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

August Astronomy

Posted: July 31, 2018| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy, What's Happening

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

Star Struck: Defunct space station falls from sky

Posted: April 9, 2018| Categories: Astronomy Camp, Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy, Space Science, Star Struck, StarGazing

In this Star Struck, Bobby Farlice-Rubio tells us all about the Chinese space station that was lost in space until it crashed into the Pacific Ocean Monday. Watch the video for the full interview. The experimental space lab Tiangong 1 was launched in 2011 and ended service in… Read More

March Astronomy

Posted: March 1, 2018| Categories: Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

In March, Orion settles into the southwest for some great evening views. The evenings also feature the Big Dipper rising in the northeast, looking like a giant question mark. Follow the “handle” toward the horizon, where the star Arcturus rises by 9 o’clock. After the winter Venus returns to the… Read More

February Astronomy

Posted: January 31, 2018| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

Orion commands the southern evening skies throughout February, 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 Dipper begins to lift higher into the… Read More

January Astronomy

Posted: January 3, 2018| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

The planets should be perfect for night owls, all of them appearing after midnight, starting with Jupiter and Mars fairly close together in the southeast by the dawn’s twilight. Saturn barely rises by late in the month, while Mercury is at its morning best through the 10th. Venus is lost in… Read More

December Astronomy

Posted: December 5, 2017| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Mark Breen, Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

The longest nights of the year offer the greatest variety of stars and constellations. 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… Read More

November Astronomy

Posted: October 31, 2017| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Mark Breen, Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

November sees a return to Standard Time, (on the 5th), the earlier arrival of evening gives us a parting view of Saturn, inching lower in the southwest, and briefly joined by Mercury after Thanksgiving. November finds the Milky Way high overhead, with the Summer Triangle slipping into the west, while… Read More