[Sky]
In western Switzerland and parts of eastern France, many people are familiar with a chilly, persistent wind called the Bise. This cold, dry northeasterly often blows along the north side of the Alps and the Jura, making lakeside cities feel much colder than the thermometer suggests. Where Does the Bise Blow?
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[Sky]
Around the western Mediterranean, from northeastern Spain to southern France and parts of Italy, people know a cold, dry north wind called the Tramontana. It can clear the sky in hours, make temperatures feel much lower, and whip up rough seas. Where Does the Tramontana Blow? The Tramontana affects several regions, including:
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[Sky]
Solar eclipses occur when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, casting a shadow on Earth. However, not all solar eclipses are the same. There are four main types of solar eclipses, each with unique characteristics: 1. Total Solar Eclipse A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon completely covers the Sun, as viewed from Earth.
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[Sky]
Europe does not have a single continent-wide authority for naming storms. Names are assigned by national meteorological services that coordinate in regional groups. When a storm is expected to cause significant impacts, the first service to issue a high-level warning uses the next name from its list and neighboring services adopt it.
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[Sky]
The years 2026 and 2027 will bring several spectacular solar eclipses visible from different parts of the world. Here’s what to expect: 2026 Solar Eclipses February 17, 2026 - Annular Solar Eclipse An annular solar eclipse will occur on February 17, 2026. During an annular eclipse, the Moon is too far from Earth to completely cover the Sun, creating a “ring of fire” effect.
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[Sky]
The first big celestial event of the year arrives quickly: the Quadrantid meteor shower peaks during the night of 3–4 January. This shower is famous for producing brief outbursts of more than 100 fast, blue meteors per hour, but only for a few hours when Earth slices through the densest part of the debris stream.
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[Sky]
If you still crave meteors after the Geminids, keep your gear handy for the Ursids. This faithful shower peaks on the night of 22 December, just after the solstice, delivering roughly 10 meteors per hour with occasional outbursts when Earth crosses dense filaments shed by Comet 8P/Tuttle. The radiant sits near the Little Dipper’s bowl in Ursa Minor, so it never sets for most Northern Hemisphere observers.
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[Sky]
Polar lights are one of the most beautiful natural phenomena on Earth If we were to rank the most beautiful atmospheric phenomena, we would definitely give one of the highest places to polar lights. The ideal time for them is clear frosty nights from September to March at latitudes of about 67–70°.
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[Sky]
Clear a spot on your calendar for the Geminid meteor shower, widely regarded as the most reliable display of the year. Activity stretches from 4 to 17 December, and the peak is predicted for the night of 13–14 December with zenithal hourly rates near 120 meteors per hour under dark skies.
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[Sky]
Below are common traditional names for each month’s full moon (largely from North American and European folklore). Names can vary by region, culture, and language. January — Wolf Moon (also: Old Moon, Ice Moon) February — Snow Moon (also: Hunger Moon) March — Worm Moon (also: Crow Moon, Sap Moon, Lenten Moon) April — Pink Moon (also: Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon) May — Flower Moon (also: Corn Planting Moon, Milk Moon) June — Strawberry Moon (also: Rose Moon, Hot Moon) July — Buck Moon (also: Thunder Moon, Hay Moon) August — Sturgeon Moon (also: Grain Moon) September — Corn Moon (often Harvest Moon if closest to the autumn equinox) October — Hunter’s Moon (follows the Harvest Moon) November — Beaver Moon (also: Frost Moon) December — Cold Moon (also: Long Night Moon) Notes
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