The Backyard Astronomer

Category: Solar System

  • July 2026 – Storm Season on Earth and in Space

    Arizona Monsoon – Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

    July is storm season in Arizona. Dark clouds gather over the Bradshaw Mountains, lightning flashes across the desert, and astronomers reluctantly cover their telescopes as another monsoon shower rolls through. While thunderstorms rage overhead, another kind of storm is raging 93 million miles away.

    On the surface of the Sun, immense magnetic fields twist and snap. When they do, they can unleash solar flares and hurl billions of tons of charged particles into space in events known as Coronal Mass Ejections, or CMEs. Traveling at extraordinary speeds, these solar storms can reach Earth in as little as a few days.

    Sunspots – Courtesy NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory

    Most pass by unnoticed.  Others remind us that space weather is every bit as real as the weather in our own backyards.

    In September 1859, British astronomer Richard Carrington was sketching sunspots when he witnessed a sudden flash of light erupt from the Sun. Less than eighteen hours later, Earth was struck by one of the most powerful geomagnetic storms ever recorded. Telegraph systems failed, operators received electric shocks, and auroras illuminated skies far beyond their usual northern range.

    Today we know this event as the Carrington Event.

    Had a storm of similar magnitude occurred in our modern world, satellites, GPS navigation, radio communications, and portions of the electrical grid could all be affected. Fortunately, scientists continuously monitor the Sun and provide advance warning of potentially disruptive activity.

    The reason solar storms affect us at all lies in Earth’s magnetic field. Generated deep within our planet’s molten core, the magnetosphere acts as an invisible shield, deflecting most of the charged particles streaming outward from the Sun. When particularly strong storms strike, some particles become trapped near the poles, where they collide with atoms high in the atmosphere.

    The result is one of nature’s most beautiful displays: the aurora.

    While residents of Alaska and northern Canada enjoy regular views of the Northern Lights, strong solar storms occasionally push auroral activity much farther south. During recent periods of heightened solar activity, observers across much of the United States reported seeing faint red and green curtains dancing above the horizon. Even Arizona has occasionally been treated to rare auroral displays.

    Fortunately, you don’t need a major solar storm to observe space weather. With proper solar filters, amateur astronomers can safely observe sunspots crossing the face of the Sun. Dedicated hydrogen-alpha telescopes reveal even more, including prominences, filaments, and eruptions occurring in real time.

    As July’s monsoon clouds build over Arizona, opportunities for nighttime observing may be limited. But those same stormy afternoons offer a reminder that weather is not unique to Earth. Our Sun is a dynamic and sometimes violent star, generating storms that can affect planets across the Solar System.

    The next time thunder rumbles across the desert and lightning streaks through the clouds, remember that another storm may be unfolding far above us—one that began on the surface of a star and traveled millions of miles through space.

    Clear skies and happy viewing.

    Adam England is the owner of a local financial services firm and moonlights as an amateur astronomer, writer, and interplanetary conquest consultant.  Follow him on Instagram @TheBackyardAstronomerAZ and at http://www.Manzanita-Insurance.com and http://www.ManzanitaAccounting.com

  • June 2026 – Keeping An Eye On Jupiter

    Jupiter – Imaged by Hubble Space Telescope; Courtesy NASA.

    In Roman mythology, Jupiter was king of the gods, ruler of the heavens, and notorious for his wandering eye. His wife Juno knew this all too well. Often depicted beside a peacock whose feathers bore the “eyes” of the hundred-eyed giant Argus, Juno became a symbol of vigilance and watchfulness. For thousands of years, humanity has kept an eye on Jupiter as well—from ancient storytellers to modern spacecraft exploring the giant planet today.

    “Juno and Jupiter” by Gavin Hamilton, 1770; Courtesy Wikimedia Commons. Note the peacock keeping a watchful eye.

