Category: Planetarium News
Orion becomes the center of attention in January, with his three belt stars drawing a line to the right, pointing to the red star Aldebaran, the “eye” of Taurus, the Bull. To the left, Orion’s Belt leads to the rising star Sirius – the brightest star in the night skies. … Read More
December Astronomy
The most stunning sight in the skies will be the “great conjunction” of Jupiter and Saturn, low in the southwest in the early evening, the closest visible in 800 years! Mars remains prominent, cresting high in the south. Early risers see Venus lowering toward the horizon, lost in the Sun’s… Read More
Great Conjunction
December 21, 4:00 – 5:00PM A live-stream celebration with astronomy educator Bobby Farlice-Rubio! This evening, Winter Solstice, the two largest planets in the Solar System — Jupiter and Saturn — will look closer together than they have since 1623. Once every twenty years, these giant planets come together in our… Read More
November Astronomy
Jupiter and Saturn settle lower into the southwest, inching lower toward the horizon through the month. Mars fades a little, but continues its excellent display, climbing higher into the southeast. Just to the right of Jupiter and Saturn, Milky Way extends up to the Summer Triangle, then overhead, while the… Read More
October Astronomy
As the shorter days give way to longer nights, the Milky Way arches from near the Teapot of Sagittarius, hosting Jupiter and Saturn in the south-southwest, through the Summer Triangle high in the southwest, then into the northeast to greet the rising star Capella. Summer’s bright star Arcturus sets in… Read More
September Astronomy
Summer’s constellations Scorpio and Sagittarius are thinking about leaving as they progress into the southwest through the month, joined by the spectacular planetary duo of Jupiter and Saturn in the south as twilight fades. Extending up from the Teapot in Sagittarius, the broad, faint path of the Milky Way arches… Read More
July Astronomy
The southern skies are busy this month, with the red star Antares marking the “heart” of the Scorpion, its claws stretching to the west, and its tail along the horizon. To its left, crossing the “river of light” known as the Milky Way, is the “teapot” in Sagittarius, while farther… Read More
June Astronomy
Our shortest nights of the year in June still feature some great star gazing, with the Summer Triangle rising in the east – Vega, highest and brightest in the northeast, Deneb nearer the horizon, and Altair to their right, all three within the Milky Way, returning in the eastern skies,… Read More
May Astronomy
As May welcomes the return of some of the brighter summer stars, including Vega in the northeast, and Antares in the southeast, we watch the rapid descent of Venus, well-placed in the west during the first week, but fading in the Sun’s glare by Memorial Day. On its way, it… Read More
April Astronomy
April starts with Orion and his companions the Big Dog and Taurus, the Bull, standing on the western horizon to start, sinking lower through the month. The Big Dipper is placed high in the northeast, Leo, the Lion champions the southern skies, and Gemini’s Twins settle into the west. The… Read More