Perihelion | January 2023 Sky Happenings

Editor’s Note: It is a new year and we continue looking up as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the sky happenings for the month of January, including the science behind perihelion. Jupiter is still in the evening sky; look for it in the south southwest at nightfall.  Jupiter is brighter than any star we ever […]

Winter Solstice | December 2022 Sky Happenings

Editor’s Note: Look to the skies as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the sky happenings for the month of December, including the science behind our winter solstice. Jupiter is still in the evening sky; look for it in the south at nightfall.  Jupiter is brighter than any star we ever see at night. Saturn remains […]

Eyes on Artemis | November 2022 Sky Happenings

Editor’s Note: Look to the skies as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the sky happenings for the month of November, including the highly anticipated rescheduled Artemis I launch. Jupiter is still up most of the night; look for it in the southeast at nightfall.  Unless the Moon is up, Jupiter is the brightest thing in […]

Autumn Intermission | October 2022 Sky Happenings

Editor’s Note: Look to the skies as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the autumn sky happenings for the month of October. Jupiter was up literally all night long last month.  It is still up most of the night; look for it in the east southeast at nightfall.  Unless the Moon is up, Jupiter is the brightest […]

Artemis I to Launch | September 2022 Sky Happenings

Editor’s Note: Look to the skies as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the sky happenings for the month of September, including the highly anticipated postponement of the Artemis I launch. Jupiter is up literally all night long this month.  Look for it low in the east at nightfall.  Opposition (when Sun, Earth, and Jupiter are […]

Perseid Peaks | August 2022 Sky Happenings

Editor’s Note: Look to the skies as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the sky happenings for the month of August, including the Perseid Meteor Shower. Saturn is up literally all night long this month.  Look for it low in the southeast at nightfall.    Venus remains in the morning sky this month.  Venus outshines everything […]

Summer Swelter | July 2022 Sky Happenings

Editor’s Note: HMNS Astronomer James Wooten shines a light on the July 2022 sky happenings. Venus remains in the morning sky this month.  Venus outshines everything except the Sun and the Moon, so you can try to find it low in the east at dawn.  Venus remains a ‘morning star’ for most of 2022. Mars […]

Summer Solstice | June 2022 Sky Happenings

Distant view of plant earth from within a spacecraft

Editor’s Note: Each month, the astronomers of the Burke Baker Planetarium shed starlight on the night’s sky happenings. Take note of what’s out there for June 2022. Venus remains in the morning sky this month.  Venus outshines everything except the Sun and the Moon, so you can try to find it low in the east […]

Total Eclipse | May 2022 Sky Happenings

Sky map of constellations seen in May evening skies

Venus remains in the morning sky this month.  Venus outshines everything except the Sun and the Moon, so you can try to find it low in the southeast at dawn.  Venus remains a ‘morning star’ for most of 2022. Mars is low the morning sky this month.  The Red planet pulls away from Saturn this […]

HMNS Explains | Telescopes 101

A person stands at a telescope underneath the stars

Written by Leonard Ferguson, George Observatory volunteer Have you ever gotten a new telescope? Are you possibly frustrated with not being able to figure out how that new ‘scope works? Next is figuring out how to really “see” those objects once you find them! While a discussion of the many different telescope designs is far […]


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