    That mythology found its way into astronomy centuries later. When Galileo first observed the four largest moons of Jupiter in 1610, they were eventually named Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto—figures tied to Jupiter’s many romances and exploits in Roman mythology. As additional moons were discovered over the centuries, astronomers largely continued the tradition, naming many of Jupiter’s satellites after mythological companions, lovers, and descendants of the king of the gods.

    Galileo’s notes on Jupiter and location of 4 Galilean moons, c. 1610; courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

    More than four hundred years after Galileo’s discovery, NASA revived the theme with the Juno spacecraft. Launched in 2011 and arriving at Jupiter in 2016, Juno was designed to peer beneath the planet’s swirling cloud tops and study its atmosphere, magnetic field, auroras, and interior structure. Orbiting through one of the harshest radiation environments in the Solar System, the spacecraft continues to send back breathtaking images and scientific discoveries. Even today, Juno still keeps a close eye on Jupiter.

    Jupiter – Imaged by Juno spacecraft; Courtesy NASA.

    Fortunately, backyard astronomers can do the same this month.

    Throughout the month of June, Jupiter will glow low in the western sky shortly after sunset, offering several beautiful conjunctions for evening observers. The most striking occurs on the evenings of June 8th and 9th, when Jupiter and brilliant Venus appear less than one degree apart in the twilight sky. The two brightest planets will create a spectacular pairing visible even before the sky fully darkens. Binoculars should frame both planets comfortably together, while small telescopes may reveal Jupiter’s four Galilean moons alongside the dazzling crescent phase of Venus.

    The show continues on June 16th, when a thin crescent Moon joins the scene low in the western sky. The pairing should make for an excellent photo opportunity shortly after sunset, especially with foreground scenery or desert landscapes silhouetted beneath the planets.

    By June 24th, elusive Mercury joins the gathering as it approaches Jupiter near the horizon. Observers with a clear western view and steady skies may be able to spot all three planets during evening twilight.

    Jupiter as imaged by Prescott Astronomy Club member Joel Cohen. Prescott Valley, AZ, 2020.

    While Jupiter will sit relatively low for Northern Hemisphere observers this month, even modest backyard telescopes can still reveal its cloud bands and ever-changing family of moons. One of the great joys of observing Jupiter is watching those moons shift position from night to night. Sometimes they line up neatly beside the planet. Other evenings one or more may disappear behind Jupiter or pass in front of its disk, casting tiny shadows onto the giant world below.

    For centuries, humans have watched Jupiter wander across the heavens, weaving mythology, science, and exploration together in its wake. This June, as Venus, Mercury, the Moon, and Jupiter gather in the twilight, take a moment to keep an eye on the king of planets yourself.

    Clear skies and happy viewing.

    Adam England is the owner of a local financial services firm and moonlights as an amateur astronomer, writer, and interplanetary conquest consultant.  Follow him on Instagram @TheBackyardAstronomerAZ and at www.ManzanitaInsuranceAndAccounting.com

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  • May 2026 – A Fire in the Asteroid Belt

    Vesta – Imaged by Dawn spacecraft 2011, Courtesy NASA.

    The dawn of the 19th century marked a boom in astronomical discovery. Telescope technology improved rapidly, revealing a new class of objects orbiting between Mars and Jupiter.

    In 1801, Italian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi discovered Ceres, the first and largest of these bodies. A year later, Heinrich Olbers identified Pallas. These objects didn’t behave like planets, yet they weren’t comets either. They occupied a region that seemed curiously empty.

    Olbers proposed a bold idea. He suggested to William Herschel that these bodies might be remnants of a destroyed planet. If so, additional fragments should lie along similar orbital paths. Searching near where the orbits of Ceres and Pallas intersected, Olbers made another discovery in 1807.

    He had found Vesta.

    Named after the Roman goddess of home and hearth, Vesta became the fourth asteroid discovered—designated 4 Vesta. While Olbers’ hypothesis captured imaginations for years, modern science tells a different story. These asteroids are not fragments of a single world, but leftover building blocks from the early Solar System. That Olbers found Vesta where he did was more coincidence than confirmation.

