MarsOMars Blog
Field notes on Mars, the Moon & the night sky
Original guides and explainers from MarsOMars — skywatching calendars, eclipse chasers' briefings, and the stories behind the missions.
The Moon's south pole: why Artemis is going there
No astronaut has ever landed near a lunar pole. Water ice in shadowed craters, near-constant sunlight on the ridges, and some of the Moon's oldest ground explain why Artemis IV is heading south in early 2028.
November 2026: your night-sky guide
Taurid fireballs, the Leonids under dark skies, a Beaver supermoon, and Venus at its brightest as the morning star — everything worth looking up for this November.
Google launched a data center into orbit — it's the size of a fridge
Project Suncatcher's MVP satellite rode to orbit on October 1 carrying four of Google's AI chips. It's a physics experiment wearing a data-center costume — and the most honest numbers are the humble ones.
October 2026: your night-sky guide
Saturn at its best, the Orionid meteor shower, a Hunter's Moon, and dawn meetups of the Moon with Mars and Jupiter — everything worth looking up for this October.
Moon phases explained: why the Moon changes shape
The Moon isn't changing shape — you're seeing changing sunlight. Here's how the eight phases work, why the cycle takes 29.5 days, and how to spot each phase yourself.
Solar and lunar eclipses: your 2026–2027 guide
What causes solar and lunar eclipses, how to watch them safely, and every eclipse worth marking on your calendar through 2027 — including the big total solar eclipse of August 2027.
Artemis II flew around the Moon. What's next?
In April 2026, four astronauts looped the Moon — the first crewed deep-space flight in over 50 years. Here's what the mission proved, and where Artemis goes from here.
How long does it take to get to Mars?
The short answer is six to nine months. The long answer involves orbital mechanics, 26-month launch windows, and why we can't just step on the gas.