A wise man once said, "All good things must eventually come to an end," and I am sorry to say alas, that is even true for this column. Many of you are aware I have ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. It has taken my hands, it is taking my legs and now my voice without which I cannot dictate the column, which my loving wife (and lifelong-secretary) has typed for me for the last several months...

We all know the Christmas Story. It is recorded for us in Luke Chapter Two of the Bible. However, that is not today's Christmas Story, which involves wrapping paper, tinsel, and glitter. There is another story associated with Jesus that completes the Christmas Story begun in Luke Two, and that is the Crucifixion of Jesus beginning in Luke 23:26. Because without the second, the first one has no meaning...

In our list of things to look at with your new telescope, one of the best is the Great Nebula in Orion, listed by French astronomer, Charles Messier, as number 42 on his list of things that are not comets. It is very easy to find and makes a great object for viewing in binoculars or a telescope, but with the scope, you can see so much more in fine detail...

Okay, you come down Christmas morning and find that new telescope you were wanting. After your initial flood of joy at all the sparkly, shining things on it, what do you do now? That was the situation I faced, when at age 12, I was given a telescope by my parents for Christmas. I could not wait for it to get dark, so I could go outside and see the wonders of the universe...

We are past Thanksgiving, so I guess it's okay to talk about Christmas. It is difficult to know what to get for your favorite astronomer. Do they need a new Do-dad for their telescope, do they already have that new gizmo you are going to buy, or do they even need what you are planning to get?...

Okay folks, let's go to the old mailbag -- or should I say email -- for a reader's question, "Where do we get constellations?" There are 88 recognized and approved constellations in the night sky. I say approved because nobody can just go willy-nilly naming constellations and stars. There is a whole group of people who are responsible for naming things like that...

I have saved this the fifth and final constellation of the southern ocean because it is my favorite. Not because there is anything great to be found there or it is spectacular to behold. I a.m. someone who tends to favor the underdog and if there is an underdog in the sky, this one is it...

We have just past a significant hallmark of the year, in the ancient Celtic calendar, that is. It is a cross-quarter day called Samhain, pronounced SAH-win, (don't ask me, I just report these things) otherwise known as Halloween -- or better yet as All Hallows Eve'...

Today, we have a real fish tale -- or rather a tale of two fish tied by the tail. We will be looking at another very dim constellation, Pisces, the Fish. Pisces is usually represented by two fish tied together by a rope, or fishing line, either by the tail or mouth...

I have delayed discussing the "Celestial Sea" until now, to give time for all five of the constellations involved to be above the horizon at a decent time. Now that Cetus, the Whale (or sea monster, if you will) has cleared the horizon, we can begin wading in the celestial water...

First off, sorry about the cosmic "Easter Egg Hunt" I sent you on last week. Those objects can be seen in the early evening December sky--but it is colder in December, so save last week's column and check them out then. The Parade of Planets is still visible in the early evening sky, even though one (Jupiter) has slipped into the early morning sky...

Autumn continues on with some remarkably clear skies, which match some remarkable events and things to look at. Some are transient events and can be seen on only one or two evenings (or mornings), like today's event, when a crescent moon meets the planet Saturn in tonight's evening sky and meets the planet Mars on Friday...

Now that we have past the autumnal equinox things have settled down, well not quite. The temperatures are assuming fall proportions and are dropping rather precipitously in the evenings. Equinox means equal day and equal night and supposedly on the day of either the autumnal or the vernal equinox (spring) daylight and dark will be equal. However, such is not the case. Due to that pesky 23.5 degree tilt of Earth's axis there are slight differences according to where you live...

Autumn is always a nice time of year. The heat of summer is changing slowly to the coolness of autumn and there simply seems to be a calm in the air. However, the leaves on the trees are not the only things changing with the autumn season. We are seeing changes in the celestial realm as well...

What do you think of when you hear the term "Harvest Moon?" Some folks see a bare field full of corn shocks, with pumpkins, squash, and other autumn crops stacked around the bottom of them. As for me, I see a giant orange moon rising over the horizon looking like a super-large pumpkin dominating the eastern sky just after dark...

Hope you had the opportunity to view some of the events concerning the Mars-Antares-Saturn big show last week, if you didn't, the planets will be hanging around for a while yet, just not nearly as close as before. If you have been following the "Big Show," you might have noticed that the whole bunch is moving slightly west by the average of four minutes per day. This is the result of Earth going around the Sun...

One would not normally think of a diving board in reference to celestial matters; however, for grins and giggles, we are going to do so. The "Stinger stars" at the end of the tail of Scorpius could provide a nice diving board into other celestial objects. For instance, Shaula and the Lasath are the "Stinger stars" in the Scorpius tail. They look like a nice pair of double stars, but nothing could be further from the truth...

Before we get to the skies, I have an announcement. The miracle of modern science and medicine has determined that I have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, in the King's English, ALS, or more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Two things are known about ALS, one, it is fatal; two, there is no known cure...

If there is one thing an amateur astronomer looks forward to in the astronomical year, it is the annual Perseid meteor shower. This show occurs when Earth passes through the debris stream left by Comet 109P Swift/Tuttle. Meteors from the shower are visible anywhere from July 17 through Aug. 24 but the peak observation period is the evening of Aug. 11 through the early morning hours of Aug. 12...

