Special to CosmicTribune.com, December 11, 2024 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher Once again, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has delayed the Artemis-III return-to-the-Moon-mission, this time to mid-2027, again ceding momentum to China, which could begin occupying the Moon as early as 2029. This latest delay was announced by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson during a […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, December 3, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, DECEMBER 2 ■ Two faint fuzzies naked-eye. The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and the Perseus Double Cluster are two of the most famous deep-sky objects. They’re both cataloged as 4th magnitude, and in a moderately good sky you can see each with the unaided eye. Binoculars make them easier. […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, November 18, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18 ■ The waning gibbous Moon rises within an hour after dark this evening. Watch for it to come up lower left of Jupiter. Another couple hours and Castor and Pollux will stand in good view to the Moon’s lower left, while Orion sparkles about […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, October 30, 2024 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher An increasing leak rate for atmosphere, precautions that keep the non-Russian astronauts in the American portion, and doubts about Russia’s ability or willingness to support its portion all contribute to the possibility that the International Space Station (ISS) could become an early “space crisis” prompting […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, October 28, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 ■ Altair is the brightest star high in the southwest after dark. Brighter Vega is about three fists to its right, high toward the west. Above Altair lurk two distinctive little constellations: Delphinus the Dolphin, hardly more than a fist at arm’s length to […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, September 1, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. The thin waning crescent Moon guides the way to Mercury low in bright dawn on the mornings of August 31st and September 1st. Bring binoculars. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 ■ Look for bright Vega passing the zenith as twilight fades away, if you live in the world’s […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, August 19, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, AUGUST 18 ■ Whenever bright Vega shines nearest your zenith, as it does right after dark now. Two hours later, when Deneb passes the zenith, it’s the turn of little Delphinus and boat-shaped Capricornus down below it to stand at their highest due south. After […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 29, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SATURDAY, JULY 27 ■ Last-quarter Moon (exact at 10:52 p.m. EDT). The Moon, in Pisces, rises around 11 or midnight tonight below the head of Andromeda and the Great Square of Pegasus. SUNDAY, JULY 28 ■ Starry Scorpius is sometimes called “the Orion of Summer” — […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 22, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, JULY 21 ■ This evening you’ll find that the low Moon forms a huge, nearly vertical line with Altair about three fists above it and Vega the same distance above Altair, near the zenith. ■ Look a finger-width at arm’s length above Altair for its […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 8, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, JULY 8 ■ Hercules crosses the zenith these evenings. And in the western edge of the Hercules Keystone, how many times have you pointed a scope at old friend M13, the great globular cluster? You do that not just because it’s one of the finest globulars in […]
