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M13 (Hercules)
May 29, 2020
The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules, or M13 was discovered by astronomer Edmund Halley in 1714, and found its way into Charles Messier's catalog of comet-like objects fifty years later.
The Virgo Cluster
May 22, 2020
Some amateur astronomers in the northern hemisphere say that Spring is galaxy season. Basically what that means is that the Virgo Cluster is high in the evening sky.
Procyon and Vega
May 15, 2020
To the West, the last remnant of the Winter Triangle. To the East, the first stellar sign of the coming summer.
The Great Diamond
May 8, 2020
We're halfway through Spring. A perfect time to look for what some call the "Great Diamond."
Gibbous Moon
May 1, 2020
When the moon is out, it's hard to see dimmer stars and deep sky objects. But there's still plenty to appreciate about our natural satellite.
Messier 3
April 24, 2020
Messier 3 is a remarkable globular cluster. It's over 33,000 light years away, but it's bright enough to see with a small telescope, which means it's dense. Around half a million stars exist there.
Lyrid Meteor Shower
April 17, 2020
The Lyrids are active all weekend, so you may see some tonight under dark skies, but the big peak comes early this coming Wednesday morning April 22, 2020. This year we're expecting 10 to 15 meteors per hour.
Gemini
April 10, 2020
To find Gemini, look to the west and find the familiar Orion. You'll know it by its iconic "Belt" of three bright stars in a row. Then, simply look above Orion for two bright stars next to each other.
Venus in The Pleiades
April 3, 2020
As Venus continues its rise in the evening sky through the end of April, it will travel through many constellations. Tonight, Friday, April 3rd, it will be in the middle of the Pleiades star cluster.
Early Morning Planets
March 27, 2020
If we're lucky enough to get clear skies in the early morning--before 7am Eastern, look to the south and you'll see three bright points of light. From left-to-right, it's Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter.
Beehive Cluster
March 20, 2020
The Beehive Cluster is right smack in the middle of Cancer the Crab, which is actually a very dim constellation.
Antares B
March 13, 2020
Blue stars that are really close to red stars can appear to us as a greenish blue. One good example is Antares B, the binary companion to the red giant Antares A, the heart of Scorpius.
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