In July of 1964, the Houston Museum of Natural Science opened its new museum in Hermann Park with modest exhibit space and the Burke Baker Planetarium. A state-of-the-art Spitz Space Transit Planetarium dominated the theater’s center with its flat floor and a few slide projectors. Two star balls connected by cages, swinging in a yoke, […]
Jupiter is now a late evening object, rising in the east. It rises by 9 p.m. on Feb. 1, and by Feb. 29 it comes up just before 7 p.m., which is during evening twilight. Jupiter comes to opposition on March 8, which is when Earth aligns with Jupiter and the Sun. That is why […]
Venus is in the southeast at dawn, approaching Saturn. Venus passes Saturn the morning of January 9; the two planets are less than one tenth of one degree apart! They’re easy to tell apart, as Venus outshines all the stars we see at night and is almost 100 times brighter than Saturn. Mars is now […]
Saturn sets in twilight for the first week of November and is lost in the sun’s glare the rest of the month. Venus, Mars and Jupiter are still close together in the morning sky this month. Right now, Venus is close to Mars, with Jupiter above them. Venus and Mars are 0.68 degrees apart the morning […]
Saturn is now in the southwestern sky at dusk. It outshines the stars around it, so it’s also easy to see. By Halloween night, however, Saturn sets in twilight; it drops into the Sun’s glare next month. Venus, Mars, and Jupiter will come close together in the sky late this month. Right now, the three […]
Saturn is now in the southwestern sky at dusk. It outshines the stars around it, so it’s also easy to see. Mars is a little higher in 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 […]
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 […]
This is the last month to observe the two brightest planets in the western evening sky. On June 30, Venus overtook Jupiter. This month, watch Venus shift to the left of Jupiter each evening at dusk. Meanwhile, both planets appear lower and lower to the horizon each night, until they are both lost in the […]
Mars remains in the west at dusk this month as it moves through Pisces. Mars continues to fade a little each night as Earth continues to leave it farther behind. After this month, Mars begins to be lost in the glare of the Sun. Venus is in the west at dusk. Venus overtook Mars on […]
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 southwest at dusk. This month and next, Mars approaches Saturn more and more. Venus remains in […]