    Even so, Vesta stands apart.

    Vesta Size Comparison – Courtesy NASA.

    With a diameter of about 330 miles, it is the second most massive object in the asteroid belt, behind Ceres. Unlike many smaller asteroids, Vesta is differentiated, with a core, mantle, and crust—more like a small planet than a typical space rock. In many ways, it is a world that nearly became one.

    Its surface tells a violent story. Massive impacts have carved enormous basins into its southern hemisphere, ejecting debris that has reached Earth as meteorites. These fragments give scientists a rare chance to study a protoplanet without leaving our planet.

    In 2011, NASA’s Dawn spacecraft arrived at Vesta, becoming the first mission to orbit a main-belt asteroid. Over a year, it mapped the surface in remarkable detail, revealing bright and dark regions, ridges, and deep craters.

    For backyard astronomers, Vesta offers a rare treat: it can be bright enough to see. Thanks to its high reflectivity, it may even reach naked-eye visibility under dark skies. More often, it appears as a bright, star-like point in binoculars or a small telescope, drifting slowly against the background stars.

    Throughout May, Vesta will share the early morning sky with Saturn and Neptune, rising just before sunrise. Look low on the eastern horizon along the ecliptic, near the boundary of Pisces and Aquarius.

    Vesta location May 2026 – SkySafari.

    Unlike planets, Vesta won’t reveal a disk or surface detail in most backyard telescopes. The reward comes from tracking its motion. Over several nights, you can watch it shift among the stars—a subtle reminder that this “star” is actually a world in motion.

    So this May, take a moment to seek out Vesta. You’ll be looking at one of the earliest discovered members of the asteroid belt, a survivor from the dawn of the Solar System, and a world that almost was.

    Clear skies and happy viewing.

    #Astronomy #Space #STEM #STEMEducation #NASA

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  • April 2026 – Earthshine: The Da Vinci Glow

    Earthshine – Courtesy Bautsch, Wikimedia Commons.

    Step outside on a clear evening and look for a thin crescent Moon hanging low in the twilight. If the sky is dark enough, you may notice something unexpected: the rest of the Moon faintly glowing. Not bright like the crescent itself, but softly illuminated, as if the entire lunar disk were suspended in dim gray light.

    This phenomenon is known as earthshine, sometimes called the Da Vinci Glow. More than five hundred years ago, the Renaissance artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci correctly reasoned what caused it. The Moon’s night side, he proposed, is illuminated by sunlight reflecting off the Earth.

    Sketch of Earthshine by Leonardo Da Vinci from Codex Leicester (c. 1510).

    Just as the full Moon brightens our night sky, the Earth can do the same for the Moon.

    When the Moon appears as a thin crescent from our perspective, someone standing on the lunar surface would see nearly a full Earth in their sky. Our planet is far more reflective than the Moon, thanks to its clouds, oceans, and ice. Sunlight reflects off Earth, travels to the Moon, and softly illuminates the portion of the lunar surface that would otherwise be dark.

    It’s quite a journey for a ray of sunlight: Sun to Earth, Earth to Moon, and then back again to our eyes.

    The result is the ghostly glow that outlines the Moon’s darker hemisphere.

    Northern Hemisphere snow cover, February 2002 – Courtesy NASA.

    Earthshine is easiest to see when the Moon is in its crescent phases, just a few days before or after a new Moon. During this time the sunlit crescent is thin, allowing the dim Earth-lit portion to stand out more clearly.

    In April 2026, the new Moon occurs on April 17, making the best opportunities to observe earthshine occur on the surrounding nights.

    Look for it in the morning sky from April 14 through April 16, just before sunrise in the eastern sky. Another excellent window appears in the evening sky from April 19 through April 22, shortly after sunset in the west.

