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Sun rise: 6:11 am

Sun set: 7:56 pm

Moon Phase: New Moon

Weather conditions: Warm with cool skies.

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Sun rise: 6:56 am

Sun set: 5:45 pm

Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous

Weather conditions: Raining and cloudy.

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Constellations: Right above my head was the Auriga constellation, which is made up of five stars. I learned that Auriga is also called "The Charioteer" because it's associated with the inventor of the chariot in Greek mythology and the god Hermes. Ursa Major is also visible more northeast.

Planets: Mars and Jupiter were almost directly overhead, Mars slightly more east and is in Gemini. Jupiter is slightly west and is in Taurus (which is cool because I'm a Taurus). I saw Jupiter earlier in the week getting home from school one day when it wasn't rainy and cloudy, and it was very bright! Mars is also beautiful and more of an amber color. To add, Venus is very far west, almost at the horizon, but still visible.

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Sun rise: 6:48 am

Sun set: 5:52 pm

Moon Phase: Waning Crescent

Weather conditions: Windy and cold but clear skies!

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Constellations: I saw Orion's belt! I feel like I see this constellation so often, and learned it is made up of the stars Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka. Also, using the app Stellarium, I saw that the constellation Perseus was directly overhead. This was really exciting for me because it reminded me of Percy Jackson, which I love.

Planets: The planets I saw were very similar to last week and in similar positions in the sky from what I can remember. I saw Mars, Jupiter, and Venus. To add, I used the app to search for where planets are in the sky, but both Saturn and Mercury were below the horizon and Uranus and Neptune are too dim to see without a telescope.

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I saved this to do until the weekend since I was excited to take the time to enjoy it, but did not look at the forecast, and it rained all weekend. It was still cool to use the apps to look at what constellations and planets were there though. I did get to see the full moon this week though driving home from school! I will make sure to pick a day with better weather to do this next week!

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I am so glad that it wasn't cloudy today! I really enjoyed getting to go out and look at the sky. It felt almost like a scavenger hunt trying to find different planets and constellations. It reminded me of when I was younger, and I would go outside with my parents to look at the sky whenever there was a full moon or if my dad had found a constellation he wanted to show me.

In the coming weeks, I want to try going up to the elementary school near my house one night. It has a really open field so I feel that I may have better visibility there and be able to see more than in my backyard. Also, I don't have a telescope but one of my friends has really strong binoculars, so we may try to use those.

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Sun rise: 6:40 am

Sun set: 5:58 pm

Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent

Weather conditions: The sky was completely clear!

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Constellations: I've learned through this project that it is very difficult to actually find constellations. I saw Orion's belt again but could not find many others. I did use Stellarium and was able to find Auriga and Perseus through it!

Planets: Seven of the planets were aligned tonight! I was able to see Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter when I went out. Saturn was supposed to be visible, but I don't think I stayed out long enough to see it. Venus was extremely bright though! Also, I found Mercury, but it was super tiny.

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Tonight, I went up to my elementary school to see the planets aligned. My mom came with me, and we brought my dog Penny, who had a great time running around! I'm so glad the sky was so clear, and it wasn't really too cold. I do wish that the streetlights weren't as bright because I had to wait until it got really dark to see clearly.

I met someone up at the school that had also went up to see the planets aligned. She was so sweet and let me use her binoculars, and I was able to see the moon really clearly. It was so cool to see it just after being a new moon because it was such a small crescent. Overall, I had a really great time and will probably start going up to the school more often to do this project since I was able to see so much more than in my backyard.

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Sun rise: 7:25 am

Sun set: 7:08 pm

Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous

Weather conditions: Clear skies, and not too cold. It is a little windy though.

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Constellations: Orion's belt was easy to spot tonight! I learned that Jupiter is in Taurus (I'm a Taurus!!) tonight, and I think I was able to spot part of the Taurus constellation because Aldebaran is pretty bright.

