Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Source: http://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1431a/ This star map shows the Houston sky at 10 pm CDT on April 1, 9 pm CDT on April 15, and dusk on April 30. To use the map, put the direction you are facing at the bottom. Jupiter, near Spica in Virgo, is up virtually […]
As planetarium astronomer, my job includes fielding astronomy related questions from the public. A couple of weeks ago, I received in the mail several perceptive questions from Madison, a third grader in Lawrence, Kansas. After answering them, I realized that the answers, and the questions that elicited them, might benefit many of our BEYONDbones readers. […]
Venus leaves the evening sky this month. (In fact, it is coming around to our side of the Sun, about to overtake the Earth.) Look in the west in evening twilight. Venus is noticeably lower to the horizon each evening, until is lost in the Sun’s glare after Spring Break. How long can you still […]
Lecture – Field Guide to Prehistoric Mammals by Donald Prothero Complete with full-color reconstructions of the beasts–many never before depicted–along with photographs of amazing fossils from around the world, Dr. Donald Prothero will take us on a journey to the Paleocene, 65 million years ago after the mass extinction of the dinosaurs. Here […]
In celebration of the official start of winter today, we proudly present our humble thoughts on the importance of the Sun’s path through the sky as perceived by different cultures around the world. Although it barely seems worth mentioning today, in the past, solar events like the winter solstice were cause for great celebration, […]
The full moon of November 14, 2016 will be the closest Supermoon to Earth since January 26,1948. The full moon won’t come this close again until November 25, 2034. Thus the November 2016 full moon is the closest and largest Supermoon in a period of 86 years! The moon turns precisely full at 7:52 […]
This star map shows the Houston sky at 8 pm CST on November 1, 6:30 pm CST on November 15, and dusk on November 30. To use the map, put the direction you are facing at the bottom. The Summer Triangle is high in the west. The ‘teapot’ of Sagittarius sets in the southwest. How […]
1st Quarter October 8, 11:33pm Full October 15, 11:23pm 3rd Quarter October 22, 2:14pm New October 30, 12:38pm This star map shows the Houston sky at 10 pm CDT on October 1, 9 pm CDT on October 15, and 8 pm CDT on October 31. To use the map, put the direction you are facing […]
Cultural Feast – Oktoberfest: The History and Science of Beer In 1810, King Ludwig I of Bavaria proclaimed that the last sixteen days of September, ending with the first full weekend in October, should be set aside for feasting and beer drinking. To commemorate this tradition, join HMNS at St. Arnold Brewing Co. for the […]
Star Map September 2016 Venus is a little higher in the evening sky this month. Look low in the west in evening twilight. Mars and Saturn are now in the southwest at dusk. Mars continues to fade each night as Earth leaves it farther and farther behind. Also, it moves faster than […]