    You don’t need a telescope to see earthshine. In fact, it is often easiest to appreciate with the naked eye or a pair of binoculars, when the entire Moon fits comfortably in your field of view. Through a small telescope, the effect becomes even more striking. The dark portion of the Moon appears softly illuminated, revealing faint hints of maria and craters floating in the dim glow.

    Earthshine (composite) – Courtesy @AJamesMcCarthy

    Early spring can be one of the best seasons for earthshine in the Northern Hemisphere. Snow and ice left from winter increase Earth’s reflectivity, meaning more sunlight is bouncing off our planet and onto the Moon.

    What makes earthshine especially fascinating is that it reminds us that the Earth and Moon are constantly lighting each other.

    The Moon brightens our nights, guiding travelers and astronomers alike. At the same time, our own planet is shining back, casting its pale reflection across the lunar landscape.

    So the next time you see a slender crescent Moon in April’s twilight sky, look closely at the darker portion of the disk. That gentle glow you see is sunlight reflected from oceans, clouds, and continents — the light of Earth itself returning to the Moon.

    Clear skies and happy viewing.

    Adam England is the owner of a local financial services firm and moonlights as an amateur astronomer, writer, and interplanetary conquest consultant.  Follow him on Instagram @TheBackyardAstronomerAZ and at http://www.ManzanitaInsuranceAndAccounting.com

  • February 2026 – Back to the Moon

    The Moon, taken by the Apollo 8 crew – Courtesy NASA, Wikimedia Commons.

    Outside of space enthusiasts, Apollo 8 is an almost forgotten mission. On December 21, 1968, three astronauts launched aboard a Saturn V rocket from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. Just 68 hours later, Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders became the first humans to orbit the Moon. A mere eleven years after the launch of Sputnik—the first artificial satellite—and humanity was already preparing to set foot on another world.

    Liftoff of Apollo 8 – Courtesy NASA, Wikimedia Commons.

    That historic step, however, would come seven months later. The systems required to land on the Moon were still being built and tested. Apollo 8’s mission was instead one of proof: to validate the Command and Service Module, perform lunar orbital maneuvers, scout potential landing sites, demonstrate navigation and communications systems, and—most importantly—confirm that humans could travel to the Moon and return safely to Earth.

    These three men were the first to leave Earth orbit, the first to see the Moon’s far side with human eyes during ten lunar orbits, and the first to witness an Earthrise—an image forever immortalized by Lunar Module Pilot William Anders.

    “Earthrise” – taken by Apollo Astronaut Bill Anders, courtesy NASA, Wikimedia Commons.

    You may recognize the name Jim Lovell. Portrayed by Tom Hanks in the 1995 film Apollo 13, Lovell would later command that ill-fated mission and become the first human to travel to the Moon twice—though, like Apollo 8, his journeys would remain in orbit.

    Apollo 17, launched in December 1972, marked the last time humans traveled to the Moon. Three planned missions were canceled, and the remaining Saturn V rockets were placed in museums across the country. Fifty-four years later, humanity has yet to venture beyond low-Earth orbit.

    That is—until now.

    With launch windows opening as early as Friday, February 6, 2026 will see humans once again orbit the Moon. Three American astronauts and one Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut will strap themselves atop NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and embark on a ten-day journey around the Moon and back aboard the Orion spacecraft.

    Artemis I pad rollout – Courtesy @JohnKrausPhotos.

    While both the rocket and capsule have flown uncrewed test missions, this flight is historic in many ways:
    • The first crewed mission of SLS and Orion
    • The farthest humans have ever traveled from Earth—about 8,400 miles farther than Apollo 13
    • CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen becoming the first non-American to orbit the Moon
    • Christina Koch becoming the first woman to travel to lunar orbit
    • Victor Glover becoming the first person of color to journey to the Moon

    PHOTO DATE: March 29, 2023. LOCATION: Bldg. 8, Room 183 – Photo Studio. SUBJECT: Official crew portrait for Artemis II, from left: NASA Astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Jeremy Hansen. PHOTOGRAPHER: Josh Valcarcel

    Launch preparations began in late January, with a series of launch windows opening between February 6 and February 11. Coming shortly after NASA’s annual Week of Remembrance—honoring the crews of Apollo 1, Challenger, and Columbia—this mission underscores a truth that has always accompanied exploration: progress demands courage.