August-- one good thing that we can say about this month is the rest of the year is downhill from here. Another good thing that we can say about August is the Perseid meteor shower. Another thing that can be said about August is that it is arguably the hottest month of the year. Although we had several days of 100+ temperatures in July, it remains to see what August does...

Congratulations to the few of you--the precious few--who caught my misstatement two weeks ago that Libra was to the upper left of Scorpius. Anybody with a star chart knows that Libra is to the upper right of Scorpius. Guess I am going to need to start carrying a rock in my left hand so I can tell the difference...

This week we continue our Cook's Tour of the constellation Scorpius. Located in the south about an hour after local sunset, look for the distinctive backwards "J" or the fishhook shape of the constellation. The head is marked by three second-magnitude stars in a straight up and down line...

One of the favorite and most recognizable jewels of the summer sky is the constellation Scorpius, the Scorpion. It is one of the few constellations that actually looks like what it is supposed to be, a giant, fierce, menacing, scorpion. To find it look due south when the sky is good and dark after local sunset (about an hour and a half). ...

Well troops, here we are past the Fourth of July and past all the sound, and those flashy, bright sparkly-things, and noise. Now all we can hope to avoid is Nature's fireworks shows -- at least until wheat harvest is over. We have managed to blow through the first half of the year, so I guess we can say it is all downhill from here...

Did you have fun with double star Nu Draconis last week? Nu Draconis is the star on the upper left corner of the lopsided head of Draco, the Dragon. Look northeast after the sky is good and dark (9:30-10:00 pm MDT) for Vega, the brightest star are the area. The head of Draco is just to the left...

While we were off lollygagging around all the planets that were -- and still are -- visible in the early evening, we missed a milestone for the year, the Summer Solstice (the first day of summer). Solstice is Latin for "Sun stands still," and while it doesn't actually, it would appear to do so for anyone who was watching the rising and setting times and locations each day...

Before we start with new business, let's stop and take time for a blatant commercial. It is that time of year for the annual Nebraska Star Party. That week-long gathering in north-central Nebraska of 200 to 300 astro-geeks and their families to celebrate all things astronomical...

There are still three very observable planets in our evening sky. Jupiter off to the southwest just under the belly of Leo, and Mars and Saturn in the southeast almost in the claws of Scorpius, the Scorpion. Best viewing times will be an hour to an hour and a half after local sunset -- sunset for now in Southwest Nebraska/northwest Kansas is just after 8 pm MDT...

Mars has had its turn on center stage, now we give our attention to probably the best looking of all of the planets, Saturn, the ringed one. Friday, June 3, Saturn will be at opposition, or opposite the Sun in our night sky and possibly the brightest for the year. It rises at sunset and sets at sunrise and thus will be up all night for our viewing pleasure...

The Mars opposition has passed but the planet is still holding forth in the eastern sky a couple of hours after local sunset. Normally opposition is also the date the planet is closest to Earth, however, due to the vagaries of orbital mechanics -- I don't pretend to understand it, I just report on it -- Mars will be at its closest for this pass on Monday, May 29...

The time is rapidly approaching. Very soon -- if it hasn't already -- the Great Mars Hoax of 2003 will once again raise its ugly head like the ancient Medusa, the beast that no matter how many heads you cut off, more will grow back. With the approaching opposition of the planet Mars -- Sunday, May 22 -- we will probably see a hoax that started in 2003 which says Mars will appear as large as the full moon. ...

Now that all the excitement of the Mercury transit is over, let's return to our Top Ten List of things to see from a city sky. We left off with the Hercules Cluster (M13) in the northeastern sky. Now we will travel to due north to find our old friend, the Big Dipper...

First off, let us take care of the important matters, today is Star Wars Day, May the Fourth be With You. Those of you who are fans will understand. Now, let's get back to our Top Ten list for things to see from the not-so-dark sky of the city. We started with the obvious, the moon. There are no problems seeing it from anywhere, and this coming Friday, May 6, will provide an excellent opportunity to begin a month-long "Moon Watch."...

I know we didn't get far with our "Top Ten" list of things to see from a city sky, but sometimes things just pop up to get in the way. Such is an event this time. Want to know how to drive an astronomer goo-goo? Tell him there is a planetary transit of the Sun coming up. He (or she) will get glassy-eyed, start to drool at the mouth, and get weak in the knees...

Never let it be said that we don't listen to requests from our readers. Having just finished a series of the Top Ten Objects visible from a dark-sky location, a reader asked about items visible from a city location where light pollution knocks out most observable objects...

And now -- drum roll please -- number 10 on our list of "Top Ten" things to see in the night sky, and sorry folks, but this is another "faint fuzzy" (actually two of them) as were most of the rest of them but it is easier to find. Be outside at your favorite dark-sky place at least one and a half to two hours after local sunset with your binoculars looking north...

Let's see, where were we? Oh yes, ready for number five on our "Top Ten" list of things to look for on a spring evening. Just remember, we must be at a dark sky place at least an hour after local sunset which in southwest Nebraska is at about 7:15 pm MDT...

