Thomas Willmitch News Today

A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. (Facebook/Illinois State University) By Jake Fogal NORMAL - Many will have their eyes on the sky Monday to witness a total solar eclipse crossing over North America. Severa

The ISU Planetarium is presenting “Mayan Archeoastronomy: Observers of the Universe” through May 6. The animated show is an imaginative look at how the ancient Mayans interpreted the night sky.

VALERIE WELLS Editors note: The "Christmas star" appeared in the sky on Monday. If you missed it, check out these photos and videos.  Stars appear on the tops of Christmas trees, in Christmas carols and on Christmas cards in homage to the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Magi to the baby Jesus. What some are calling a "Christmas star” will appear on Monday, the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn when the two planets will be so close in the twilight and early evening that the...

A rare “Christmas Star” will occur on December 21 and will be visible for the entire week. On the winter solstice, Jupiter and Saturn will look like a “double planet” for the first time since March 4, 1226. The two planets will appear aligned to us on Earth because we orbit around the sun quickly. Alignments between these two planets are rather rare... but this conjunction is exceptionally rare because of how close the planets will appear to be to one another, Patrick Hartig...