HELLO STAR GAZERS!

TRACE HERE!# THIS WEEK WE ARE FURTHER FROM THE SUN THAN AT ANY POINT IN# THE YEAR.

LET’S TACO BOUT IT!

THAT’S BETTER.

EVERY YEAR THE EARTH ORBITS THE# SUN ONCE, AND BECAUSE THE ORBIT IS SLIGHTLY ELLIPTICAL ON JULY THIRD AT THREE FIFTY# FIVE PM WE’LL BE NINTY-FOUR MILLION MILES FROM THE SUN - ABOUT THREE MILLION MILES# FURTHER THAN OUR CLOSEST AT PERIHELION.

BUT THE CLOSENESS MATTERS LESS THAN THE TILT -# AT APHELION THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE IS TILTED TOWARD THE SUN - GIVING US MORE DIRECT# SUNLIGHT, AND THUS WARMER SUMMER DAYS.

THIS WEEK IS ALSO 4TH OF JULY!

SO, MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WILL LOOK TO THE SKY# FOR FIREWORKS - SO WHY NOT SPOT SOME STARS?

LOOK EAST AT 11PM FOR THE# SUMMER TRIANGLE OF DENEB, VEGA, AND ALTAIR - STARS IN LYRA# THE HARP AND CYGNUS THE SWAN AND LOOK WEST FOR MARS SETTING AFTER# THE SUN, SPICA IN VIRGO NEAR THE MOON, AND THE BIG DIPPER IN URSA MAJOR ENJOY APHELION, AND KEEP LOOKIN’ UP.