Anybody get up early on the morning of March 23, to attempt to see the penumbral eclipse of the moon? Yeah, I didn't either. That kind of eclipse is difficult if not next to impossible to see. However, something we can see can be found in the early evening sky these early spring evenings. Here is a "Top Ten" list of things to look for...

Now that the equinox is past, I can share my attempt at spring poetry: "Spring has sprung, the grass is rizz, I wonder where the flowers is." Well, make of it what you will. Folks today don't pay as much attention to the sky as they did say 100 years ago. For them the stars and their movement gave directions as to when to plant, when to harvest, care of animals, and when the seasons were changing...

Before we start, I would hope by now you have all made your annual "leap forward" and changed your clocks into Mountain Daylight Time. Daylight Saving Time, our annual leap of partial insanity which makes us think we have a longer day. I am reminded the story of when a Native American chief was told about Daylight Saving Time he said, "It would take the government to think that by cutting a foot off one end of a blanket and putting on the other that he would have a longer blanket."...

Okay, first off, you need to be out at your favorite dark-sky spot at least an hour after local sunset--a little later would be alright too--looking southeast. One of the first questions we might ask is, "Where have all the bright stars gone?" And, it would be a good question...

Okay, now I have to go to the blackboard and write 100 times, "It is the summer solstice" in order to make up for my gaff of a couple weeks ago when I mentioned the "summer equinox." The correct reference is summer solstice and autumnal equinox which goes along with the corollary of the vernal (spring) equinox and the winter solstice...

So, what will it be? Will March come in like a lion or a lamb? With all the warm temperatures we have been having, and with the wind I was beginning to think March had come early. We have discussed before some of the history behind the lion/lamb mythology. It is not quite as famous as that pesky rodent in Pennsylvania, but still bears a look...

As with most temporal events things are a changing. In case you haven't noticed, or were just not paying attention, the days are getting longer and we are having more hours of daylight. Since the winter solstice we have gained about one hour and 26 minutes as of today and will be gaining more until the summer equinox when our days will begin going the other way...

Two of the jewels of the night sky are in good location for viewing these February evenings. The first is the great Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and the second in the same section of the sky is the Triangulum Galaxy (M33). The Triangulum is also sometimes called the Pinwheel Galaxy, a name it shares with M101...

Well, we have burned through the first month of our new year and things are starting to heat up astronomically speaking, now we just have to wait for the weather to catch up. Yesterday was Groundhog Day, or the day that pesky rodent in Pennsylvania was supposed to stick his head out of his burrow looking for his shadow...

It is always fun to dip into the old mailbag to get a question from readers. This one asks, "Why are there so many bright stars in the winter sky?" Good question. With the stars of Orion, Auriga, Taurus all hanging just above the eastern horizon after sunset, it would seem there are a lot of bright stars available for our viewing...

Remember last May when we talked about how the Milky Way was all around the horizon? Remember how we said if we come back in a few months we would see it overhead? Well, since we are already outside, look toward the southeast horizon to find a faint trail of stars that marks the Milky Way...

Did you ever sing the little ditty that goes, "Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky? Did you ever wonder why stars twinkle? What makes the starry host as viewed from a dark-sky place seem to look like so many blinking Christmas lights against a dark background?...

While most people would not think of winter is a great sky watching time, but some of the brightest stars and well known constellations are visible during the winter season. Let's start tonight. Go to your favorite dark-sky place at about 8 p.m. local time and look east. There you will find Orion, the Hunter, the king of the winter sky just rising over the horizon...

In the immortal words of the W. Clement Moore's poem, "The Night Before Christmas, "he writes, "The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow, gave a luster of midday to objects below." One reason for that luster was probably a full moon and we are going to have that same view of a full moon on the snow at Christmas this year; an event that occurs rarely. We haven't seen one since 1977 and won't see one again until 2020...

We are approaching a major change in the year, winter starts on Dec. 22, at 9:48 pm MST. At that time the Sun reaches its farthest point south of the celestial equator -- an event called the Winter Solstice. However, just because it is winter, that does not change the exciting prospects for observing outside your backdoor have lessened. In fact it is probably just the opposite...

So, now it is we approach the time of year where, for some, thoughts of Sugar Plums start dancing in our heads, for others thoughts of what we have been wanting all year float in and out of our dreams. Often the question comes to us in the form of, "What telescope should I buy? That is like asking what kind of car should I buy? It comes down to first deciding what you want to do with it, before you decide which one you want...

We continue our tour of the Celestial Ocean this week with the last three -- and the most difficult to locate -- of the constellations located there. We left off with a dim and rather nondescript constellation Piscis Austrinus, the Southern Fish with its very bright Fomalhaut, often called the "lonliest star in the sky" because there are no other stars visible around it, including the stars of its own constellation...

The Civil War had a profound effect on our nation. One effect that it had on the country was that it hastened settlement of the western United States. A good many of these early settlers were veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865. McCook, like many other western towns owed much to the Civil War vets, young men, who traded the excitement and adventure of the war for the new adventures (and untold hardships) of opening up a new country, Western Nebraska...

