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

February Astronomy

Posted: February 3, 2020| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Mark Breen, Planetarium News, 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

January Astronomy

Posted: January 7, 2020| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Mark Breen, Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

The winter stars feature the brightest collection of the year. Orion becomes the center of attention, 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… Read More

December Astronomy

Posted: December 2, 2019| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Mark Breen, Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy, Skywatch Almanac Weather, What's Happening

The longest nights of the year welcome the return of Orion, rising earlier each evening, and dominating the eastern sky, often identified by his line of three “belt” stars. Extending this line to the upper right leads to the red star Aldebaran, the eye of Taurus, the Bull, while looking… Read More

November Astronomy

Posted: November 5, 2019| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

Jupiter settles low, toward the southwest horizon, while Saturn remains higher and to the left. Venus returns to the evenings, passing by Jupiter on the 24th. This month finds the Milky Way high overhead, with the Summer Triangle slipping into the west, while the dazzling Capella rises higher in the… Read More

October Astronomy

Posted: September 30, 2019| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

As the shorter days give way to longer nights, the Milky Way arches from near the Teapot of Sagittarius in the southwest, through the Summer Triangle high in the southwest, then into the northwest to greeting the rising star Capella. The waxing Moon interferes with the Draconid Meteor shower on… Read More

September Astronomy

Posted: September 3, 2019| Category: Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

The planet Jupiter remains above the Scorpion, while Saturn shines to the upper left of the Teapot in Sagittarius through September, slowly progressing to the southwest. Earlier evenings feature the Big Dipper sinking lower into the northwestern skies, while the broad, faint path of the Milky Way arches from northeast… Read More

August Astronomy

Posted: August 5, 2019| Categories: Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

The evenings arrive just a little earlier in August, 45 minutes-worth by month’s end. The annual Perseid Meteor Shower from the 11th to the 14th will be greatly hampered by the nearly Full Moon this year. Darker evenings away from the Full Moon feature Scorpius and the “teapot” in the… Read More

July Astronomy

Posted: July 10, 2019| Category: 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 Jupiter, while farther left,… Read More

June Astronomy

Posted: June 3, 2019| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

Our shortest nights still feature some great star gazing, starting 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 wading within the returning Milky Way, climbing higher above the eastern horizon, stretching… Read More

May Astronomy

Posted: May 1, 2019| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy

May welcomes the return of some of the brighter summer stars, including Vega in the northeast, and Antares in the southeast. High in the south, Leo the Lion prowls toward the southwest through the month, identified by the “backwards question mark” that forms his head, mane, and shoulders. High above,… Read More