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.  […]

Time to Twitch: Birdwatching in Panama

Editor’s Note: Dr. Dan Brooks, Curator of Vertebrate Zoology recounts recent adventures in Panama while studying and birdwatching along the way. In my last two blogs about a recent trip to Panama, I discussed offshore fish , and the importance of the Indigenous Embera in this area for the fishing industry. Although I’ve been an […]

Meteor Shower | August 2023 Sky Happenings

Editor’s Note: We are looking up as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the sky happenings for the month of August, including the approaching Perseid meteor shower. Mars is low  in the west at dusk, and hard to notice because it is only as bright as an average star.  Mercury appear below and to the right of […]

It takes a(n Embera) village

Editor’s Note: Dr. Dan Brooks, Curator of Vertebrate Zoology recounts recent adventures off the shores of Panama with local fishermen of the Embera people. In my last blog, I discussed a recent trip to a remote, pristine part of Panama, just north of the Colombian border. Today I’d like to discuss that trip a little […]

Earth’s Aphelion | July 2023 Sky Happenings

Editor’s Note: We are looking up as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the sky happenings for the month of July, Earth’s aphelion and the sweltering Texas heat. Venus remains in the evening sky for one more month.  It is high in the west at dusk as July begins.  However you can watch as Venus appears slightly […]

A sobering lesson for the old man and the sea

Editor’s Note: Dr. Dan Brooks, Curator of Vertebrate Zoology recounts recent adventures off the shores of Panama with hopes of spotting the rare Black Marlin. In late 2013, HMNS obtained the world’s largest bony (vs cartilaginous) fish for display in the Alfred C. Glassell, Jr. Hall of Tropical Pacific Marine Life. At 1560 pounds, the […]

Seeking Summer Solstice | June 2023 Sky Happenings

Editor’s Note: We are looking up as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the sky happenings for the month of June and the upcoming Summer Solstice. Venus remains high in the evening sky this month. It is high in the west at dusk each evening. Mars is now high in the west at dusk. As Earth […]

Stinky Meg | Corpse Flower to Bloom

The Cockrell Butterfly Center has a plant that’s about to make a big stink! Her name is Meg, named after the prehistoric Megalodon shark featured at the museum’s new SHARKS! exhibit. Meg is an Amorphophallus titanum, also called the Titan Arum but more commonly known as the corpse flower. You might remember our most famous […]

Milky Way Evenings | May 2023 Sky Happenings

Editor’s Note: We are looking up as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the sky happenings for the month of May and the collision of our Milky Way against the horizon. Venus is even higher in the evening sky this month.  It is slightly higher in the west at dusk each evening.  Mars is now high […]

New Moon Marks End of Ramadan | April 2023 Sky Happenings

Editor’s Note: We are looking up as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the sky happenings for the month of April and a New Moon that helps mark the ending of the celebration of Ramadan. Venus is even higher in the evening sky this month.  It is slightly higher in the west at dusk each evening.  […]


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