Category: StarGazing | Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium's Blog

Skywatch Astronomy

Posted: January 10, 2022| Categories: Skywatch Almanac Astronomy, StarGazing

The heart of winter brings the brightest stars in our skies into full view. Orion sits at the center of these stellar “super stars”, the line of his three belt stars extending to the right toward the red star Aldebaran, the “eye” of Taurus, the Bull, and to the left,… Read More

December Astronomy

Posted: November 29, 2021| Categories: Fairbanks Museum, Skywatch Almanac Astronomy, StarGazing

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

Stargazing Party

Posted: August 11, 2021| Categories: Mark Breen, Museum News, Planetarium News, StarGazing

Aug 12: Turn your gaze toward the stars! You’re invited to a statewide stargazing party with hosts Mark Breen, director of the planetarium at the Fairbanks Museum, and VPR’s Mary Engisch. Mark also produces his own astronomy podcast — Eye on the Night Sky — broadcast weekdays on VPR. He’ll… Read More

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

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