Distances in astronomy are vast, but three orbital alignments this month bring us unusually close to the moon, the sun, and Jupiter. On Jan. 2, the full moon occurs as the moon reaches its closest point to Earth, making it appear slightly larger and brighter than it typically does. The next morning, Jan. 3, Earth arrives at perihelion, the point in orbit when we’re nearest the sun.
The full moon on Dec. 4 will appear closer and brighter than usual — a so-called “supermoon.” Yet through binoculars or a telescope, the view can look surprisingly flat. With sunlight hitting the lunar surface head-on, shadows disappear and craters lose definition....
The best time to view the outer planets is usually around midnight when they’re directly opposite the sun — but you don’t have to stay up that late to catch a good show. Right now, Saturn and Neptune are close together in the night sky. Both reached their “opposition”...
Is the Coachella Valley Prepared for a Major Earthquake?
There are a few things on which every seismologist agrees. First, there’s almost certainly a “Big One” in our future — a super shake-up destined to deliver disaster-movie perils. With local seismic activity running some 300 years behind schedule, it’s safe to say...
The early hours of Oct. 21 may have you seeking a dark site with open sky to witness a comet and the Orionid meteor shower. After midnight heading into the 21st is the best time viewing window for the Orionids, when you might spot 10 to 20 meteors per hour under...
How Conservationists Are Fighting to Keep the Desert Wild
Some people experience the desert only through a windshield, cruising past windmills along Interstate 10. It’s OK to pity them. They miss the crunch of ancient dirt beneath their feet, the sound of coyote howls echoing in the distance, and the earthy scent of creosote...
Each morning, Palm Springs Life curates good reads and insider recommendations of the best things to do across Greater Palm Springs. Get The Daily Guide for fresh ideas, local flavor, and a daily dose of inspiration that’s actually worth reading.
Of Palms and Prospectors: The Fascinating History of Corn Springs
The 7.1-mile dirt road to Corn Springs was in fine condition in mid-January, just days after heavy rains coincided with President Biden’s designation of the surrounding Chuckwalla Mountain range as a national monument. My partner, Edgar, and I were relieved as we...
Set your alarm early for a celestial treat. In the predawn hours of July 20, the waning crescent moon will rise alongside the shimmering Pleiades star cluster — a skywatching spectacle steeped in history and myth. Known to stargazers around the world for millennia,...
How Safe Are Coachella Valley Cities From Wildfires?
If 2025 has taught us anything so far, it’s that Mother Nature is out to get us. Her fury warned us years ago, when we tried to fool her in those oleomargarine commercials. Now, Southern California is reeling from a relentless string of disasters — torrential rains,...
Back in December, we noted how the inclination of the moon’s orbit resulted in the full moon being positioned very high in the sky. Now, rather than shining high in the sky, on the nights of June 10 and June 11 (and into the early morning hours the next day), the...
Evenings in May offer an opportunity to spot one of the most recognizable asterisms in the night sky — the Big Dipper. Many people know that the two stars at the end of the Dipper’s bowl point to Polaris, the North Star. But the Big Dipper can also help you locate...
Aside from its natural beauty, Old Hollywood history, and vibrant cultural scene, the Coachella Valley is also famous for its dates, which were introduced from the Middle East more than 120 years ago and have flourished here thanks to the sunny and dry climate — ideal...
T.S. Eliot was dead wrong. April is the coolest month. That’s certainly true in the East Valley where, over three long weekends, people flock to eat, drink, and be music merry at the Empire Polo Club, host of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and...
Spring celebrates newness, rejuvenation, and transformation — and in the Coachella Valley, it’s the season we get to witness Mother Nature’s resilience and beauty on full display. From cactus gardens to hidden waterfalls, breathtaking wonders await in a variety of...
Pi, the mathematical constant representing the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, plays a key role in geometry and science. It’s often celebrated on March 14, since pi rounds to 3.14. This year, we celebrate Pi Day with a total lunar eclipse, or “blood...
Imagine a compass rose on a map. Now, picture yourself viewing the compass from underneath rather than above. This concept comes to life in the night sky over the Coachella Valley at 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 7, with the waxing gibbous moon positioned at the center of a...
The Living Desert Visits Mongolia to Aid in Conservation Efforts
Gana Wingard lives between two deserts. In Palm Desert, she walks among blooming yucca plants and fragrant creosote bushes, their stubborn endurance a quiet defiance against the Southern California heat. Half a world away, in Mongolia’s Ikh Nart Nature Reserve, she...
As the moon rises on Jan. 13, you may notice a bright light glowing below it — the red planet, Mars. The two celestial bodies will stage a cosmic show starting around 5:50 p.m. as Mars slips behind the moon and vanishes from view for about an hour. In astronomical...
The Fight to Save California’s Endangered Desert Tortoise
Under the unyielding desert sun, a quiet yet fierce struggle for survival is underway. Here, among the creosote bushes and shifting sands, the desert tortoise — one of North America’s oldest inhabitants — is vanishing at an unprecedented pace. As a keystone species,...
Which reaches a higher point in our sky, the sun or the moon? The sun climbs nearly 80 degrees above the horizon on the June solstice. But on the nights of Dec. 15 and 16, the full moon will top it, reaching over 84 degrees at its peak around 12:39 a.m. Right now, the...