Planets: Venus was very bright, but it was close to the horizon so a little difficult to see in the beginning. Also, Mars was easy to find because it was bright and close to the moon. I'm happy it was so clear tonight - most of the planets were pretty easy to spot. I also found Jupiter and used the app to find that Mercury was still at the horizon when I was outside.

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I waited to do this until today because I thought it would be interesting to do on daylight savings. It's so cool to think that last week I went outside just after sunset at 6:30, and today I went out just after sunset and it was 7:30. I definitely did not enjoy the one hour less of sleep, but it will be nice that it will start getting darker later. Overall, I enjoyed going out tonight because of how clear it was and am excited for next week. There is a full moon in a few days so maybe I will do this project then!

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Sun rise: 7:17 am

Sun set: 7:14 pm

Moon Phase: Full Moon

Weather conditions: Partly cloudy and colder than it has been recently.

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Constellations: It was a little difficult to see too much due to the clouds. I wasn't able to make out any full constellations on my own, but I used an app and saw that Mars was in Gemini. Gemini means "the twins" in Latin, and the constellation represents the twins Castor and Pollux, who were twin demigods in Greek mythology. I find the mythology behind constellations so interesting!

Planets: Like the constellations, the planets were a little difficult to see tonight. Luckily there was some visibility and Venus was very bright so I was able to see it. Venus was very close to the horizon though, like Mercury. Mars was right overhead, but I wasn't able to really see it, and Jupiter was slightly southwest of Mars.

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Tonight was a full moon! I wish that it wasn't as cloudy these past few days because the lunar eclipse was last night. I was going to wake up to try to see it, but it was supposed to be cloudy all night in my area sadly, so I didn't wake up for it. It was the worm moon, which is called a "worm moon" because earth worms emerge around March. It represents the arrival of Spring! I'm excited for the Spring weather, but honestly also really love Winter and cold weather. I love that every full moon's name has a meaning or story behind it. I think April's full moon is the pink moon and May's is the flower moon!!

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Sun rise: 7:06 am

Sun set: 7:21 pm

Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous

Weather conditions: The skies were clear!! It was a little cold, but the weather has been getting warmer recently.

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Constellations: The sky was so clear tonight!! I was able to find Canis Major which was really exciting. I find spotting constellations difficult, but I learned that Sirius, the brightest star, is in Canis Major, so it made it easier to identify. Also, Orion is slightly North of Canis Major, so I found most of Orion! In Greek mythology, Canis Major and Canis Minor are both Orion's dogs.

Planets: North of Orion was Jupiter. Jupiter again was very bright and easy to spot. Also, Mars was easy to find, as it was directly overhead, only slightly east of Jupiter. No other planets were visible sadly. I did a little research and learned that Mercury and Venus both set very early today, around half an hour after sunset.

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Yesterday was the first day of Spring! It definitely is starting to feel more like Spring. Also, this reminded me of how the first day of Spring is also called the Vernal Equinox. Seasons are all caused by Earth's axial tilt and the Vernal Equinox is when there is about equal amounts of day and night. This is because the Sun shines on the Northern and Southern hemispheres about equally on the Vernal Equinox. Also, I love linguistics and the word "vernal" comes from the Latin word "vernalis," which means "from Spring." And "equinox" comes from the Latin words "aequlis" and "nox," meaning equal night. I'm definitely looking forward to Spring!

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Sun rise: 6:52 am

Sun set: 7:30 pm

Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent

Weather conditions: It was a little cloudy today but was beautiful outside. It definitely feels like Spring now.

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Constellations: It was a little difficult to make out constellations today since it was partly cloudy. I was able to see Sirius but was unable to make out Canis Major. I used Stellarium though, and found that the Lynx constellation was right overhead, slightly North of Mars. The Lynx constellation, unlike many others, is actually not associated with a myth. The astronomer Johannes Hevelius named it the Lynx because it is so faint that he said it would take a Lynx's vision to see it. I find it interesting that some constellations have a long history and many myths while others do not.