Here we are, two months left in the year, and all the excitement of the end-of-year activities (Thanksgiving and Christmas if you missed the hint). But that also means there are grand things afoot in the sky. Specifically the southern area of the sky that we like to call, "The Celestial Ocean" because the constellations there all have to do with water or oceans...

My original plan was to discuss the celestial ocean this week with all the "aquatic" constellations now floating in the southern sky after sunset, but I am going to put that on the back burner for a week since we are now close to Halloween. Halloween has always had an astronomical connection and not all of them are necessarily "spooky."...

Meteor showers are always fun to watch. Tiny specks of cometary debris left by a passing comets come into contact with Earth's atmosphere and incinerate in the heat of the friction caused by its speed. Tonight (Wednesday, Oct. 21) and into the early morning hours of Thursday residents of Planet Earth will be treated to such a show...

If you have been missing the early morning dance of the planets because of clouds or other such things that block your view, not to worry. It will continue on into November and for some aspects even into the next year. The planetary alignment is such now that Venus, Mars, and the giant Jupiter are visible together about an hour before local sunrise these early autumn mornings...

Now that we have the total lunar eclipse out of the way, let's turn our attention to other coming attractions in our nightly celestial showcase. One thing for sure, I love a parade, and the flashier the better. Well, we have a really flashy planetary parade coming up beginning this week and extending into November and possibly even into the new year...

Every once in a while Earth will slide between the Sun and moon and we here on Earth experience what is known as a total lunar eclipse -- that is where the shadow of Earth not only crosses the face of the moon, but totally engulfs it. We almost had one on the Aug. ...

The days have been growing shorter. Ever since the summer solstice where the Sun was as far north in the sky as it gets for the year giving us the longest days and shortest nights; it has slowly been moving back south until on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 2:21 am MDT it will cross the celestial equator giving us almost equal days and nights -- the autumnal equinox...

We have entered the ninth month of the year and I find myself wondering, what happened to the other eight; anymore they seem to fly by so quickly. Be that as it may, September will be a very exciting month astronomically speaking. There is a lot going on, all the way from watching a very slender crescent moon dancing with some planets in the morning, to the autumnal equinox, the return of the Zodiacal Light, the closest moon of the year, and a total lunar eclipse, and an opportunity to get out and just look at the moon.. ...

September, wow, where has the year gone? Sort of like watching the stars and constellations pass overhead from east to west. In three weeks we will be observing the Autumnal Equinox -- the beginning of autumn -- and a few days later a total lunar eclipse. Talk about anticipation...

Normally in this column we discuss astronomical events that are coming up, however, today we are discussing something which is not going to happen--ever. Many of you by this time have seen postings on various aspects of social media that on August 27th, there will be two moon sized objects in the sky, one the planet Mars, and the other the moon. Well, sorry to burst your expectative bubble, but in the vernacular of my people--it ain't gonna happen...

Well, now that we have the Perseids out of the way for another year, let's continue with business. One thing we did notice while out looking for meteors -- even if you missed the meteor shower -- the constellations are changing. The Summer Triangle of Lyra, Cygnus, and Aquila, which have been on the eastern horizon are now directly overhead at midnight, ready to take the plunge into the downhill slide into the western half of the sky...

Do you have your dark-sky place picked out to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower starting tonight, Wednesday, August 12, into Thursday morning, August 13? At present the weather for the Denver area does not look promising for clear skies Wednesday evening. However, the forecast-at present-for southwest Nebraska and Missouri is looking very good with clear skies for both locations. You might want to check out your local forecast for Wednesday evening just in case...

Did you see the "Blue Moon" last Friday? Wasn't blue was it? The term "Blue Moon" is just one of those things that get attached to something. In this case two full moons in one calendar month. It is a name for something that happens rarely, like "Once in a blue moon."...

Before we get to Sagittarius, I want to take a quick jump back to Scorpius, or at least to the area around the scorpion, specifically in what is today called Libra, the Scales. Specifically, two second magnitude stars in Libra that used to be attached to Scorpius as its fearsome claws, Zubeneschamali--the Northern Claw, and Zubenelgenubi--the Southern Claw...

By now I am sure you have heard that the New Horizons mission to Pluto went off without a hitch and some great data is being returned to Earth; all the scientists are giggling like school girls. Now, remember last spring when we discussed how it was not possible to see the Milky Way because it was running around the horizon? Well, we can see it now in all its glory...

By now I am sure you have heard that the New Horizons mission to Pluto went off without a hitch and some great data is being returned to Earth; all the scientists are giggling like school girls. Now, remember last spring when we discussed how it was not possible to see the Milky Way because it was running around the horizon? Well, we can see it now in all its glory...

One of the difficulties in writing a column such as this is something called "lead time." That is the amount of time before the publication date the copy has to be into the newspaper. In this case, the copy must be sent in at least by the Friday before the Wednesday publication...

Have you ever seen a bunch of grown scientists and engineers act like children at Christmas? Then go to the control room at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab where information is being received from the New Horizons space probe approaching the planet Pluto...

