A holiday gift: Geminid Meteor Shower
Stargazers are a hearty group of people. During the muggy months of the year we often fight the onslaught of mosquitoes while trying to enjoy the starry sky. Then once the cold of winter sets in, you...
View ArticleObserving the Winter Circle
I’m sure many of you can recognize a few of the major constellations in the night sky. Many of these star patterns have come down to us from the dawn of the earliest civilizations. Before light...
View ArticleReason for the season(s)
Folklore tells us that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. While March is meteorologically a spring month, here in New England and other mid-latitude locations throughout America, it...
View Article“Shine Off” Harvest Moon: The Total Lunar Eclipse of September 27-28, 2015
While casual stargazers with small to moderate telescopes still observe the Moon and planets, more advanced amateur astronomers today concentrate their efforts on imaging “faint fuzzies” like galaxies,...
View ArticleAstronomical Highlights for November
I love the cool nights of November. The hazy skies of late summer are gone, and amateur astronomers can begin their evening observing sessions after dinnertime, courtesy of earlier sunsets But just as...
View ArticleA gem of a meteor shower and maybe a naked-eye comet
Usually I’m complaining about the weather and how it affects our astronomical observations in southern New England, however, local stargazers were more fortunate during the second half of this year....
View ArticleStories in the sky: Andromeda
I’m sure many of you can recognize more than just a handful of constellations. Even in moderately light polluted skies, a knowledgeable observer can easily locate and identify Ursa Major (Big Dipper...
View ArticlePrime time for observing Jupiter
It’s been a few months since any of the naked-eye planets have been visible during convenient evening hours for casual stargazers. From mid-November into early 2016, amateur astronomers who wished to...
View ArticleAstronomical highlights for stargazers
Though March winds are supposed to bring April showers, I for one am looking forward to milder temperatures and clear skies as the Sun continues its northward journey through our sky, culminating with...
View ArticleTransit of Mercury: An Infrequent Astronomical Event
People have a fascination with records. No, I’m not talking about audiophiles and music on vinyl. I’m referring to statistics on practically everything in the universe. We keep copious records on...
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