On December 21, 2020, the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn appear only one tenth of one degree apart in our sky. They have not appeared that close since July 10, 1623. Of course, Jupiter is not really next to Saturn. Saturn is in fact about 4.3 astronomical units (AU)–about 400 million miles–behind Jupiter. (One AU […]
Jupiter remains in the evening sky, well placed for observing. Look low in the southwest at dusk for the brightest thing there. Saturn is at opposition on July 9. This means that Earth is aligned between Saturn and the Sun on that date, putting Saturn opposite the Sun in our sky. For much of July, Saturn is […]
When you come see our giant scale model Moon and walk around it, you’ll notice how different the near side (which always faces us) is from the far side (which we never see). Large, dark lava flows called ‘maria’ cover almost a third (31.2%) of the near side but only 1% of the far side. […]
Today on Beyond Bones, HMNS’ resident astronomer James Wooten shows us what to look for in the night sky this month. Mars is low in the west northwest at dusk. This is the last month to see it easily, as it now sets in twilight. Mercury enters the evening sky, approaching within ½ degree of […]
Our replica Moon has been on display for about a month now. As I helped create the information panels labeling craters and maria on the Moon, I found myself wondering, “Why does this particular crater have that name?” “Who picked the names anyway?” As it turns out, the names of features on the Moon are […]
In times gone by, our ancestors gazed up at the night sky and told stories of the wondrous figures they saw gliding above the horizon. That was before television. These days most of us have forgotten the stories, but the stars are still up there. All you have to do is look. Your imagination will […]
Word of an impending super blood wolf moon is spreading like wildfire through the press, leaving many Houstonians feeling a strange combination of anticipation and curiosity, with perhaps a slight twinge of fear due to the ominous sounding title. What exactly is a super blood wolf moon? And is it really all that special? Today […]
Lecture – How to Walk on Water & Climb up Walls: Animal Movement & Robots of the Future by David Hu Animals have adapted and evolved to traverse their environments, taking advantage of physical laws with results that are startling and ingenious. Mechanical engineer and biologist David L. Hu will demystify the remarkable mechanics behind […]
Autumn represents sort of an ‘intermission’ in the sky, with bright summer stars setting at dusk, while bright winter patterns such as Orion have not yet risen. The ‘teapot’ of Sagittarius sets in the southwest early in the evening. The Summer Triangle is high in the west. Meanwhile, the Great Square […]
The Summer Triangle is high overhead at dusk. This consists of the brightest stars in Cygnus, Lyra, and Aquila. Scorpius, the Scorpion, is in the south, with the ‘teapot’ of Sagittarius to his left. From the Big Dipper’s handle, ‘arc to Arcturus’ and ‘speed on to Spica’ in the southwest. The Great Square of […]
