Category: Skywatch Almanac Astronomy | Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium's Blog

February Astronomy

Posted: January 30, 2019| Categories: Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

February evenings feature the great Orion, 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

January Astronomy

Posted: January 8, 2019| Categories: Skywatch Almanac Astronomy, StarGazing

This month’s highlight, a total Lunar Eclipse on the night of the 21st into the 22nd. 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,… Read More

December Astronomy

Posted: December 4, 2018| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

Through the month, Orion rises earlier each evening, and dominates the eastern sky, often identified by his line of three “belt” stars. Extending this line to the upper rights leads to the red star Aldebaran, the eye of Taurus, the Bull, while looking to the lower left, the brilliant star… Read More

November Astronomy

Posted: November 2, 2018| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

November’s annual return to Standard Time, (on the 3rd), gives us a parting view of Saturn during the earlier evenings, inching lower in the southwest. The Milky Way arches high overhead, with the Summer Triangle slipping into the west, while the dazzling Capella rises higher in the northeast. Lower in… Read More

October Astronomy

Posted: September 28, 2018| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

October nights lengthen, welcoming a great view of the Milky Way arched from southwest to northeast, its subtle beauty anchored by the Summer Triangle in the southwest, and the rising star Capella in the northeast. The Draconid Meteor shower peaks near the 9th, while the Orionid Meteor shower peaks near… Read More

September Astronomy

Posted: August 28, 2018| Categories: Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy, StarGazing

The summer skies, like the weather, are in transition through September. The Scorpion lowers into the southwest through the month, followed by the Teapot in Sagittarius. Still dazzling, though low in the skies, Mars shines a pale rusty color to the lower left of the Teapot, while the fainter Saturn… Read More

August Astronomy

Posted: July 31, 2018| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

Four planets span the evening skies—Venus low in the west, Jupiter higher in the southwest, Saturn above the “teapot” in Sagittarius in the south, and the fiery Mars in the southeast. The annual Perseid Meteor Shower brings us shooting stars from the 11th to the 14th, with the New Moon… Read More

July Astronomy

Posted: June 28, 2018| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

Evenings arrive late, though the days do get a little shorter. The southern skies are busy this month, with the red star Antares marking the “heart” of the Scorpion, with claws stretching to the west, and its tail right along the horizon. To its left is Saturn, just above the… Read More

June Astronomy

Posted: May 30, 2018| Categories: Mark Breen, Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

The planets are prominent in the skies this month, with Venus at its highest for 2018, Jupiter dazzlingly bright in the south, Saturn reaching its best late in the month, and Mars becoming fabulously bright, rising by 11 o’clock by late in the month. Our shortest nights still feature some… Read More

May Astronomy

Posted: April 25, 2018| Categories: Mark Breen, Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

May welcomes the return of some of the brighter summer stars, including Vega in the northeast, and Antares in the southeast. Leo the Lion prowls the southern skies through the month, with its bright star Regulus, while late in the month, the Summer Triangle begins its annual display, rising in… Read More