Comet Nishimura | September ’23 Sky Happenings

Editor’s Note: We are looking up as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the sky happenings for the month of September, including a newly discovered comet and the fall equinox. Saturn is now well placed for observing in the early evening.  Face southeast at dusk to observe it. Jupiter is in the morning sky this month.  […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Spring Forward | March 2022 Sky Happenings

Map of constellations for the month of March 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 southeast at dawn.  Venus remains a ‘morning star’ for most of 2022. Mars is low the morning sky this month.  Look low in the southeast at dawn, to […]

Lunar New Year | February 2022 Sky Happenings

Sky Map for February 2022

Jupiter remains in the west southwest as night falls.  However, Jupiter gets slightly lower each evening at sunset, until by mid-month it is getting lost in the Sun’s glare.  Once it’s gone, we’ll have no evening planets until August. Venus has entered the morning sky this month.  Venus outshines everything except the Sun and the […]

Happy New Year | January 2022 Sky Happenings

Venus switches from the evening sky to the morning sky this month. Venus outshines everything except the Sun and the Moon, so you can try to find it low in the southwest at dusk for the first few days of January. On January 8, Venus is in line with the Sun and impossible to see. After mid-month, […]


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