I have never met a pessimistic astronomer.” A New York Times reader recently posted this comment, inspired by another reader’s delighted account of looking through a telescope. I haven’t either. […]
MILLION-YEAR PICNIC
Watching a Red Supergiant Die
One of Orion’s stars could blow any time now, or in 100,000 years
Betelgeuse — the star with the funny name. Maybe you know it from the 1988 movie Beetlejuice, about the eponymous poltergeist-for-hire. Or maybe you’ve heard the name in the news […]
MILLION-YEAR PICNIC
Gems of the Night Sky
A beginner’s guide to the rainbow of star colors
Stargazing in winter is not for the faint of heart. Who would choose to stand out in the freezing cold for hours, staring up at the sky for a glimpse […]
MILLION-YEAR PICNIC
The Geminids Are the Death Fireworks of Meteors
Or maybe just a few shooting stars
I do a lot of my stargazing in New York City. That’s where I watched the transit of Mercury last month. I set up my telescope (with a solar filter) […]
MILLION-YEAR PICNIC
Why Orion the Hunter Is Rising This Evening
An astronomy lesson for five-year-olds of any age
With the end of daylight savings time, it’s suddenly darker much earlier in the evening. You may notice that the night sky has changed since those beach bonfires back in […]
million-year picnic
Two Planets Prepare to Leave the Night Stage
A last fall look at Jupiter, Saturn, and their moons
The constellations of summer are passing from the night sky, while our old wintertime friends, like Orion the Hunter, are making their way onto the stage. The planets Jupiter and […]
million-year picnic
Celestial Navigation
Finding Jupiter and Saturn at the end of your arm
The planets Jupiter and Saturn returned to the evening sky last month and will be with us through autumn. Jupiter looks like a brilliant white-gold star, and Saturn is a […]
