The “Dog Days of Summer” is an expression often used to define a seasonal period of stagnation or inactivity, usually brought on by long days and extreme heat. In the Arizona Central Highlands – similar to that experienced by our ancient predecessors in Greece and Rome – this time correlates with the beginning of theContinueContinue reading “The Backyard Astronomer – The Dog Days of Summer and Giants at Opposition”
Author Archives: The Backyard Astronomer
Summer Constellations, Asterisms, and the Ring Nebula
By Adam England, The Backyard Astronomer The beginning of Summer in the Northern Hemisphere brings warmer nights to the backyard astronomer, a stark contrast from the oft freezing viewing sessions of the Winter constellations. July offers longer days, but also some great stargazing for the moderate sized telescope. The constellations Aquila the Eagle, Cygnus theContinueContinue reading “Summer Constellations, Asterisms, and the Ring Nebula”
Mars, Cancer, and the Beehive Cluster
The scientific community has been intently focused on Mars for the past couple months. Every 26 months, our planets align in a way that shortens the time from Earth to Mars down to about 9 months, and as more countries develop space programs, more robotic explorers are sent to the red planet during this window. ContinueContinue reading “Mars, Cancer, and the Beehive Cluster”
The Super Blood Moon
In the early morning hours of Wednesday 26 May, the Western United States will be treated to an astronomical event not seen in nearly two and a half years – a total lunar eclipse. The 3-hour and 40-minute event will reach totality over Central Yavapai County at 4:18 AM. The culmination of totality is oftenContinueContinue reading “The Super Blood Moon”
Mars
The Backyard Astronomer by Adam England On October 6 the planet Mars made its closest approach to Earth, putting it only 38.6 million miles away. We call this close approach ‘opposition,’ meaning when the Earth and Mars are in a direct line on the same side of the Sun. Because orbits are not perfectly circular,ContinueContinue reading “Mars“
Eclipsing Independence
What’s Up? by Adam England On July 4 we celebrate the Declaration of Independence of the United States from the monarchy of Britain. Traditional ceremonies include community parades, neighborhood barbecues, fireworks, and here in Prescott, we rodeo. After all those festivities, beginning at 8:07 MST, a penumbral lunar eclipse will grace our skies. A lunarContinueContinue reading “Eclipsing Independence“
Miss Mitchell’s Comet
What’s Up? by Adam England Born August 1, 1818 to a Quaker family in the island town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, Maria Mitchell was the third of ten children raised by a schoolteacher father and librarian mother. The culture of fishing and whaling was such that the women were often left alone for months and raisedContinueContinue reading “Miss Mitchell’s Comet“
Venus – Earth’s Sister Planet
The Backyard Astronomer by Adam England The second brightest object in the night sky (after the Moon) is the planet Venus. Records going back at least 5,000 years show human societies acknowledging that the “morning Star” and “Evening Star” were one and the same, traveling across the horizons as it circled the Sun. The SumeriansContinueContinue reading “Venus – Earth’s Sister Planet”
Barnard’s Star
The Backyard Astronomer by Adam England Image courtesy Sky & Telescope Magazine. After the Alpha Centauri star system, the next-closest star to Earth is Barnard’s Star. As early as 1934, science-fiction writers imagined this star surrounded by habitable planets. Now one of the most-referenced stars in science fiction, Barnard’s Star has been featured in dozensContinueContinue reading “Barnard’s Star”
The Backyard Astronomer 