Strange Universe 11/7/21

Compared with today's headliners like dark energy or colliding black holes, our nearest neighbor, the moon, may seem quaintly old fashioned. And beginners are often disappointed when they point their backyard telescope its way because the full moon looks dull. The sun shines straight down like a flash camera to erase all interesting highlights. But lunar phases are not created equal. The best moon for observers happens now. That's when it explodes with breathtaking detail for anyone with a small telescope or even ordinary binoculars.