Perseid Peaks | August 2022 Sky Happenings

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 […]

Summer Stargazing at the George Observatory

It’s time to enjoy the lazy days of summer and the wonders of stargazing nights. Now that the George Observatory has reopened to the public, the summer months are the perfect time to pre-purchase tickets online, pack up a picnic lunch or snacks along with family or friends, and head to “the George” located inside […]

Sky Happenings In January, 2018

      The Great Square of Pegasus sets in the western sky. Taurus, the Bull, is almost overhead.  Dazzling Orion, the Hunter is high in the southeast, with his two dogs behind him.  Sirius, the Big Dog Star, is the brightest star we ever see at night.  Leo, the Lion, rises in the east.  […]

Sky Happenings In November 2017

  The Summer Triangle now shifts towards the west as the Great Square of Pegasus appears higher, approaching the zenith.  As the autumn ‘intermission’ in between the bright stars of summer and winter continues, Houstonians with a clear southern horizon can try to find a star that few Americans get to see.  Due south and […]

The Night Sky In October, 2017

   Celestial Happenings This Month     Autumn represents sort of an ‘intermission’ in the sky, with bright summer stars setting at dusk, while bright winter patterns such as Orion have not yet risen.   The ‘teapot’ of Sagittarius sets in the southwest early in the evening.  The Summer Triangle is high in the west.   […]

Sky Happenings in June 2017

This star map shows the Houston sky at 10 pm CDT on June 1, 9 pm CDT on June 15, and dusk on June 30.  To use the map, put the direction you are facing at the bottom.   The Big Dipper is high in the north. From the Big Dipper’s handle, arc to Arcturus […]

What’s “Up” In May, 2017

  This star map shows the Houston sky at 10 pm CDT on May 1, 9 pm CDT on May 15, and dusk on May 31.  To use the map, put the direction you are facing at the bottom. A swath of brilliant winter stars sets in the west at dusk.  Orion, the Hunter, is […]

Sky Happenings in April, 2017

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 […]

Your March Stargazing Guide – Venus Fades as Mercury Appears

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 […]


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