Planets: Jupiter was very bright, and I could see it through the clouds because they were pretty thin. Mars was completely behind the clouds though and Venus and Mercury were both below the horizon.

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It's been so nice out recently. It really feels like Spring which is very exciting. Even though it was partly cloudy and hard to spot too much, I enjoyed being outside to do this tonight because of the beautiful weather.

Now that the weather is getting nicer, I am going to try to go up to the elementary school near my house more often to do this project. It is so interesting to see patterns in what I have been seeing start to shift. For example, when I started the project, I could usually see Mercury and Venus near the horizon, but now they are always below the horizon. After this class is over, I hope to keep going out to look at the night sky like this every so often to continue to see these patterns and hopefully continue to improve my ability to see constellations! I love learning about the history behind them all!!

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Sun rise: 6:42 am

Sun set: 7:35 pm

Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous

Weather conditions: It was partly cloudy and not too cold.

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Constellations: This week, I used Stellarium to see that Cancer was directly above me, next to the Moon. Leo is next to Cancer, and I think I was able to see Regulus, the brightest star in Leo. I did some research, and Leo is visible almost everywhere on Earth, except for Antartica, so many myths have arisen surrounding it. Leo is one of the zodiac constellations and one of the most well-known myths surrounding it is that of Hercules fighting the lion. But the ancient Egyptians also associated the constellation Leo with the flooding of the Nile. It's interesting how every culture has a different myth surrounding the same constellation.

Planets: Mars was extremely close to the Moon tonight! Jupiter was around halfway between Mars and the horizon, and was pretty bright. Uranus was between Jupiter and the horizon, in the same line as Mars and Jupiter but was too dim for me to see. Mercury, Venus, and Saturn were all below the horizon.

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I'm so glad it stopped raining so I could do this tonight. It was so beautiful outside, and I feel like looking at the sky always relieves so much stress.

I've also loved researching all of the things I've observed, from constellations to why we see certain planets at specific spots in the sky at different times of the year. Also, learning about the planets in this unit has really put everything in the solar system into perspective. It's crazy to think about how little we know overall about the universe, but it's also amazing to think about how much we have discovered. It is so exciting to know that we live in such an age of discovery when it comes to outer space!

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Sun rise: 6:30 am

Sun set: 7:43 pm

Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous

Weather conditions: The sky was very clear tonight.

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Constellations: I found the big dipper tonight!! I find it so interesting that the big dipper is a part of Ursa Major. Though I found the big dipper, it was difficult to see the rest of Ursa Major. Also, when using Stellarium this time I saw the Hydra. I learned that the Hydra is the largest constellation in the night sky! It was southeast, with the end of its tail near the horizon and its head up near Mars. The name is based on the Lernaean Hydra from the Greek myth of Heracles. But it is said to also represent a snake that attempted to trick Apollo. It was amazing to see how large it truly is compared to the other constellations.

Planets: Mercury, Venus, and Saturn were all below the horizon, so I could not see them. I was able to see Mars and Jupiter though. Jupiter and Mars have been moving more West, as compared to when Mars was almost directly overhead a few weeks ago.

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I was at work today and got to talk about this project with one woman that I met. I work at an art gallery, and she was talking about the full moon that happened yesterday because there was an art piece with a full moon tarot card. She thought the project was really cool because she also says she tries to go out to look at the moon and stars every week and said that she has been since she was a kid. I think our fascination with the night sky as humans is so interesting. So many people are nostalgic for the night sky even though most of it is a mystery to us. I always think about when I was younger, going outside with my dad to look at the sky when I do this project, and I love that so many people feel the same about it.