    NASA’s Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launches on the Artemis I flight test, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s Artemis I mission is the first integrated flight test of the agency’s deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and ground systems. SLS and Orion launched at 1:47 a.m. EST, from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

    Rigorous training, modern engineering, and layers of redundancy stand guard over today’s astronauts. Still, exploration has never been without risk. As President John F. Kennedy reminded the world in 1962, “We choose to go to the Moon…and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

    This February, humanity once again accepts that challenge.

    Wishing these explorers godspeed.

  • November 2025 – Lunar Peculiarities

    Imagine watching the formation of our Solar System some 4.5 billion years ago. From an omniscient view, dozens—perhaps hundreds—of planetoids are jockeying for position, carving out orbits around a newborn Sun. Smaller asteroids and comets ricochet through the chaos, colliding by the millions and leaving behind scars that will last for eons.

    Artist Rendering of the Giant Impact Hypothesis – courtesy Nasa.gov

    The most spectacular moments come when two of these young worlds meet on a collision course. In one such cataclysm, the infant Earth—only slightly larger than its neighbor Theia, a planet about the size of Mars—was struck in a glancing, world-shaping blow. The impact nearly destroyed the young Earth, melting much of its surface and leaving its core molten to this day. The debris flung into orbit eventually coalesced into a single, stabilizing companion: our Moon.

    The Formation of the Moon – courtesy timeanddate.com

    That new satellite formed surprisingly close—only about 240,000 miles away. For perspective, Neptune’s distant moon Neso orbits more than 31 million miles from its planet. By cosmic coincidence, the Sun is about 400 times farther away than the Moon but also about 400 times larger, a pairing that grants Earth one of the Universe’s rarest sights: a perfect total solar eclipse. Few, if any, other worlds enjoy such precise alignment.

    Because the Moon formed so near, it soon became tidally locked to Earth. Over time, Earth’s gravity slowed the Moon’s rotation until it matched its orbital period—one turn every 28 days. As a result, we always see the same face of the Moon, while the far side remains hidden from our view.

    The Lunar Cycle – courtesy Britannica.com

    Of course, the so-called “dark side of the moon” isn’t truly dark (sorry, Roger). Just like Earth, one half of the Moon is always lit by the Sun. Its familiar waxing and waning are simply the geometry of sunlight and shadow as the Moon orbits Earth. Each lunar “day” lasts 14 Earth days, followed by 14 of darkness—a rhythm that has ruled our tides, nocturnal skies, and even the biological cycles of life for billions of years.

    My first attempt at lunar astrophotography – Adam England, 2017.

    For astronomers, though, the best lunar phase is the new moon, when our satellite’s glare fades and the heavens open wide.

    This month offers both extremes. The Full Beaver Moon on November 5th will be the largest and brightest supermoon of the year. Just two weeks later, the new moon on November 20th will bring prime observing conditions for the autumn sky. The Leonid meteor shower will peak that week, and Uranus—at opposition on November 21st—will shine at its brightest, visible as a faint blue dot near the Pleiades through a good pair of binoculars.

    Uranus on the night of 11/21/2025 – SkySarfi.

    So step outside, look up, and remember: every phase of the Moon is a reminder of the cosmic collision that made life on Earth—and our night sky—possible.

    Observer’s Quick Notes
    • Full Beaver Moon: Nov 5 – year’s brightest supermoon
    • New Moon: Nov 20 – darkest skies for deep-sky viewing
    • Leonid Meteor Shower: Peaks Nov 17–18 (20–25 meteors/hour)
    • Uranus at Opposition: Nov 21 – near the Pleiades; binocular visible as faint blue dot

    BackyardAstronomer #AmateurAstronomy #Supermoon #Leonids #UranusOpposition #NightSky #STEM #ArizonaAstronomy

  • October 2025 – Lions and Comets and Bears, OH MY!

    Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) as captured 9/24/2025 by Dimitrios Katevainis, courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

    Nearly every evening, the Steward Observatory’s 60-inch Cassegrain reflector takes thousands of photos, the same as it has for almost two decades.  From their perch atop Mount Lemmon at over 9,100 feet of elevation, just a few miles north of Tucson, Arizona, astronomers use this amazing instrument to image small patches of the sky measuring just 5 degrees field of view, or about the width of your fist outstretched at arm’s length.  For 30 seconds at a time, the highly sensitive camera on the telescope gathers the faintest photons of light for a resulting snapshot of space with a resolution of over 111 megapixels.  These detailed stills are compared night-after-night to look for even the slightest changes, the key indicator that some unknown object in the far reaches of our Solar System has been discovered.  On one cold night in January of this year, Carson Fuls, director of the Catalina Sky Survey, found one of these faint dots of light had moved, and then again, the next night.  From nearly 420 million miles away, he had discovered a new comet.

    Catalina Sky Survey, Steward Observatory 1.52m Telescope, Courtesy University of Arizona.

    Once a new comet is discovered, telescopes around the world – and in space – begin to take follow up observations of its path across the sky.  Using a method called parallax, these additional observations track the object against the distant background stars to measure its size, orbit, and distance.  Like looking at a far-off mountaintop, a closer object – such as a tree or building – may appear to move quite a bit as the observer takes a few steps left or right.  Similarly, as the Earth orbits the Sun, and the object moves along its own orbit, the seemingly static background of space offers a standard that scientists can use trigonometry to measure against. 

    Parallax example, Space.com

    The Catalina Sky Survey has discovered thousands of comets, asteroids, and other near-Earth Objects (or NEOs) during its time.  Commissioned by a congressional directive in 1998 to identify nearby objects 1 kilometer or larger, Mount Lemmon was chosen for this mission, and the University of Arizona has managed the discovery of more than 39,000 total objects, accounting for more than 50% of all NEO discoveries.

    Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) imaged by Dimitrios Katevainis. Wikimedia Commons.

    Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) is the official designation for this newly discovered visitor, coming to us from the furthest reaches of the Kuiper Belt.  Professional and amateur astronomers alike have contributed observational data, tracking it as having an aphelion of 244 AU, meaning its orbit takes it more than 240 Earth-Sun distances away.  Being that one AU is 93 million miles, that places its orbit as far as 22 billion miles distant.  The last time it made a pass through the inner solar system was approximately 1350 years ago. 

    Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) location 21 October 2025. Courtesy TheSkyLive.com.

    Throughout the month of October, you can observe this long period comet as it moves across Northern Hemisphere skies.  Early October will find the comet in the constellation Leo Minor, the “Smaller Lion”, and progressing to Ursa Major, the “Great Bear”.  We know Ursa Major from its easily identifiable asterism, the Big Dipper.  On October 21st the comet will make its closest approach to Earth while in the constellation Boötes.  Look to the Western horizon just after sunset, and find the bright star Arcturus.  Approximately 10 degrees above and to the right of Arcturus, or two fists at arm’s length, observers with dark skies may see the comet and its tail visible to the naked eye, but certainly visible in a small pair of binoculars.  As the sky gets darker over the next hour, it will begin to brighten and move down to the horizon, until the tail disappears behind the mountains.

    Adam England is the owner of a local financial services firm and moonlights as an amateur astronomer, writer, and interplanetary conquest consultant.  Follow him on Instagram @TheBackyardAstronomerAZ and at www.ManzanitaInsuranceAndAccounting.com

    #Astronomy #Space #STEM #STEMEducation

    Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ

    Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro

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  • September 2025 – In the Shadow of Titan

    Titan shadow on Saturn, Hubble Space Telescope, Courtesy NASA.

