New Year’s Star
January 1st marks the start of the new year. Have you ever wondered why that date was chosen to start the new year? Why doesn’t the new year begin March 1st or August 1st. Why not on one of the … Continue reading →
Category Archives: Sky Events
Venus and Jupiter Meet in the Morning
Jupiter and Venus, the two brightest planets in the sky, are set to converge on the morning of Monday, November 13th. To see the beautiful pairing you’ll need a spot where you have a good view of the eastern horizon. … Continue reading →
Big Dipper Sits on North Horizon
Through the course of the year the Big Dipper’s position changes as it “orbits” the North Star. During the Fall the Big Dipper is at the bottom of its rotation and sits directly under the North Star at nightfall. For … Continue reading →
The Dippers in Prime Time
The best time of year to view the Big and Little Dippers in the evening sky is late Spring. This is the time of year that they are both at their highest in the sky. To find the Big Dipper, … Continue reading →
A Christmas Star
If you look to the southwest as the sky begins to grow dark this Christmas season you’ll see a bright ‘star’ in the sky. The ‘star’ is the planet Venus. Venus is the brightest star-like object in our sky and … Continue reading →
Trick or Treat Lunar Forecast
This year’s trick-or-treat forecast. The Moon will be just one day past new, so it will set as a thin crescent approx. 7pm local time. Thus there will be no moonlight to help you find your way that night. However, … Continue reading →
Arkansas Perseids 2016
The best meteor shower of the year is upon us, the annual Perseid Meteor shower. The Perseid’s meteors are bits of dust and material from Comet Swift-Tuttle. As the comet orbits the Sun every 133 years, it releases trillions … Continue reading →
Summer Meteor Forecast
The middle of summer is one of the best times of the year for meteor observing. Warm temperatures and the peak of the Perseids, one of the best meteor showers of the year, and numerous minor meteor showers combine to … Continue reading →
See All of the Visible Solar System
While we know the solar system is a dynamic and complex system, consisting of hundreds of thousands of bodies, only seven are visible without the aid of a telescope. These seven even have the days of the week named for … Continue reading →
Why are stars brighter in the Winter?
Have you ever noticed the stars in the winter seem to shine brighter than in the summer? The key to the clarity of the sky is the amount of moisture it contains. The more moisture, the dimmer the stars will … Continue reading →