The New Moon of Monday, April 8, 2024, aligns with the Sun and the Earth well enough to cast its shadow onto Earth, causing an eclipse. Since the Moon is at perigee (closest approach to Earth) on April 7, its shadow does reach the Earth. Anyone in that shadow sees the Moon block all of […]
Editor’s Note: Spring is upon us! HMNS Astronomer James Wooten reminds us to adjust our clocks and explains why we observe Daylight Savings Time. Jupiter is prominent high in the sky, high in the west at nightfall. No star at night is as bright. Mercury also enters the evening sky this month. Start looking west […]
Editor’s Note: It is the Year of the Dragon and we continue to look up at the star-filled night skies with HMNS Astronomer James Wooten as he discusses the New Moon and the Earth’s rotation. Saturn is about to leave the evening sky. Face southwest at dusk to observe it as February begins. Each evening, […]
Editor’s Note: We are looking up as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten jumps into the new year with January sky happenings, including perihelion. Saturn is well placed for observing in early evening. Face south-southwest at dusk to observe it. Jupiter is prominent high in the sky, almost overhead at nightfall. No star at night is as […]
Editor’s Note: We are looking up as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the sky happenings for December before we jump into the new year. Saturn is now well placed for observing in early evening. Face south-southwest at dusk to observe it. Jupiter was opposite the Sun, and up precisely all night long, a month ago. […]
Editor’s Note: We are looking up as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the sky happenings for the month of November, including Daylight Savings Time ending. Saturn is now well placed for observing in early evening. Face south at dusk to observe it. Jupiter is opposite the Sun, and up precisely all night long, the night […]
Editor’s Note: HMNS Collections Technician of Anthropology Anna Dean details the victimization of the Osage people depicted in the film adaptation of the bestselling novel Killers of the Flower Moon. Killers of the Flower Moon directed by Martin Scorcese and starring Lily Gladstone, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Robert DeNiro tells the story of an Osage family […]
The New Moon of Saturday, October 14, 2023, aligns with the Sun and the Earth well enough to cast its shadow toward Earth, causing an eclipse. However, the Moon is at apogee (greatest distance from Earth) on October 10, and does not come closest to the Earth (perigee) until October 26. Since this eclipse occurs […]
Editor’s Note: We are looking up as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the sky happenings for the month of October, including the solar eclipse occurring on October 14. Saturn is now well placed for observing in early evening. Face southeast at dusk to observe it. Jupiter is in the morning sky this month. Look in […]
What is it? The Texas Invasive Bird Project (TIBP) is a citizen-science project that initiated in June 2008. TIBP evaluates status of invasive or introduced species of birds in the state of Texas. Coordinated by Daniel Brooks, Ph.D. since 2008 at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, this project is targeting study of six focal species in […]