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Constellations: I was able to see the Big Dipper again! It is cool now that I know the Big Dipper is in Ursa Major, I feel like I am looking for it more. Also, Cancer was a little difficult to spot tonight, but Mars is almost directly in Cancer. One thing I find interesting about Cancer is that one of its stars, Acubens, translates to "the claws" in Arabic. Also, when people think of the Cancer constellation, they often think of a crab. But in Ancient Greece, the Cancer constellation represented a giant monster. In the story of Heracles fighting the Hydra, Hera sent the monster to fight Heracles with the Hydra. One myth even says that Heracles kicked Cancer to the stars!

Planets: Mars and Jupiter are visible in the sky tonight! Jupiter is much closer to the horizon than I am used to seeing it. Mercury, Venus, and Saturn, are apparently visible just under an hour before sunrise.

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It's the last day of Spring break!! Although we didn't have a night sky journal due over break, I did try to keep my eye on the stars and planets when I was outside at night. It was a good night to go out because it was so gorgeous outside. And it is a new moon! I find new moons so interesting because they represent a fresh start. With school starting back up and graduating soon, I feel like it's the perfect time for a new moon!

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Sun rise: 6:03 am

Sun set: 8:03 pm

Moon Phase: First Quarter

Weather conditions: Cloudy. It has been raining on and off all day.

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Constellations: I had to use Stellarium to see any constellations, but it shows Ursa Major to be visible right overhead. Also, Leo, Cancer, and the Lynx appear to be visible. One constellation that I've never really seen before that I saw on Stellarium was Draco. The name immediately reminded me of Harry Potter, but I learned that it is one of the largest constellations. Draco means dragon in Latin. It is most commonly associated with the myth of the twelve labors of Heracles, where Heracles had to get past Draco, the dragon who guarded the garden of Hesperides. But in Roman mythology, Draco was one of the Giant Titans. It's interesting how myths change over time and cultures.

Planets: Mars and Jupiter are visible tonight, with Mars in Cancer west of the Moon and Jupiter far West of Mars, closer to the horizon. Mercury, Venus, and Saturn are all visible just before sunrise.

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I'm a little sad I didn't realize it was supposed to rain all day because I would have tried to find time to do this earlier in the week instead. It's okay though, because I feel like Stellarium is still really good at telling me what is in the sky that I cannot see.

Also! May the fourth be with you! I've loved getting to research Star Wars for my project and though Star Wars is not the most accurate when it comes to artificial gravity in space flight, there are a lot of science fiction films that are more accurate than I expected. Now I feel like I am always looking out for details that I've learned in this class in science fiction movies to see how accurate they are. Anyways, I'm very excited for you to hear about it in my project!!

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Sun rise: 5:55 am

Sun set: 8:09 pm

Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous

Weather conditions: Party cloudy but warm out.

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Constellations: It was a little difficult to make out specific constellations tonight but one I saw on Stellarium that I realized I never talked about before was Heracles/Hercules! Heracles is a part of so many of the other constellation's myths, yet somehow, I've never talked about him specifically. Heracles is the fifth largest constellation in the night sky. This constellation's myths are so special because they are interwoven with many of the other constellations, like Draco, Cancer, the Hydra, and many more that were involved in the 12 labors of Heracles. I find it so cool how interconnected all of the constellations are, especially when it comes to Heracles!

Planets: I was able to find Mars despite the clouds, but Jupiter was a little close to the horizon and probably hidden by the clouds. I've never seen Jupiter this low to the horizon. Also, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn are still completely below the horizon at this time.

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Tomorrow's a flower moon - May's full moon! I will definitely try to catch that tomorrow night!

I can't believe this is the last night sky journal! It has truly been a joy to do this project. Every week I have really looked forward to doing it and am definitely planning to continue keeping a journal or something of this nature after this week. I feel like I've learned so much and have gotten so much better at identifying planets and constellations. Astronomy was the field I wanted to go into from elementary school until basically last year, and even though I'm going to be going to college for creative writing, I feel like this class has rekindled my love and fascination for outer space. Thank you so much for an out of this world semester!