Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 9, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, JUNE 9 ■ The Big Dipper has now swung around to hang down by its handle high in the northwest after dark. The middle star of its handle is Mizar, with tiny little Alcor right next to it. On which side of Mizar should you […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 6, 2024 An alien world orbiting a star made famous as hosting Spock’s home planet of Vulcan in Star Trek was nothing but a celestial illusion, scientists say. In 2018, much to the delight of Trekkies, the discovery of the planet was first announced. It was thought to be orbiting the […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 27, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, MAY 27 ■ With the Moon gone from the evening sky, can you see the big, dim Coma Berenices star cluster? Does your light pollution really hide it, or do you just not know exactly where to look? It’s southwest of the zenith these evenings, 2/5 of the […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 19, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, MAY 19 ■ The Moon continues to illuminate Virgo’s part of the sky. Early this evening look about 3° or 4° lower left of the Moon for Spica, Virgo’s brightest star. By midnight the Moon moves closer to Spica, which then will be directly to […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, February 18, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18 ■ Canopus, the second-brightest star after Sirius, happens to lie almost due south of Sirius: by 36°. That’s far enough south that it never appears above your horizon unless you’re below latitude 37° N (southern Virginia, southern Missouri, central California). And near there, you’ll […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, February 4, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Today is the center of winter; we cross the midpoint between the December solstice and the March equinox at 10:16 a.m. EST (15:16 UT). That minute is the very bottom of the wheel of the year, astronomically speaking. In ancient Gaelic cultures this day […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, January 29, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, JANUARY 29 ■ After dark the Great Square of Pegasus sinks low in the west, balancing on one corner. Meanwhile, the Big Dipper climbs up in the north-northeast, tipping up on its handle. ■ Algol shines at its minimum light, magnitude 3.4 instead of its usual […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, January 15, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, JANUARY 14 ■ The Gemini twins lie on their sides these January evenings, left of Orion. Their head stars, Castor and Pollux, are farthest from Orion, one over the other. Castor is the top one. The feet of the Castor stick figure are just left of […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, January 1, 2024 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, JANUARY 1 ■ After the noise and celebration at the turning of midnight tonight, step outside into the silent, cold dark. The waning gibbous Moon will be shining high in the east, with the Sickle of Leo floating about a fist at arm’s length above it. […]
Special to CosmicTribune.com, December 26, 2023, 2023 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26 ■ Full Moon tonight (exact at 7:33 p.m. EST). Now shining above the feet of Gemini in the evening, the Moon forms a deeper triangle with Capella and Aldebaran than it did last night. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27 ■ As the stars come out, face due […]