    It seems that discoveries across the Universe are announced almost daily. The Hubble Space Telescope, launched into low Earth orbit in 1990, has been a workhorse in this effort, capturing and analyzing light in multiple wavelengths to probe the unknown. A growing suite of other instruments adds to this quest: the famed James Webb Space Telescope, the twin TRAPPIST telescopes in Chile and Morocco, and the now-retired Kepler Space Telescope, which discovered thousands of exoplanets during its decade-long mission from 2009 to 2018.

    Transit Light Curve, James Webb Space Telescope, Courtesy NASA.

    What these observatories share is the method they use to reveal hidden worlds: the transit method. By carefully measuring the dimming of a star as another body passes in front of it, astronomers can determine the size, mass, orbit, and distance of the interceding object. The most sensitive spectrometers can even parse starlight as it filters through an alien atmosphere, revealing its chemical makeup. From Earth, this technique lets us explore places light-years away without ever leaving home.

    The transit method, Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

    But transit watching is hardly new. Ancient astronomers noticed these celestial crossings long before modern instruments. Pythagoras is credited with realizing that the morning and evening stars were both Venus. In 1032, Persian polymath Avicenna recorded what appears to be a transit of Venus across the Sun. Frescoes at the Mayan ruins of Mayapan on the Yucatán peninsula may depict similar events in the 12th or 13th centuries. By the 1600s, astronomers were regularly predicting and observing the transits of Mercury and Venus.

    Tomb Of Avicenna, Hamadan, Iran.  Wikimedia Commons.

    The early 20th century brought a new focus: the moons of the outer Solar System. Between 1907 and 1944, careful observations before, during, and after a transit revealed that Saturn’s moon Titan had an atmosphere—a discovery confirmed when astronomers began splitting its light into elemental fingerprints. Decades later, in 1979, the Pioneer 11 spacecraft became the first visitor to glimpse Titan up close.

    Surface of Titan, Huygens Probe, Courtesy NASA.

    Titan remains one of the most intriguing worlds in our Solar System. The second largest moon after Ganymede, it is the only moon known to possess a thick atmosphere—denser, in fact, than Earth’s. Rich in nitrogen and methane, Titan’s skies shroud a surface carved by rivers, deltas, sand dunes, and glaciers. Its methane cycle, with lakes and rain that echo Earth’s water cycle, makes Titan feel oddly familiar despite its alien chemistry.

    7/18/2025 Transit of Titan, Efrain Morales, Space.com.

    And this month, you can see Titan’s presence for yourself. Backyard astronomers will have two opportunities to observe Titan’s shadow crossing the disk of Saturn. The first begins at 1:25 AM on September 4th, lasting about three and a half hours. The second starts at 1:09 AM on September 20th, lasting two and a half hours. An 8-inch telescope at 200x magnification or greater should reveal Titan’s tiny shadow creeping across Saturn’s golden globe. Even smaller scopes—4 to 6 inches—can still capture Titan itself as a bright companion near the ringed planet on most nights.

    So set your alarm, aim your telescope at the jewel of the outer planets, and watch as Titan casts its shadow. In those moments, you’ll be connecting with a tradition of skywatchers stretching back thousands of years—humans who, like us, couldn’t resist tracing the stories written in the light of distant worlds.

  • August 2025 – Early Risers

    The early bird may get the worm, but the early astronomer gets the universe.

    August 2025 belongs to the early risers—when the Moon leads the dance and the planets shine their brightest in the hours before sunrise. Watch as our lunar guide sweeps across the sky, spotlighting celestial wonders along the way.

    Beginning around the 1 o’clock hour on Tuesday the 12th, the waning gibbous moon will be directly adjacent both Saturn and Neptune. While Saturn and its rings may be seen with telescope apertures as small as 3 inches, you will need at least an 8-inch scope to begin resolving the blue disk of Neptune. However, even smaller scopes will offer a blue dot near to Saturn this morning, showing how these close approaches are great opportunities to find new objects to observe.

