In the sky this month, you'll see a fine hexagon

The constellation Orion points the way to two other prominent

Last week, we looked at the grand constellation Orion.  Today,

Orion is perhaps the most famous of the 88 constellations

A reminder that the next three to four days presents

Let’s peer into intergalactic space today at a pretty little

What To Look For This Month March marks the changing

During an after-dinner stroll on a cool autumn evening in

At #2 on our “Bucket List for Backyard Stargazers" is

Something good today... a small reflection nebula in the constellation

While a half-dozen comets come and go each year, most

Lots to see for deep-sky observers this month.  The star

The very first article published on One-Minute Astronomer was about

“When you see the Southern Cross for the first time

The new year 2011 starts off strong for stargazers. Depending

Last time we looked at the “Christmas Tree Cluster” in

Let’s continue our year-end tour of Monoceros with a timely

We close out 2010 with a look at the constellation

Deep in the southern sky, in the vast constellation Vela,

If it seems like you haven't seen a lunar eclipse

First sight of the Great Red Spot is a high

High in the northeast sky, Almaak, the third-brightest star in

A meteor storm!  The very term makes an honest stargazer’s

We come to #6 on our "Bucket List for Backyard

Stargazers all over the world enjoy the sight of Orion

The Moon rises late this weekend as it approaches last

While Jupiter is almost always a fine sight for stargazers,

Just north of the famed Double Cluster in Perseus, you’ll

The remarkable variable star Mira approaches peak brightness this month,

I've had many emails asking about Comet Hartley 2, which

Here are the highlights of the sky this month... Comet

While looking for Comet Hartley over the next few weeks,

Today, we turn to the Moon. September 18 marks the

Visit the quaint but noisy tourist town of Key West,

Here are a few things to look for in the

Last week, we examined the odd little asterism called Taurus

Even a casual look at the night sky south of

We recently toured the Coalsack in the Southern Cross, the

Tonight is the peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower, also

Yes, the "great Mars hoax" email is back. Since 2003,

Today, we look at two splendid star clusters between the

Some highlights to look for in the sky this month...

Wedged between the star Acrux and the Jewel Box cluster

The constellation Crux lies under the hind legs of the

“... to greet lame the inspired sky amazed to stumble

If you find yourself under a perfect night sky without

The #10 sight in our Bucket List for Backyard Stargazers

Here are a few lovely celestial sights to see in

If you're traveling on vacation over the next couple of

At star parties this time of year, I'm often asked

The #10 sight on our "Bucket List" for backyard stargazer

We mentioned this on our Facebook page a few hours

If you're up before sunrise on a clear night over

Overview This month brings good news and bad news for

We begin our bucket list for backyard stargazers with the

Stroll through most bookstores and you see them on the

The constellation Leo is one of the few star patterns

This weekend brings a lovely conjunction of the planet Venus

As its cycle of activity finally begins to build, you'll

Overview May brings the fringe benefits of stargazing.  Rich smells

Our sun has been unexpectedly quiet these past few years. 

