 31 alongside the stars of the Taurus constellation. Here's how to see it.

By Joe Rao Published
While some comet experts think Comet Tsunchinchan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3) will "soon be no longer," others think it's doing just fine.

By Joe Rao Published
On Saturday, July 13, the moon will pass in front of bright blue star Spica in the night sky. The star will disappear behind the moon before reappearing on the other side.
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