A discussion of the phrase "brass monkey weather", and a refutation of the folk etymology of "cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey".

A description of the components of lunar libration, which allow us to peek a little way into the lunar far side, including some animations of the various effects.

How a short stretch of water in the middle of the Zambezi River became a contender for the shortest international border in the world---and why a century passed before anyone knew which countries were involved.

In 2025, Saturn's rings have disappeared from view. But they'll come back. Galileo had the same problem in 1612. This is the story of why that keeps happening.

The Western and Orthodox Christian traditions usually celebrate the same festivals on different dates. But in 2025, their Easter dates align. Here's why.