A little further along the constellation Hydra, you'll find a

Like many constellations this time of year, Hydra contains mostly

Over the next few weeks we'll veer off the spring

An inspiring trip to the planet Saturn, courtesy of the

Overview In mid-December about six years ago, your publisher rode

Upon seeing Saturn through a telescope, many first-time observers ask,

As couple weeks ago, we went through the basics of

The planet Saturn reached opposition this past weekend, rising as

As the weather moderates and northern observers emerge from hibernation

A good pair of binoculars gives you grab-and-go convenience on

Overview March is a "change over" month for the night

If you have a little time for stargazing this week,

The idea of "Men from Mars" has been with us

Let's have a little fun today with an animated trip

You can see many things when you look at Mars

Overview An anniversary this month: 80 years ago, the young

If you have clear sky this week, try to get

Mars swings to within 99 million kilometers of our fair

In our last article, we looked at the Hyades star

Many constellations host tiny open star clusters. But a only

Overview If the weather forecasts are accurate, the new year

Like clouds floating overhead on a summer afternoon, celestial nebulae

Let's turn skyward once again, this time to the deep

Despite the colder weather, the constellation Orion is always a

The bright December stars are wheeling into view this week,

This is long past due... some good advice on how

Last week, we toured a few lovely star clusters in

For northern observers, November and December are the best months

The evening sky is fairly sparse this time of year,

As Jupiter lingers in Capricorn this month, why not take

We're mostly visual observers here at One-Minute Astronomer, but we

The moon is a thin waning crescent today, which means

Subscriber R.B. asks, "All I have is binoculars, 10x50, with

Subscriber E.D. writes, "I wonder if you can help me

I miss Arthur C. Clarke.  He died more than 18

We have several orders of astronomical business today... First, two

Our article last week about the zodiacal light resulted in

"I don't understand it.  It should be right there in

"Before the phantom of False morning died, Methought a Voice

In the mid 19th-century, after many years of diligent solar

In two earlier issues, you learned how to observe the

Jupiter's moons are at it again. Last week, on August

I hope you had a chance to see two of

If my time was fast running out on this earth

In 258 A.D., to distract the masses from constant war

Something strange is circling a bright star in the constellation

Yes, the "great Mars hoax" email is back.  Since 2003,

Last Monday marked the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11

With all the talk of the 40th anniversary of the

No question, the hard science of astronomy enriches our view

Not sure what the weather's like where you are, but

So enough talk about planetary nebulae and white dwarfs.  Let's

As June arrives, the galaxy fields of spring slowly give

Since you've been looking under the Dipper's handle these last

Not far from Cor Caroli and La Superba, which we

Though it lacks the opulent wonders of winter, the northern

Our own Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy are the

Galaxies and planets are on the menu this month.  All

While its name sounds like a disease you'd catch after

A springtime beauty, Messier 44 or (also called the Praesepe

This time of year, in the rich star fields of

One of the brightest stars of the storied Southern Cross

There's good news and bad news as March turns to

A modest but unusually attractive open star cluster in Canis

Two weeks ago, a small asteroid passed within just 72,000

A superb object for small telescopes, the open star cluster

The nights grow warmer this month as the stars of

Comet Lulin zips across the night sky this week, having

We recently looked at Castor, the second brightest star in

The sky darkens early in winter, so it's a great

In the depths of winter, when the sky is dark

There's lots to see this month.  Orion, Auriga, Taurus, and

Perhaps the finest multiple star in the sky visible to

As beautiful an object as you will ever see in

Four degrees due south of Sirius, you'll find the fine

Happy new year, dear reader, and welcome to 2009.  This

The tiny northern constellation Triangulum contains the gorgeous face-on spiral

For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the sky

Many amateur astronomers, including me, believe observers in the southern

We've looked at 47 Tucanae, a jewel of an object

Not far from the Andromeda Galaxy, you'll find the fine

Algol, the second brightest star in the northern constellation Perseus,

Mira, in the constellation Cetus, is a strange pulsating variable

Today, a fine globular cluster. It's not the brightest, it's

Today, a small open star cluster visible from most parts

This young star cluster in the southern skies was born

Well-positioned for northern and southern observers, the Swan Nebula lies

This sparkling group of associated stars in a rich section

We always try to over-deliver at One-Minute Astronomer. Today, instead

Compact and rich, the “Wild Duck Cluster” is perhaps the

The bright double star Albireo that marks the head of

The laid-back days of summer vacation are an ideal time

The Veil Nebula is a sprawling supernova remnant in Cygnus

There's nothing subtle about the giant elliptical galaxy M87… no

Striking in photographs, the Sombrero galaxy offers a fine example

Today we turn to a striking example of a dark

Today, we have something for those of you in southerly

Members of a nearby group of galaxies, M81 and M82

One of the finer sights in the spring sky, the

With a thin disk and bulging central nucleus, this magnificent

A springtime beauty, the Praesepe or “Beehive” open star cluster

A spectacular sight in the cold dark sky of a

Modern astronomical observatories are located on barren far-away mountaintops with

At One-Minute Astronomer, we always have a soft spot for

More than 110 years ago, the wealthy American amateur astronomer

We have a soft spot for history's obscure astronomers... the

Last Monday marked the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11

Often overshadowed by her famous brother William, Caroline Herschel became

You may recall Isaac Newton's famous quote: “If I have

Four years after Karl Jansky's discovery of radio waves from

In the early 1930's, Bell Labs wished to use radio

The inspiring story of Edward Emerson Barnard, an American astronomer

William Herschel (1738-1822) was the first astronomer to systematically look

A thumbnail sketch of Leslie Peltier (1900-1980), a man once

In 1846 Alvan Clark established a telescope factory at Cambridgeport,

Chesley Bonestell painted scenes of space exploration that inspired an

We begin an occasional series of short reviews of outstanding

Music has soothed many a deep thinker over the centuries. 

Here are some odds and ends for you today on

Despite the colder weather, the constellation Orion is always a

You need not look far to see books, blogs, and

Like many skywatchers, I've run up against some unexpected visitors

Not surprisingly, our article on solar activity and global warming

Last Monday marked the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11

Today, One-Minute Astronomer is honored to host the 100th Carnival

Not much time to write this week since we're off

One of the best ways to enjoy astronomy is to

Based on the huge amount of feedback we received from

"Better to do a little well than a great deal

"We haven't got the money, so we've got to think!"

