Light at night may be a sign of life on Earth, but the darkness will proclaim our true intelligence. Check out this video on why we need darkness, from Paul Bogard. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/paul-bogard-on-why-we-need-darkness…
Tag: Big Dipper
Gamma Cephei: A future Pole Star
About two thousand years from now, Gamma Cephei, an inconspicuous star in the constellation Cepheus, will become our North Star. Source: https://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/star-errai-future-north-star…
Can you see the Big Dipper in autumn?
Sure, it’s easy to recognize, but sometimes the Big Dipper is low in the northern sky, or not visible at all. That’s the case now, in the evening. How to spot it. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/can-you-see-the-big-dipper-in-autumn…
EarthSky’s top 10 tips for super stargazers
Here are 10 simple tips that can help you connect with the night sky, and have fun. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/getting-started-2…
Newly-Discovered Comet Neowise: Now Visible at Dawn and Dusk
“A newly-discovered comet is giving skywatchers quite the show during the month of July,” reports CBS News:
Astronomers discovered the comet, known as Comet C2020 F3 NEOWISE, back in March. It was named for the NASA mission that spotted it, for the Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer… But astronomers knew they found something unique when they spotted Neowise. On July 3,…
Use the Big Dipper to find Polaris
Draw a line through the Big Dipper pointer stars to find Polaris, Earth’s northern pole star. If your sky is dark, also look for a former pole star, Thuban. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/big-dipper-points-to-polaris-aids-in-finding-thuban-2…
Moon sweeps through Leo July 25 and 26
Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion. The moon can help you find it at nigtfall June 24 and 25, 2020. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-pairs-up-with-royal-star-regulus…
Giant star cluster Omega Centauri
All globular star clusters are impressive, but Omega Centauri’s in a class by itself. Sparkling with 10 million stars, it’s the Milky Way’s largest globular. Source: https://earthsky.org/clusters-nebulae-galaxies/omega-centauri-milky-ways-prize-star-cluster…
Virgo? Here’s your constellation
The constellation Virgo the Maiden fully returns to the early evening sky – with her feet planted on the eastern horizon – in early May. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/virgo-heres-your-constellation…
What’s a constellation? What’s an asterism?
Both constellations and asterisms are patterns of stars. What’s the difference? Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/definition-what-is-a-constellation-asterism…