What’s up in the sky – June 2010
By Fred Barrett There’s a special treat this month for those of you willing to put in a little extra effort. About an hour before the first glimmer of dawn in the East, you will be able to see Comet McNaught (Comet C/2009 R1). Robert McNaught of Australia’s Siding Spring… READ MORE
What’s Up In the Sky - May 2010
By Fred Barrett The constellation Virgo is prominent in the South at mid-evening this month. In many cultures she is identified with purity, maidens and fertility. In ancient times she was a goddess who represented the harvest and growing crops. It is especially suitable then that Virgo can be easily… READ MORE
What’s Up In the Sky - April 2010
By Fred Barrett We still have the winter constellations gathered around Orion in the South and Southwest during the evening. Fifteen degrees left of the sullen red eye of Betelgeuse on the right shoulder of Orion, you encounter the bright star Procyon in the constellation Canis Minor. Procyon is less… READ MORE
What’s Up In the Sky - March 2010
By Fred Barrett We still have the winter constellations gathered around Orion in the South and Southwest during the evening. Fifteen degrees left of the sullen red eye of Betelgeuse on the right shoulder of Orion, you encounter the bright star Procyon in the constellation Canis Minor. Procyon is less… READ MORE
What's Up in the Sky - February 2010
By Fred Barrett Orion is high in the South during February and at its glorious Winter peak for observing. Though there’s still plenty to explore in that territory, this month I’m going to point out a few objects to watch for in nearby Taurus. The most prominent object contained in… READ MORE
What's Up in the Sky - December, 2009
\My highlight constellation for December is Cassiopeia and the area surrounding her. I say “her” because in Greek mythology Cassiopeia was the beautiful wife of Cepheus, king of Ethiopia and mother of Andromeda. The Queen in her vanity bragged that she and Andromeda were more beautiful than the sea-nymphs, the… READ MORE
What’s Up in the Sky – November 2009
Looking up at the stars to the South around 8PM in early November, you see Pegasus near the zenith, one of the most prominent constellations in the night sky. It’s usually described as the Great Square of Pegasus and it appears as a great square with legs and a head… READ MORE
Night Skies - January Venus & Saturn in the January sky
by Leo Enright In the month of January, sunsets continue to be in the very early evening, or maybe more correctly, in the late afternoon. At our latitude, the earliest sunset of the whole year was on December 10. Since that date, sunsets have been just very slightly later each… READ MORE