It's that time again. Time for a seasonal change. Although it has felt like summer for a few weeks now, it won't be official until Sunday, June 21, at 10:38 am MDT when the Sun reaches the furthest point north in its travels for the year -- on the Tropic of Capricorn -- 23 degrees north of the equator...

Normally we outdoor types are happy to see summer arrive. The warmer temperatures, the bright sunshine, the fun outdoor activities. However, we astronomer types--we do our thing in the dark--are not so happy to see summer begin. "But," I hear you say, "I thought you would be happy. "There are so many more and brighter objects to see in the sky, in the summer, so many more interesting objects to look at. Why would you not be happy?"...

For thousands of years we have used the stars as a symbol of stability. Objects that are fixed in the firmament giving us a sense of steadiness knowing that they would always be there right where we expected to see them in the night sky. We could depend on them to tell us when the seasons changed, when to plant, when to harvest, and when the hunting would be the best. We knew they would be there when and where we expected them to be...

We are coming to you this week from the gloriously dark skies of rural west-central Illinois, about an hour north of St. Louis. If you look at a map of Illinois, that peculiar bulge caused by the meandering of the Mississippi River is west-central Illinois putting it north of St. Louis...

Who remembers the little rhyme, "Star light, Star bright, first star I see tonight. Wish I may, wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight"? Who can forget waiting outside for it to get dark so you could be the first one to spot the "wishing star" and have your wish granted. Scanning the sky from right to left, up and down just to be able to find that star...

One of the great joys of the late spring/early summer is going outside when the sky is good and dark and gazing at the Milky Way. That glowing stripe of massed stars representing the edge of our galaxy spreads across the sky giving us a grand sight and all we need is our eyes...

When I was a boy I remember visiting my grandparents who lived out in the country. What I remember most -- aside from gathering the eggs from under the hens for grandma and helping grandpa with the milking -- was the darkness of the skies. In town there was a streetlight across the corner from our house that lit up the corner (but not much else) and by retreating to the backyard and putting the several large Black Walnut and broad-leafed Catalpa trees between me and the streetlight I could get a reasonably dark sky.. ...

My original intention for this week was to discus the planet Venus passing through the constellation Taurus, the Bull. But I think I will hold that off for a week because next week the bright planet will be within binocular range of the Crab Nebula, the first object French comet hunter Charles Messier put on his list of things that were not comets, M-1...

'Twas a great night for a lunar eclipse -- or rather I should say, a great early morning. At about 0415 hours the umbral shadow cone of Earth started to darken the left side of the lunar face and proceeded to totally cover it just in time for the moon to set behind the western horizon...

Having survived the total solar eclipse on April 20, we now get ready for a total lunar eclipse in the early morning of Saturday, April 4. This eclipse will not be like the last two, total in the early to mid-evening. Totality for this eclipse won't start until 0419 MDT hours in the wee hours of the early morning, so it will be for early risers...

The seasons they are a-changing. We know that Friday, March 20, is the long-awaited first day of spring, or the vernal equinox, but that is not all that is changing. We will be getting a whole new set of constellations to look at. On Friday, the Sun will cross the celestial equator from south to north giving us an equinox, or supposedly equal day and night all around the world, which is what the word "equinox" means, equal day and equal night...

Let's take a step back and look at the ecliptic some more. The ecliptic is the imaginary line that is Earth's equator extended into space. A line that the Sun seems to follow -- as seen from Earth against the background stars of the zodiac. The planets and the moon also seem to follow this imaginary line in their orbits which is why we have been -- and will be -- able to see the planets in occasional conjunction with each other...

Well, that is two months of the new year we have burned through, now we are starting on the last month of the first quarter of the year. We also have two more planets appearing close to each other in our early evening sky, this time Venus will be helping us find the dim, distant planet Uranus and there will be another one next week...

Planets, planets everywhere, and now a thin crescent moon thrown in to boot. Plus, the day we have been waiting for has arrived, the planets Venus and Mars will be at their closest on Saturday, February 21. We have been watching the pair get closer and closer over the past few weeks and the day we have been waiting for has arrived...

Valentine's Day is coming, and if you are getting sweaty palms trying to figure out what get your sweetie, how about something that is "out of this world." First off, how about something bright and shiny? For that you will need someplace that has a clear, unobstructed view of the southwestern horizon and have either a pair of binoculars or a small telescope...

We have blown through one-twelfth of our year and passed the halfway mark of winter. Feb. 2 -- Groundhog Day --is a cross-quarter day which marks about the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. You have probably noticed that the days are growing longer, the Sun is appearing higher in the sky and there is less sunlight coming in your south-facing windows...

We are going to be busier than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs this week. With all the planet/planet, planet/moon, and other events we are going to be busy. So, find your favorite dark-sky place with a good, clear view to the southwest, get your lawn chair, binoculars, or telescope and let's go...

Are you tracking the Venus/Mercury pair each evening just after sunset? You should be. Tonight, Wednesday, Jan. 14, bright Venus and speedy Mercury will be at their closest in the southwestern evening sky, look at about 30-minutes after local sunset. They are quite visible together in the same binocular field of view...

The piles of torn wrapping paper and other debris has been cleared away and everyone is busy examining their new gifts and you are staring at the box with brightly printed planets, nebula, galaxies, and other astronomical objects as well as the brand new telescope inside...

