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Mars Madness?
This year, during August, Mars will be at its closest to the Earth; so close, in fact, that it will appear as large as the full Moon. Have you heard this urban legend before? According to some...
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Not Really – Or Really??
I found this on Facebook this morning and was surprised not only by what I consider misinformation but also that is supposdly from Neil DeGrasse Tyson, a respected and well liked Science...
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September Qué tal Now Available
Many interesting celestial events this month including minor meteor showers, the September equinox, and conjunctions with our Moon, planets, and stars. Venus and Saturn and the star Spica have some...
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Send a Lady (LADEE) to the Moon
This coming Friday 6 September NASA is planning to return us to the Moon via the LADEE mission. The launch is scheduled for 11:27 pm EDT from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The LADEE...
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InSight Into the Red Planet
Click on image to download a bookmark. InSight or Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is the next NASA planned mission to Mars. Set for launch in March...
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Catching an Iridium Flare – Part 2
From the Starry Night Program This morning was another opportunity to catch an Iridium Flare and this one involved Iridium Satellite # 77. Using the Starry Night program I noted that the path it...
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Will Mars Get Stung?
Click on image to see full size. For the next few mornings look east for the planet Mars, but use binoculars or a low power eyepiece in your telescope for a more interesting view. Mars is moving...
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ISS and the Sisters
Click on picture to see it full-screen size This morning was rather cool as September mornings go with few clouds but mostly clear skes and many stars. My plan was to follow the ISS as it orbited...
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September Perigee Moon
Click on image to see it full size. Our Moon orbits around the Sun with the Earth and from our perspective on the Earth the Moon appears to circle the Earth each month. The Moon also has a slightly...
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Evening Sky Views-ISS
Click on picture to see it full size. This evening the ISS flew across my southern horizon from the southwest to southeast and at its maximum visibility reached around 45 degrees in altitude and got...
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The Elongated Mercury
This evening the waxing crescent Moon and three planets will be above the western horizon at sunset, however depending on your latitude and shape of your local horizon Mercury and Saturn may be a...
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Mars, Comet, Near Regulus
Morning Trio with 7×50 Binoculars Tuesday morning, 15 October, before the Sun rises take a look toward the east and you will see a reddish star just slightly up and to the left from the brighter star...
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Mom and the Kids
This evening the 16.8-day old waning gibbous Moon rises within about 7 degrees from the open star cluster, the Pleiades, marking the shoulder of Taurus the Bull. Off to the left, or toward the north...
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Sun Enters Libra Today
Click on graphic to see it full size. Today, 30 October, the Sun in its apparent eastward motion along the ecliptic, moves out of the constellation Virgo the Harvest Maiden and into the constellation...
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¿dónde están Venus y Mercurio
So where are Venus and Mercury? Friday, 1 November, these two inner planets will be at one of their four respective and specific locations along their orbital path around the Sun relative to the...
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Eclipse and the Nodes
Click on graphic to see it full size. The solar eclipse on Sunday 3 November, will have been brought to us by the nodes. No the nodes are not a scientific nor a musical group, but rather the nodes...
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A Steamed Moon
Click on graphic to see full size. This evening, the sky is overcast and we are in the midst of being on the receiving end of around 1-2 inches of rain. My plans for seeing a young Moon have been...
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Jupiter in Retrograde Motion Today at 7 UT (1 am CST) the outer planet Jupiter became stationary in its eastward orbital motion around the Sun. It will now begin moving backward toward the west. This...
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3-D Model of Comet ISON’s Path
Here is a neat 3-D paper model of the path Comet ISON follows as it makes its way through the inner solar system. Follow the comet from its inbound approach and perihelion through part of its...
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Daytime Sighting of Jupiter
Click on graphic to see it full size. This coming Friday morning, 22 November, the 19.25 days old waning gibbous Moon will be around 5-7 degrees from the planet Jupiter as both are setting in the...
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