Editor’s Note: Look to the skies as HMNS Astronomer James Wooten explains the sky happenings for the month of August, including the Perseid Meteor Shower. Saturn is up literally all night long this month. Look for it low in the southeast at nightfall. Venus remains in the morning sky this month. Venus outshines everything […]
Venus remains in the evening sky this month. Venus outshines everything except the Sun and the Moon, so it is unmistakable low in the west at dusk. Jupiter and Saturn are up all night long this month. Saturn is at opposition on August 2, while Jupiter is at opposition on August 19. A planet comes to […]
Lecture – Sherlock Holmes, The Evolution of a Timeless Character by Warren Chaney No other character has been beloved generation after generation. Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, however, has indeed evolved from Doyle’s original 54-volume cannon of Sherlock Holmes novels–to stage, radio, silver screen, and well into the digital age. Dr. Warren Chaney will trace the […]
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. Saturn is between Scorpius and […]
Saturn is now in the south-southwestern sky at dusk. It outshines the stars around it, so it’s also easy to see. Mars emerges into the morning sky this month. Look for it low in the east at dawn. Mars remains dimmer then average, though, and won’t rival the brighter stars until next spring. Venus and […]
If you follow astronomy websites, you’ve probably noticed that every month or so there’s an article about a meteor shower happening. There are meteors showers frequently throughout the year. Some showers are more active than others depending on various factors. This August one of the most reliably active showers, the Perseids, will take place. The […]
This month, Mars is in the southwest at dusk this month. Mars continues to fade a little each night as Earth continues to leave it farther behind. Still, Mars rivals the brightest stars we see at night. Saturn is also in the south southwest at dusk. Mars passes 3.4 degrees south of Saturn on August 25. Venus remains […]
We’re hosting late-night this weekend. On Saturday, August 10, the George Observatory will be staying open until the wee ours of 2 a.m. in order to proffer the best possible viewing of the annual Perseid Meteor Shower. Each year in mid-August, a stream of debris ejected by the Swift-Tuttle comet, called the Perseid cloud, becomes […]
Venus remains in the west at dusk. It outshines everything but the Sun and Moon, so you can begin observing it during deep twilight. As August ends, Venus begins to approach Saturn. Saturn is now shining in the south/southwest at dusk. Although not as bright as Venus, it does outshine the stars around it, so […]