Something different today... a chance for you to make a

I was going to suggest you inspect a lovely double

We come to #6 on our "Bucket List for Backyard

Follow the arc of the Milky Way on a dark

If you own a good star atlas and look carefully

Something a little different today... a video of a talk

Take a look at your index finger held out arm's

Sometimes, though not often, nature points the way to knowledge

I miss Arthur C. Clarke.  He died more than 18

Our article last week about the zodiacal light resulted in

Over the spring and summer, we finished our series on

Supernovae, the explosive deaths of massive stars, are fairly rare

We've been told we're crazy to try to explain the

Some new subscribers are terrified by the coordinate system for

After a mid-sized star ejects its outer layers as a

After forming out of a cloud of gas and dust,

We get many questions each week at One-Minute Astronomer from

Those of you on Facebook may have heard of the

In the prime of their lives, when stars burn hydrogen

Here's a short explanation of star colors to help you

Most globular clusters are spherical collections of ancient stars born

The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle declared the heavens were perfect

Continuing from the last issue, here are five more fine

“Can you suggest a good astronomy book?” We get that

In July, we went through the basic idea of how

Like dazzling jewels set against the black velvet of deep

This is easy, I promise… no calculus required! Just a

As you know, the Milky Way is a spiral galaxy…

In their youth and middle age, medium-sized stars like our

The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle declared the heavens were perfect

Spring is the time to peer up and out of

Astronomers use a numerical measure called “magnitude” to describe the

Most stargazers think of the Moon as a blazing-white sight

The next installment of the “Bucket List for Backyard Stargazers”

First sight of the Great Red Spot is a high

Yet another respectably-bright comet is nearing Earth and will put

Most night-sky sights remain unchanged over the brief months and

As backyard stargazers, we spend our time looking up and

The planet Saturn reached opposition this past weekend, rising as

While no one's found palm trees and skyscrapers on Mars,

You can see many things when you look at Mars

Mars swings to within 99 million kilometers of our fair

As Jupiter lingers in Capricorn this month, why not take

We're mostly visual observers here at One-Minute Astronomer, but we

The moon is a thin waning crescent today, which means

Subscriber R.B. asks, "All I have is binoculars, 10x50, with

Subscriber E.D. writes, "I wonder if you can help me

I miss Arthur C. Clarke.  He died more than 18

Our article last week about the zodiacal light resulted in

"Before the phantom of False morning died, Methought a Voice

In the mid 19th-century, after many years of diligent solar

In two earlier issues, you learned how to observe the

Jupiter's moons are at it again. Last week, on August

I hope you had a chance to see two of

As August moves into its final days, Jupiter, the King

White-light solar filters let you see sunspots and a few

We're thinking of the sun again today, perhaps because we've

In 258 A.D., to distract the masses from constant war

Today, we're kicking off a new series on observing the

Over the past few weeks, many have asked if there

Today,  a guest article from well-known astrophotographer Jerry Lodriguss at

If this hasn't happened to you yet, it will. It'll

Imaged-stabilized (IS) binoculars give stunning low power views of the

We haven't done an observing tip in a while.  So

A special treat today for you... an exclusive interview with

Subscriber E.D. writes, "I wonder if you can help me

Once I get going on a night's observations, not much

Most telescopes sit on either an alt-azimuth mount or an

Some new subscribers are terrified by the coordinate system for

We came across some ads for classic telescopes from the

Today, an article for beginners that's well past due. Many

You asked for it, so here it is... the third

Are computerized "Go-To"mounts just for people too lazy to learn

Today, the second of three installments of my interview with

A special treat for you today... the first of three

In the spirit of continuous improvement, and to help you

To bring out contrast in the clouds of Jupiter and

We've covered portable grab-and-go refractors that are ideal for a

Small Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes are a godsend for urban observers who

Last time we went through the basics of magnifying optical

On top of your main telescope, you may have a

As you've discovered, wide-field eyepieces give wonderful views of star

For expansive views of star fields, nebulae, and other deep-sky

Think it's tough to choose a telescope? Wait until you

Here's another short guide to quality options for astronomy gear.

You've seen them in the astronomy magazines. Glossy blue or

The sky is blue… the sun is setting, and it

The telescope with the most light-collecting power for your money

We've been talking about refracting telescopes over the past few

The image of a distant galaxy or star cluster in

A great big telescope is indispensable for seeing faint deep-sky

To best see faint deep-sky objects like galaxies and nebulae,

Whether you're a beginner or experienced amateur astronomer, star parties

Light pollution filters help you transform a washed-out city skyscape

If your summer vacation takes you to clear dark skies,

“Can you recommend a good telescope for a beginner?”. It's

Spending your vacation in the city this summer under hazy

Darn it! You're away on a trip and you're without

Although they are expensive, imaged-stabilized (IS) binoculars give stunning low

Here's some plain advice on how to choose a good

A good pair of binoculars gives you grab-and-go convenience on

An apochromatic refractor uses an objective lens of extra-low dispersion

Four hundred years ago, Dutchman Hans Lippershey looked through two

To best see faint deep-sky objects like galaxies and nebulae,

Using averted vision means looking slightly off to one side

Past a highway sided by orange groves, avocado stands, and

In 1845, William Parsons built a 72-inch reflecting telescope that

The first planetarium in the Western hemisphere is found on

The world's largest refractor lives at Yerkes Observatory on Lake

Located in the Diablo mountain range east of San Jose,