A Movie about a Galaxy Far, Far Away & Long, Long Ago (from Webb Telescope)
I’d like to recommend an amazing, new, short video from the science team at the James Webb Space Telescope, flying through 5,000 distant galaxies. Here is what the team says about their animation:...
View ArticlePerseid Meteor Shower Aug 12-13, 2023
Saturday evening and Sunday morning (Aug. 12-13) is the peak time for one of the better meteor showers of the year – the Perseids (pronounced “Percy – ids.”) The Moon that night is a skinny crescent...
View ArticleTwo Eclipses of the Sun Coming to North America 2023-24
Two different eclipses of the Sun will be visible from all of North America in the coming school year. (And then we won’t see another one until 2045!) The first will be an annular (ring of fire)...
View ArticleEclipse of the Sun Coming in One Week
We are just a week away from the first of two eclipses of the Sun coming to North America in this school year. On Saturday, Oct. 14, most of us will see a nice partial eclipse. But on a narrow path...
View ArticleEuclid Space Telescope Delivers Great Images
The European Space Agency’s Euclid Space Telescope just released its first images and they are beautiful as well as scientifically interesting. This mission features a smaller telescope than Hubble or...
View ArticleGood Meteor Shower This Week
Wednesday evening and Thursday morning (Dec. 13-14) is the peak time for one of the best meteor showers of the year – the Geminids. The Moon is in its new phase on this Dec. 12, so it won’t interfere...
View ArticleEnjoy the Coming Leap Day: Some Thoughts about the Calendar
2024 is a leap year, meaning we add a day at the end of February that is not usually there – February 29. This year it’s a Thursday, so most of us will be going to work or school, and may only be...
View ArticleAn Eclipse of the Sun Coming to N. America April 8th
On Monday, April 8, 2024, there will be an eclipse of the Sun visible from all of North America. In a narrow strip, from the west coast of Mexico, through Texas, Indiana, New York, Vermont and...
View ArticleMy Free Introductory Astronomy Textbook Hits a Milestone
This time I am posting something a bit personal. I am the lead author of a free book that is part of a nonprofit experiment to help students with the costs of college. Here is the news from our...
View ArticleInjecting Caution Into Media Reports of Northern Lights as far South as...
Friday, May 10, there was a lot of discussion on the news, on social media, and on different web sites about storms on the Sun that are unleashing great outbursts of radiation and particles, some of...
View ArticleGood Meteor Shower Coming August 11-12
Sunday evening and Monday morning (Aug. 11-12) is the peak time for one of the better meteor showers of the year – the Perseids. While the best night is Aug. 11-12, there could be significantly more...
View ArticleComing Up: Einstein without Tears; Religion and Extraterrestrial Life
Two upcoming events that may be of interest to you (please pass on to others who may like them): The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at San Francisco State Presents: A non-technical, 6-week class...
View ArticleA Comet Visible in Our Evening Sky
A newly discovered comet is now faintly visible in our skies soon after sunset, if you have clear skies and a view low toward the west-southwest horizon. See our diagram from Sky & Telescope...
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