An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky. If you’ve been outside during dusk and beyond this week—and you’ve had the pleasure of a clear sky—you’ll have ...

Stephen James O’Meara’s Secret Sky appears in each issue ... and linger longer in the west after sunset, causing high points on the opposing landscape (like mountain peaks or trees) to reflect ...

It often shows up well in long-exposure landscape ... planet in the evening sky yet? You’ll need a clear western horizon — Mercury is just 4° high 20 minutes after sunset.

With a red sky sunset, it’s the western sky more likely to be clear, with the Sun’s rays shining up onto cloud further east. So the next time you spot a spectacular sunrise or sunset ...

Simply put, the sky seems to be on fire ... But on the western side, the air will clear and dry, allowing for a nice sunset. This is why there is often a beautiful sunset after a storm.

We’re in for a celestial treat in the sky after sunset Monday night ... Lighter winds and crisp mostly clear winter skies will make for excellent viewing across most of Minnesota Tuesday ...