Before I get involved with the rest of this, I want to wish each and everyone of you a Merry Christmas. Speaking of which, it may be a little late now, but here are a couple more gift ideas for the astronomically minded person on your gift list. Probably one of the premier books for any astronomer is "Nightwatch," by Terence Dickinson, published by Firefly Books. Not only is there a wealth of information, there are some great maps of the sky to help locate those objects you will be looking for...

Kudos first of all to the folks at NASA for the successful launch, orbit, and recovery of the latest generation of space vehicle, the Orion Crew Capsule. This vehicle will hopefully be the one that enables astronauts to travel to Mars or an asteroid and back...

There is one more polygon that was left-over from last week, I didn't have room to put it in, so here goes. There is another shape in the winter sky that astronomers look for. Just as the summer has a triangle, so does winter. This triangle can be found low above the eastern horizon after 10 p.m. MDT, and we can use our old friend Orion to do it...

We sort of left off on a cliff-hanger last week trying to determine the date of Durin's Day, the Dwarves New Year. Now true, there may not be a lot of Tolkien fans out there, but we are around, and with the third -- and hopefully final -- movie of the Hobbit cycle coming out in December there may be more interest...

This week, we have sort of a Hodge-podge of information. As you may be aware, the astronomical community was all agog last week following along as the Philae lander separated from the European Space Agency's Rosetta robotic space craft that had caught up with and orbited Comet 67P (it is also named for two Russian astronomers who discovered it, but nobody can pronounce their names)...

There is good news and bad news for this week. Let's get the bad news out of the way first. The celestial viewing this week won't be that good, the moon will be full tomorrow and will pretty much wipe out any viewing opportunities, at least in the early evening for the next few days...

As much as the good folks who print greeting cards would like for us to believe it, there is not always a full moon on Halloween. Take a stroll through any greeting card aisle -- as I did recently -- and you will see depictions of smiling witches riding their brooms across the face of a full moon...

As the autumnal season has now fully taken hold of our surroundings on Earth, let's consider what our autumnal sky looks like. As ancient people looked at the night sky they began to connect the dots to make pictures of the characters in their myths. One such group of characters can be located in the early evening in the northeastern sky...

Since the moon is just past full, and even if we tried, we would not be able to observe any constellations, let us try something else for our viewing pleasure. First, since what we will be observing is directly overhead, I would recommend a reclining lounge or lawn chair to keep from getting a cramp in our neck from looking directly up...

OK my fellow space cases, we are a week away from the total lunar eclipse next Wednesday, Oct. 8. That's the good news, the bad news is the eclipse runs its course between 3:12 to 5:23 am, that is as in the early morning. Well, I guess we gotta take'em when we get'em...

Consider this your official "heads up." Mark your calendars for Wednesday, Oct. 8, and Thursday, Oct. 23, as days you will want to be outside and observing. On Oct. 8, there will be a total lunar eclipse, but you will need to either stay up late or get up early to view it...

The time of the turning of the leaf and the turning of the year is here again. The wonderfully warm days of summer are shortening and cooling off. In fact, some places have already had a touch of the dreaded "S" word, snow. The autumnal equinox -- when the Sun crosses the celestial equator heading south -- will be on Monday, Sept. 22, at 8:29 pm MDT...

Well, what exactly is up? The changing of the seasons is upon us, and so is the changing of the constellations. The spring group is exiting stage right over the western horizon and the summer crew is high overhead with the autumn team rising over the eastern horizon...

Met an old friend this morning, one of my oldest friends in fact. I couldn't sleep because of a head cold so I decided to get up. Out our balcony window I saw Orion, the Hunter hanging high above the south eastern horizon. Haven't seen him since last May...

My how time flies, even if you aren't having fun. The constellations are moving westward and the Sun is moving south toward the Autumnal Equinox, the first day of autumn, on Sept. 23. Have you noticed the sunlight on the floor beneath any south-facing window has been creeping across the floor, extending itself further into the room?...

I enjoy receiving questions from readers. One, it lets me know there are people who are actually reading this column; and two, there are people who have had their curiosity piqued. Such is the case this week. This particular reader asks, "I have noticed that the moon repeatedly passes near several stars and the planets, why is this?"...

One difficult thing about writing a weekly newspaper column is I have to write well before an event takes place so I often don't know what really happened on any particular day. I am thinking about the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower which was between Aug. 12 and 13 specifically. I won't know what the weather was like or if the sky was cloudy or not...

My original intent was to talk about the "celestial superhighway," however, that will need to be put off until later, because there are a couple of other things I would like to present that are happening this week and next. The first is another one of those pesky "Super Moons" that seem to be happening all too frequently. We had one in June and July, now one in August and there will be another one in September...

Did you know there is a hole in Cygnus, the Swan? Well, perhaps not a "hole," it is more like a cloud, but not like any cloud you have ever known. We are following the Milky Way up from its south end in Scorpius and Sagittarius and are now come to the constellation Cygnus, the Swan which is very easy to find almost directly overhead looking east...

