If 2021 had a Woodstock month for astronomy, it would surely be June. This month will see a solar eclipse at dawn on June 10; Jupiter and Saturn in the same binocular view as the waxing moon in the wee hours of June 28; the summer solstice on June 21;… Continue reading
As you may have read in this month’s companion article “A Space for Birds,” the migration of our feathered friends back to the region is both an occasion for joy in itself and a testament to nature’s resilience. But what does astronomy have to do with birds, you ask? Read… Continue reading
If you have young people in the house who are curious about astronomy, here’s an idea to spark their interest. It’s a little game I call “What’s going on with the moon tonight?” It’s easy to forget about the moon in this age of space stations and Mars rovers—Perseverance, NASA’s… Continue reading
The poet T.S. Eliot wrote that April is the cruelest month, but he clearly never spent a winter in the Kawarthas. It’s merciless out there. If you like looking at the night sky, though, February is also a month of long nights with steady atmosphere and stars bright and clear… Continue reading
Stargazing A giant came charging over Medd’s mountain this month. He was colossal, terrifying. In hand he held a raised club, in the other a shield, or possibly a bow. From his belt hung a glittering sword decorated with three shining jewels. I am referring, of course, to the constellation… Continue reading
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of John Crossen, otherwise known as Stargazer, who passed away on March 22, 2018, at age 73. John was surrounded by his devoted wife and soulmate, Deb and angels of loved ones passed. After an award-winning career in advertising, John… Continue reading
Everything in space is moving. The planets, their moons, the stars and galaxies are constantly on the move. So how fast are they zooming along? Let’s start right here at home – on Earth. If you are at the equator reading this article, you are zipping around at 1,670 kph… Continue reading
A few years ago Pluto got its pink slip and dropped from a planet to dwarf planet. That may change shortly. So hang in there you Pluto buffs. Meanwhile Alex Glocer and Vladimir Airapetian, the gentlemen who discovered Proxima b have redefined what they call the habitable zone. That’s where… Continue reading
Mars lies at an average distance from Earth of 225 million kilometers. But the latest idea for making the Red Planet habitable for humankind seems even further out. The problems that must be surmounted are that Mars has no rotating molten iron core to produce an electromagnetic shield and it… Continue reading
