Category: StarGazing | Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium's Blog

Great Conjunction

Posted: November 10, 2020| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Planetarium News, Programs and Events, StarGazing

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

Astronomy Extravaganza!

Posted: July 10, 2019| Categories: Planetarium News, StarGazing

Join us on July 20th to celebrate the anniversary of the lunar landing, when Apollo 11 astronauts first stepped foot on the moon! Our Lyman Spitzer Jr. Planetarium will feature special shows throughout the day that highlight the extraordinary accomplishments of the astronauts, engineers, and dreamers who worked together to… 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

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

New World Record Set!

Posted: August 13, 2018| Categories: Planetarium News, Programs and Events, StarGazing

What a day! What a party! What a tremendous event! August 10 is a day to remember. That’s when more than 1,701 people gathered on the green across the street from the Fairbanks Museum for the largest astronomy lesson ever. This extraordinary event started as an idea to do something… Read More

Space news of the week

Posted: May 15, 2018| Categories: Planetarium News, Space Science, StarGazing

Hi all, thanks for joining me! The following is an excerpt from my weekly space news and astronomy newsletter, and I’d love it if you joined in and subscribed! You can do so here. I take everything space related from the Museum, like StarStruck, Skywatch Almanac, and Eye on… 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

April Astronomy

Posted: March 29, 2018| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Planetarium News, StarGazing

April starts with Venus climbing higher in the west, not setting until 2 hours after sunset by month’s end. Jupiter also rises earlier each night, close to sunset at the close of the month. Saturn and Mars, low in the southeast before the morning twilight, enjoy a close encounter as… Read More

Orionid Meteor Shower

Posted: October 20, 2017| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Fairbanks Museum, Planetarium News, StarGazing

The Orionid meteor shower peaks between October 20th and 22nd! This meteor shower is caused by the Earth passing through the path of Halley’s Comet, which returns to Earth’s vicinity every 75 years. The famous comet leaves a trail of icy debris, which makes up the meteor shower that can… Read More

June Astronomy

Posted: May 16, 2017| Categories: Eye on the Sky, Planetarium News, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy, StarGazing

Our two largest planets, Jupiter and Saturn, make for great evening viewing, and each get a visit from the Moon (see above). Venus shines low in the east for early risers between 3 and 4 AM. Mars and Mercury remain lost in the glare of the Sun. The Summer Triangle… Read More