The days are getting shorter, can you tell? Since the first day of summer we have lost 21 minutes of day length, sunrise is 16 minutes earlier, and sunset is 11 minutes earlier, and we have gained 42 minutes of twilight, or dark time (14 minutes in the evening and 28 minutes in the morning)...

Here we are, almost in the middle of summer. The nights are getting longer -- a little bit at a time, but definitely longer, and some of the most exciting astronomical objects are available for our viewing pleasure. Our old friends in the Summer Triangle (Vega, Deneb, and Altair) are in great position above the eastern horizon about an hour after local sunset; The Big and Little Dippers and their crew are in the north, and Sagittarius and Scorpius, two more traditional summer constellation are in prime viewing position in the south.. ...

Seems we have another so-called "Super Moon" coming up. The question now comes, is that important or not. Personally, I lean toward the idea that it is not ... important that is. First off, what exactly is a "Super Moon?" The term "Super Moon" does not have an astronomical background. It was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle more than 30 years ago and has only recently come into prominence. Before that the term was totally unknown to astronomers...

We are in for some super conjunctions involving the moon and two bright planets in our early evening skies this week. In addition to the usual pyrotechnic fireworks we are accustomed to on July 4th, we will also be treated to some activity in the sky to supplement our viewing pleasure...

To quote an old poem I learned once, "Spring has sprung, and fall has fell. Summer's here and boy is it hot." In fact, summer has been here for several days. It's official beginning was on Saturday, June 21, at 4:51 a.m. MDT. That is when the Sun reached its most northern point for the year and Earth's axis is tilted 23.5 degrees toward the Sun and the Sun is over the Tropic of Cancer...

These words are being written on a 5-year-old Macintosh computer, using 4-year-old software, the image eventually finding its way onto a 50-year-old press to be distributed around the southwest corner of an 150-year-old state. The technology is functional and well-taken care of despite its age, but someone was needed to invent it, get it working, and restore it to working order when something inevitably goes wrong. (Keeping the state in order is a question for another time.)...

I am always glad to see summer arriving, almost. The outside temperatures are getting better for staying outside longer for more time at the telescope, but the nights are growing shorter so there is less time for viewing. As we approach the Summer Solstice (June 21 at 4:51 am MDT) the amount of dark grows shorter and the amount of daylight grows longer, for example, on the day of the Summer Solstice there will be about 15 hours of daylight. That means there is only nine hours for dark...

One of the most identifiable star groupings of the summer sky is the three-star association of the Summer Triangle. I can't say it is a constellation, because it isn't. The Summer Triangle is an asterism, a group of stars made up of stars from other constellations. One of the other best-known asterisms is the Big Dipper which is made from stars of the constellation Ursa Major, the Big Bear...

Well, the May Camelopardalid meteor shower was mostly a bust. The hoped-for meteor storm from the debris stream produced by comet 209P/Linear just didn't happen. Reports received from around North America indicated there were a few bright streaks and a few fireballs but that was about it...

Triangles and more triangles. One nice thing about the stars, you can make just about anything you want out of them, even make up your own constellations. This week there are two particular triangles I want to look at, one a made-up one and the other is one of our old friends...

The good news is, there are several planetary conjunctions occurring this week which will make great binocular/telescope sights. The bad news? The moon will be full tonight and will mess up a couple of them. Fortunately, the rest will be in the early morning when the moon won't be causing a problem...

As mentioned last week, our old friends, the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters are sinking rapidly toward the western horizon. However, there is one more hoorah for the Pleiades, and that is tonight, May 7. Look to the west about 45-minutes after local sunset for the tiny star cluster just above the horizon. They should be very visible in binoculars...

Happy Beltane! That would have been the traditional greeting in Ireland and Scotland centuries ago. Beltane, or May 1, is a cross-quarter day, or a day that is about halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. In many of those cultures it was observed as the start of the summer season and was observed by lighting large bonfires on hilltops around the countryside...

Now that we have survived all the excitement from the recent total lunar eclipse, we can move on to other night time goodies the sky has to offer. If you missed the eclipse because you forgot or were clouded out -- something we here in southwest Nebraska didn't suffer from -- not to worry. There will be another one on Oct. 8. in fact, there will be three more, all part of the 2014-15 lunar eclipse tetrad...

The Nebraska Legislature's vote to override nearly $65 million in gubernatorial budget vetoes on April 1 was no joke. Not only did the 49 members of the Legislative branch restore the budget crafted for them by the Appropriations Committee, but they also took a major step toward separation of powers between the Executive and Legislative branches...

Lots going on this week, let's get to it. First off, the total lunar eclipse on April 14/15. This gets a little confusing because totality -- the darkest part of the eclipse -- begins at about midnight MDT on April 14, when Earth's umbra -- the darkest part of Earth's shadow -- will touch the edge of the moon...

Got your viewing location picked out for the upcoming total lunar eclipse? The eclipse occurs on the evening of Monday, April 14, and continues into the early morning hours of Monday, April 15. This eclipse is the first of a series of four total lunar eclipses, this series is called a "tetrad."...

