Archives for the 'sky lore' Category
Really, Mars will NOT be the size of the Moon in the sky!
Published on 2 May 2009 at 3:58 pm.
17 Comments.
Filed under Mars, observing, public science, sky lore, skywatching.
Already, the annual urban myth about Mars being the size of the Moon in the sky is circulating the internet. Come on. Stop it people! Before you forward this thing on to other people, check it out! Actually, before you forward any “news” item that you get in email, text message, […]
Read ‘Really, Mars will NOT be the size of the Moon in the sky!’
Rats
Published on 6 Feb 2008 at 4:20 pm.
No Comments.
Filed under calendars, sky lore.
The Chinese new year is beginning. This year is the Year of the Rat. The Chinese calendar is a lunar calendar. That means that the months and years begin with the New Moon. I wrote about the Chinese calendar last year at the beginning of the Year of the Pig. […]
Planetary Symbols
Published on 28 Sep 2007 at 11:43 pm.
12 Comments.
Filed under planets, sky lore.
When I am writing equations in my astronomy class, the students often find that I am using some odd symbols now and then rather than spelling out the names of the planets of the Solar System. Well, that is because in some cases it is easier to just put the symbol in the equation […]
Harvest Moon
Published on 26 Sep 2007 at 1:25 pm.
4 Comments.
Filed under astronomy, sky lore, skywatching.
Full Moon occurs today at 19:45 UT (2:45 pm Central Daylight Time). You may have gone out to look at the Moon the last few nights and thought that it looked full, but really it was not quite full. The Full Moon is defined by the moment that the Moon is most nearly […]
Corona Borealis
Published on 7 Jul 2007 at 1:38 pm.
2 Comments.
Filed under constellations, sky lore.
The constellation Corona Borealis is located between Vega and Arcturus. It is currently high in the sky at sunset. The image that I’ve loaded is for either much later as it is setting, or this fall when it is low in the western sky at sunset.
Corona Borealis is the “Northern Crown.” The […]
A Blue(ish) Moon
Published on 31 May 2007 at 12:02 pm.
9 Comments.
Filed under astronomy, moon, sky lore, skywatching.
Some people will regard tonight’s Full Moon as a Blue Moon. Others will think of the Full Moon of June 30 as the next Blue Moon. And, some won’t regard either as a Blue Moon. So, just what is going on? And, for that matter, just what is a blue moon?
According to […]
Observing from a well
Published on 19 Feb 2007 at 2:05 pm.
17 Comments.
Filed under astronomy, sky lore.
Can you see stars in the sky during the daytime from a deep well (or chimney, or similar structure)? The answer is no. Not too long ago, I ran into this misconception again. It’s been around for a very, very long time. It’s wrong, but people still pass it along, so […]
