Category: Eye on the Sky | Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium's Blog

October Weather

Posted: September 29, 2021| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Mark Breen, Skywatch Almanac Weather, Weather, What's Happening

What a frenzied pace October has, rushing to complete some last warm, sunny days, yet moving right along to frosty mornings and perhaps the first fits of snow, often enough to dust the mountain tops while the brilliant foliage lingers below. It seems to mimic our own rush through this… Read More

September Astronomy

Posted: August 28, 2021| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Mark Breen, Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy, What's Happening

Summer’s constellations, Scorpio and Sagittarius, begin their departure, progressing from south toward the southwest through the month. At the same time, the planetary duo of Jupiter and Saturn climb higher from the southeast into the south. Extending up from the Teapot in Sagittarius, the broad, faint path of the Milky… Read More

Annular Solar Eclipse

Posted: June 9, 2021| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Observing

A once-in-a-lifetime sunrise takes place tomorrow morning, Thursday, June 10th, as the Sun rises with the Moon covering about half of it, what is known as a Partial Solar Eclipse, which means getting up early at 5:06 AM. During the next half hour, the Moon covers even more of the… Read More

May Weather

Posted: May 3, 2021| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Weather

Spring brings more weather varieties in May than in any other month. There is a swift transition as the gap between late chills and early heat is so narrow. Mountains retain their last snow, and may even be coated one more time, while the generous sun can send thermometers soaring… Read More

April Weather

Posted: March 31, 2021| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Mark Breen, Skywatch Almanac Weather

You could say that April is a case of the “heart is willing, but the weather isn’t able”. We want spring, but the weather’s agenda will not be swayed. It does include some “spring” interludes as the Sun strengthens, turning a frosty morning into a splendid afternoon. However, should clouds… Read More

April Astronomy

Posted: March 31, 2021| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

The stars continue their transition into spring each April, as Orion and his companions, the Big Dog and Taurus, the Bull, gradually settle toward the western horizon. The spring stars may not dazzle in comparison, yet the Big Dipper is placed high in the northeast, Leo, the Lion champions the… Read More

February Weather

Posted: February 1, 2021| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Skywatch Almanac Weather

We are now entering the second half of winter, which has a very different character. There is still a tremendous capacity for snow and cold, so it is not surprising that February holds the record for the snowiest month in many places, as well as the coldest. Yet the sun… Read More

February Astronomy

Posted: February 1, 2021| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

Orion dominates our February evenings, striding mid-way up from the southern horizon by 8 o’clock, accompanied by the brightest star in our night skies, Sirius, below and left of Orion, marking the nose of the Great Dog. High in the south, Taurus, the Bull charges at Orion, as the Big… Read More

December Weather

Posted: December 1, 2020| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Skywatch Almanac Weather

The darkest days of the year are not helped by the fact that they are also the cloudiest. This darkness is complete across the arctic regions, and nearly so in the sub-arctic, providing an increasing source of cold air that causes the average temperatures to drop nearly 15 degrees, and… Read More

September Weather

Posted: September 3, 2020| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Fairbanks Museum, Skywatch Almanac Weather

When the calendar flips to September, we expect change, though we are not always ready to accept it. The key to all of the changes in September is the loss of daylight hours, amounting to 90 minutes or so. The longer nights and shorter days set the stage for cooler… Read More