Mars is still low in the west—visible right as night falls.  Venus remains in the evening sky this month. It overtakes Mars on July 12; the two planets appear about one half degree (the size of the Full Moon) apart that night. Venus outshines everything except the Sun and the Moon, so it is unmistakable low in […]

Have you been to the HMNS at Sugar Land campus lately and seen our new Stegosaur?  Her name is “Stella” – she’s about 150 million years old and joins us from the Jurassic period. When you do get a chance to visit her, here’s a thought you might ponder: what was it like to be […]

It’s time to enjoy the lazy days of summer and the wonders of stargazing nights. Now that the George Observatory has reopened to the public, the summer months are the perfect time to pre-purchase tickets online, pack up a picnic lunch or snacks along with family or friends, and head to “the George” located inside […]

At the risk of sounding overly cliché, astrophotography is a hobby that is effortless to start and virtually impossible to master. Smartphones are so powerful now that almost anyone can point it towards the Moon and snap a decent picture. At its most basic, that is astrophotography. However, venturing into the gulf between a Moon […]

Summer is upon us in Southeast Texas and this is the time of year when animals of all kinds are most active. Animals are mating, giving birth to and raising young, searching for food, and generally in greater numbers, so we are more likely to cross paths. This can be a busy and dangerous time […]

Mars remains almost as bright as the stars around it in May 2021. And Mars is low in the west—still visible right as night falls.  Jupiter and  Saturn are the morning sky this month, low in the south. Venus also slowly emerges into the evening sky this month. Venus outshines everything except the Sun and the Moon, so […]