What’s Up in the Night Sky? – December 2024
Lucky us! We have 2 meteor showers this month but don’t celebrate yet. A major one is the Geminids that runs from December 4 to the 20th. Sadly we have that big Christmas tree ornament in the sky called an almost Full Moon blotting out most of the meteors on… READ MORE
What’s Up in the Night Sky? – November 2024
Well I stand corrected! When I stepped out the front door at 10 pm, Thursday evening, October 10 for my dog Maggie’s good night walk, my eyes got a blast of colour so intense I just about fell over myself. Right in front of me was a stunning display of… READ MORE
What’s Up in the Night Sky? – October 2024
A promisingly visible comet, Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3) will be in sight in the west shortly after the Sun sets on October 9. Look towards the eastern side of Virgo preferably with binoculars. Follow it during the next hour and you will observe the ion tail stretch up towards the… READ MORE
What’s Up in the Night Sky? – September 2024
Events in the night sky are mostly predictable but this month, predictions are few and far between. No spectaculars are expected but, as I often write, go out when it’s dark and clear and expect the unexpected. The beauty spread across the heavens is certainly a grand consolation prize. Investigate… READ MORE
What’s Up in the Night Sky? August 2024
Well, we’re on that downhill slide to Winter but that’s good news for amateur astronomers. It means that days are getting shorter and, most importantly, the nights are getting longer. No more staying up to late night to catch a glimpse of your favourite Milky Way targets. The bugs are… READ MORE
What’s Up in the Night Sky? – July 2024
Summertime and there’s glory in the sky! But, nights are short and you have to wait up late to start exploring the sky. For those of you who are willing to sacrifice some sleep time you will find our Milky Way a feast for the eyes as it arches high… READ MORE
What’s Up in the Night Sky? – June 2024
For thousands of years people have been fascinated with the aurora borealis or northern lights and its southern counter part, the southern lights (aurora australis). They are not exactly the same due to fluctuations in the Earth’s magnetic field, but the similar display that both present of rippling ribbons of… READ MORE
What’s Up in the Night Sky? – May 2024
After the hubbub of the total solar eclipse earlier in April, I guess we’re back to the ordinary and supposedly less spectacular monthly events. But wait a sec! Our sky is essentially a smorgasbord with an infinite menu of objects and events that have the potential to provide a real… READ MORE
What’s Up in the Night Sky? – April 2024
Wait! Never mind the header at the top of this column! For this month only, it should read “What’s up in the DAY Sky?”. The long awaited Total Eclipse of the Sun arrives in only a few days; mark it: 8th of April. In our area, along highway 7, we… READ MORE
What’s Up in the Night Sky? – March 2024
Lights Out next month! On April 8 there will be a 99% and a bit, almost total eclipse of the Sun occurring in the Sharbot Lake area. If you are willing to go south half way towards Kingston, you will experience a Total eclipse of the Sun for about 1… READ MORE
What’s Up in the Night Sky? – February 2024
Compared to most months, this one has nothing particularly exciting, spectacular or easily available to jangle your nerves or give you that hit of adrenaline, but then again, there’s a whole universe on display every clear night just begging to be rummaged in and rambled about with trusty binoculars or… READ MORE
Mystery of the Star of Bethlehem – an Astronomer’s View
Let’s get to work! To track down the Star of Bethlehem, an event that happened 2,000 years ago, we must have a reasonably accurate idea of when Jesus Christ was born. Theological historians place the birth of Jesus in September or October in 3 or 2 BC. They researched several… READ MORE
What’s Up in the Night Sky? – December 2023
Besides Christmas, there’s another spectacular splash of bright lights this December. The annual Geminid meteor shower will be upon us. This shower is active from December 4 to the 17th and is considered the most active and the best meteor shower of the year. It peaks on the 14th, but… READ MORE
What’s Up in the Night Sky? – November 2023
Who needs a telescope to enjoy the night sky? Sure, a scope is great for looking at distant and tiny things and is an indispensable tool for much enjoyable observing, but you can miss out on the big picture! Can you look at the Milky Way as it arcs over… READ MORE
What’s Up in the Night Sky? – October 2023
Where is the centre of the Universe? The short answer is that the universe has no centre and no boundary! Think of a 2-dimensional creature living on the surface of a balloon. Where would the centre be to that 2 dimensional being? The balloon can bend and expand in 3… READ MORE
What’s Up in the Night Sky? – September 2023
Have you seen the pictures coming from the Webb Space Telescope? They are stunning, fantastic and filled with new and unforeseen scientific information. I caught a picture of the Whirlpool Galaxy on the news this morning and heard that the information that that beauty contained was 10 times better than… READ MORE
