Earth is a cool place. It has oceans, forests, and mountains galore. These different environments serve as host to millions of different types of animal and plant life, including us, humans. Earth is the perfect size (24,901 miles around), perfect distance from the Sun (93 million miles!), and has the perfect combination of elements likeContinueContinue reading “Sept/Oct 2024 – Aliens!”
Author Archives: The Backyard Astronomer
September 2024 – The History of Saturn
Ringed Planets – James Webb Space Telescope, Courtesy NASA. September gives us prime viewing of two of our Solar System’s four ringed planets. Yes, you read that correctly; our Solar System has four planets with rings. You’re certainly familiar with Saturn, which we have known for its rings for nearly 400 years. However, as ourContinueContinue reading “September 2024 – The History of Saturn”
August 2024 – The Sky Is Falling!
Recently there have been a string of stories in the news regarding objects falling from space. Both the universe and humanity have contributed to these episodes, such as a recent fireball that burned bright over New York City, or the Florida family who in April received quite the surprise when a piece of refuse fromContinueContinue reading “August 2024 – The Sky Is Falling!”
July 2024 – T Coronae Borealis – The Blaze Star
The Ancients observed many of the same “naked eye” phenomena that we also see today, and although their understanding of these astronomical events was limited, they knew something unique was occurring. Episodes such as a lunar or solar eclipse or the passing of a comet could be seen as messages from the heavens, heralding greatContinueContinue reading “July 2024 – T Coronae Borealis – The Blaze Star”
June 2024 – Planets on Parade
Around 4.5 billion years ago, our solar system was nothing more than a large cloud of gas and dust, not much different than the Orion Nebula (Messier 42) that we enjoy looking at with our backyard telescopes every winter. Composed of mostly hydrogen, the cloud coalesced over millions and billions of years until a catalystContinueContinue reading “June 2024 – Planets on Parade”
May 2024 – The Sombrero Galaxy
M104 Sombrero Galaxy, courtesy Joel Cohen, Prescott Astronomy Club. Taken from Prescott Valley, AZ with Astro-Physics Starfire 178 7-inch f/9 APO. The late 18th Century was a golden age of astronomical discoveries. After Galileo famously pointed his early invention at the heavens in 1609, Dutch glassmakers spent decades perfecting the lens technology that allowed forContinueContinue reading “May 2024 – The Sombrero Galaxy”
April 2024 – Solar Cycles and Sunspots
Our Sun, courtesy Mark Johnston, Phoenix Astronomical Society @AZAstroGuy Nearly 3,000 years ago, The Chinese Yi Jing or “Book of Changes” documented small, irregular concealments in the surface of the Sun. By 300 BC, both Eastern and Western cultures were documenting their changing views of our star, and the patterns that would grow and thenContinueContinue reading “April 2024 – Solar Cycles and Sunspots”
March 2024 – Vernal Equinox and Spring Beehives
Beehive Cluster, Courtesy Stuart Heggie, NASA JPL. Tuesday, 19 March, at exactly 8:06 PM MST, denotes the moment when the Sun will again be directly over Earth’s equator. As viewed from Central Yavapai County at approximately 34.54° N, we will see the Sun appear to rise and set due East and due West, respectively. ThisContinueContinue reading “March 2024 – Vernal Equinox and Spring Beehives”
Unicorns and Roses
Rosette Nebula, Courtesy N.A Sharp, NOIRLab, Wikimedia Commons. A lesser-known and relatively modern constellation occupies the void between Orion, Canis Major, Hydra and Gemini, though the stars are difficult to see with the naked eye due to modern light pollution. Monoceros – mono meaning “one” and ceros meaning “horn” – the Unicorn is a simpleContinueContinue reading “Unicorns and Roses”
Dancing Planets
Jupiter, Courtesy Joel Cohen imaged from Prescott Valley, 2020. The planet Mercury is a unique specimen within our solar system. Orbiting every 88 days, this closest rocky body to our Sun has no geological activity and virtually no atmosphere. Its surface is pockmarked with testimonies of destruction, and with nothing to erode the signs ofContinueContinue reading “Dancing Planets”
The Backyard Astronomer 