    As the moon passes into the third quarter, the morning of Saturday the 16th will find the moon near to the Pleiades open cluster and Uranus. Like Neptune, the pale cyan coloring and clouds of this distant world are best seen with scopes of 8 to 10 inches or larger.

    The waning crescent moon of Monday the 18th will be near the bright star Elnath, one of just a handful of “linking stars”, being both the horn of Taurus and the knee of neighboring Auriga. Within just a couple degrees radius around the moon this night will also be Venus, the open clusters M35 and M37, the Pinwheel Cluster (M36) and Starfish Cluster (M38), as well as the Flaming Star Nebula.

    On Tuesday the 19th, Mercury will emerge on the eastern horizon just before sunrise. This denotes its greatest Western elongation, or the highest point Mercury reaches in our sky, and the best time for viewing the Solar System’s innermost planet. Jupiter and Venus aligned above will help point the way.

    Backyard Astronomers across Northern Arizona can take advantage of our warm summer nights and dark skies this month to view many wonders of our universe. This may be a great opportunity to learn a little more about your telescope, using various eyepieces to practice “star-hopping” from our lunar guide to nearby planets, clusters and nebulae.

    Wishing you dark (and dry) skies this month!

  • July 2025 – Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower

    As summer unfolds over Prescott, Arizona, July brings two celestial events that promise to captivate both seasoned astronomers and casual skywatchers alike: the New Moon on July 24 and the Delta Aquariid meteor shower, peaking around July 30. These occurrences offer ideal conditions for stargazing, with dark skies and minimal moonlight interference.

    The New Moon phase, occurring on July 24, marks a period when the moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun, rendering it invisible from our vantage point. This absence of moonlight provides the darkest skies of the lunar cycle, making it an excellent opportunity to observe faint celestial objects such as distant galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. For Prescott residents, this means clear, unobstructed views of the night sky, free from the usual light pollution.

    The Delta Aquariid meteor shower is set to peak on the night of July 29 into the early morning hours of July 30. This annual event is caused by Earth passing through debris left behind by Comet 96P/Machholz. As these fragments enter our atmosphere, they burn up, creating streaks of light across the sky. The Delta Aquariids are known for their steady stream of meteors, with an average rate of 15–20 meteors per hour under optimal conditions. The shower has been observed for centuries and was first scientifically documented in the 19th century. Its radiant point lies in the constellation Aquarius, near the star Delta Aquarii, from which the shower gets its name.

    While the shower is best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere, observers in Prescott can still enjoy the spectacle. The radiant point, from which the meteors appear to originate, lies in the constellation Aquarius, near the star Delta Aquarii. To locate this point, look toward the southern sky after midnight. The meteors will be visible across the sky, but those radiating from the direction of Aquarius will appear to move in straight lines, while others may have curved paths.

    To make the most of these celestial events, consider finding a dark location away from city lights, such as Lynx Lake or the Prescott National Forest, to ensure the darkest skies possible. For the best meteor viewing, plan to be outside between 2 a.m. and dawn, when the radiant point will be higher in the sky, increasing the number of visible meteors. Bring a reclining chair or blanket to lie on, dress warmly as temperatures can drop during the night, and give your eyes 20–30 minutes to adjust to the darkness, avoiding bright lights or screens that can disrupt night vision. Patience is key, as meteor showers can be unpredictable; some periods may have numerous meteors, while others may have none.

    July offers a rare combination of events for stargazers in Prescott. The New Moon ensures dark skies, while the Delta Aquariid meteor shower provides a celestial display that is both beautiful and awe-inspiring. Whether you’re a seasoned astronomer or a casual observer, these events are an opportunity to connect with the cosmos and appreciate the wonders of the universe. Remember to check the weather forecast before heading out, as clear skies are essential for optimal viewing. Happy stargazing!