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Within an hour of the Sun having ushered to a close yet another scorching summer’s day, even the least imaginative among us can easily discern the outlines of a giant scorpion crawling up the sky above the southern horizon. Scorpius, the eighth and most southerly constellation of the zodiac, guards two deep sky gems near … July 2022 – Dodge the Sting and Enjoy Some Summer Bling

“Familiarity breeds contempt” is an age-old proverb and one that is, all too sadly, true. “Contempt” may perhaps be too strong of a word in all cases, but familiarity most certainly can, in the words of astronomer Fred Schaaf, “dull the eye of wonder”.  The Sun and moon are both spectacular celestial objects that are … May 2022 Feature – A TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE

As the planets of our solar system move around the Sun in their various orbits, and at their own individual speeds, from our vantage point here on Earth (which is also moving around the Sun) we see them appear to wander against the starry background. On not so rare occasions, we will see two or … April 2022 Feature – A PARADE OF PLANETS

Today, all we need to do in order to know when winter officially ends and spring begins is to consult a calendar or the internet.  But what did folks in ancient times use before the invention of things like calendars, smart devices, or the internet?  Sure, your average Joe or Jane prior to 1500 BC … March 2022 Feature – MARCH EQUINOX: SPRING BEGINS!

Cupid is up to his usual shenanigans on the 14th but I’m going to share with you some of my love for observing the moon and the planets with several dates in February. Don’t fret about needing a telescope to enjoy most of these sights, but a pair of regular old binoculars that you have … February 2022 Feature – LOVING THE MOON AND PLANETS

As we enter the upcoming holiday season, many folks will have likely requested stargazing kit of one sort or another as part of their gift receiving wish list.  I know this to be true because binocular and telescope sales continue to be at an all-time high while memberships in amateur astronomy clubs all around the … December 2021 Feature – HARK, YE MERRY STARGAZERS!

The people of ancient times viewed the night sky with a mixture of awe, wonderment, reverence, and, on occasion, with a certain amount of fear.  The latter emotion often arose whenever something unpredictable or out of the ordinary appeared in the sky.  The sudden appearance of a bright comet, the Sun slowly disappearing as if … November 2021 Feature – When the Moon Goes Dark

What marvelous things our eyes are.  Of all the five senses, vision is perhaps the most important, with 80% of the information we obtain regarding the world around us coming entirely through eyesight.  Our eyes collect information about the size, shape, color, and texture of objects.  They permit us to have depth perception, judge distances … September 2021 Feature – An Ode to the Eye

The Perseid Meteor Shower is one of our most productive and popular showers and it peaks this year during the evening hours of August 11th and the early morning hours of August 12th.   The waxing crescent moon may interfere during the early evening, but it should only be a minor nuisance as it sets well … August 2021 Feature – The Perseid Meteor Shower

If there is any other kind of celestial object that is capable of generating as much curiosity and wonder as a black hole, then I don’t know what it could be. Whenever I do just about any kind of astronomy outreach, with any age group, there is bound to be a question or two about … June 2021 Feature – Black Hole Summer