The moon will pass directly in front of the sun on Feb. 17, setting the stage for a dramatic annular solar eclipse.
Fans of the Star Wars franchise will surely remember the iconic scene where Luke Skywalker steps out of his uncle and aunt's home on Tatooine to contemplate his future. Looking to the far horizon, wondering if he will ever get off that desolate desert planet, he gazes upon two setting suns. Naturally, some purists (like myself) would be quick to point out that Lucas "borrowed" this idea from the late and great Frank Herbert (creator of the Dune franchise). Nevertheless, the scene masterfully illustrates why Tatooine is a hostile, unforgiving planet where the indigenous inhabitants are nomads or salvagers, and the primary industry is "moisture farming."