We have all heard the little phrase that says if March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb. Many of you long- time readers know I have discussed this before, but it never hurts to go over it again. The basis of that phrase has its roots in astronomy. Just as Pegasus is an indicator of autumn, and Orion of winter, so Leo is an indicator that spring is at hand and his stars have been peeking over the eastern horizon these past few weeks...

Now, let's see, where were we? Oh yes, looking south at Orion, the Hunter. Which reminds me of a question someone asked me last week. Which constellation is the Irish constellation? Why O'Ryan, of course. Now that St. Patrick's Day is a little more than a week away, you can use that...

What indeed is up? We haven't done a sky survey for a while, I think it is time for one. Okay, let's start looking west about an hour after local sunset. The first thing we see is the large constellation Pegasus sinking toward the horizon. As a reminder, Pegasus looks like a giant diamond standing up on one corner...

OK troops, time for another question. This one is not from the in-box, but rather is a question from a friend on my Facebook page. "Does the moon rotate?" He went on to say that he has noticed that we always see the same face of the moon and was wondering why it didn't rotate...

One of the nice little jewels in the winter sky is the tiny Pleiades star cluster, also known as the Seven Sisters, because seven very bright stars can be seen without optical. Even from the light polluted city skies the cluster can be seen. The little group is also known as M-45 in French astronomer Charles Messier's list of things that are not comets...

Well, we have survived halfway through winter. Sunday, Feb. 2, marks the halfway point between winter and spring, which is only 43 more days away. Feb. 2, is a cross-quarter day, or a day that is halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox which are two of the quarter-days, the other two being the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox...

With new moon tomorrow, this will be a great opportunity to follow the moon throughout an entire monthly cycle. We can start after sunset now, but by the end of the 28-day cycle we will need to be looking in the morning. This new moon is the second one for the month of January. Usually we hear about two full moons in one month with the second one being called a "Blue Moon." However, up until recently I had not heard a name for a second new moon...

Oops, Grandpa always said, confession is good for the soul, but sometimes bad for the reputation. That is what happens when you don't pay attention to what page you are on when you write things in your calendar. Last week I said Galileo's birthday was on Jan. 15, it isn't, it is on Feb. 15, that is the day we can celebrate his 450th birthday. Any reason for a party I guess...

If you are a night owl, or in this case a morning owl, this is a good week to follow the moon from the evening into the morning hours. Today, Wednesday, Jan. 15, the moon is full and will be below the bright planet Jupiter between the constellations Gemini and Cancer. Best time to view is about 7 p.m. local time...

Well, as promised, we go to the old mail bag for a letter -- or in this case, the computer in-box. A question from a reader asks, "How do you know all this stuff about astronomy?" OK, very good question. I got started in astronomy when I was about 12 yearS old...

OK, first off, all of you get a D- for not noticing that I called Aldebaran a planet and not a star in last week's astronomy lesson. Or, some of you may have noticed and sent an email which I haven't seen yet because I have been out of Internet contact for the last week in the wilds of Nebraska...

Well, the hoped-for grandeur of Comet ISON during December will not happen, so what else do we have to look at? A lot actually. But before we get to that, we have some unfinished business; what to get our grown-up astronomer for Christmas. Since the more experienced astronomer is likely to already have a lot of the basic equipment to pursue his or her avocation, what would make a nice gift for them?...

Astronomers around the world held their collective breath last week on Thanksgiving Day as Comet ISON took its turn around the Sun to head back out into the icy depths of the solar system, to the Oort Cloud, where it came from more than a million years ago...

This is the week the rubber meets the road, so to speak, for Comet ISON. The icy ball of rock, dust, and frozen gas has been hurtling toward the inner solar system for about a million years now -- no exaggeration intended -- and will make a turn around the Sun and head back out to the icy depths on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28...

Did you have success finding the elusive planet Neptune last week? I was able to get a quick view of it from my location here in Denver -- even with the light-polluted skies. Caught it in my 10x50 binoculars at about 8:30 in the evening. It looked like a very small blue dot just below the moon, since I have seen it before I knew what to look for...

We are halfway through autumn and rapidly cruising toward winter. Well, technically the halfway point is today but that is just so much detail. Aside from the typically nasty weather often associated with autumn, there is a good side. The nights are getting longer and the sun is setting earlier giving us more time for stargazing...

Tomorrow is Halloween, that annual celebration of things ghoulish. Speaking of ghoulish, that word reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from an old Scottish prayer book, "From ghoulies and ghosties, and long legged beasties, and things that go bump in the night, good Lord deliver us."...

Capricornus is the smallest of the zodiacal constellations. Represented as half goat and half fish, this boat-shaped constellation lies due south at about 8:30 p.m. MDT on these early autumn evenings. It is somewhat difficult to find from city skies as only one of its stars is brighter than magnitude three...

Comet ISON has passed Mars on its million-year inward-bound journey from the outer solar system. It is already visible in small telescopes and in another two weeks or so it should become visible in binoculars. Last week I mentioned that ISON was a "sungrazer." This week I want to examine that term a little closer. It is basically what the term sounds like. A "sungrazer" is a comet that comes very close to the sun...

The comet is still coming. Comet ISON that is. Officially designated Comet C/2013 S1, it is basically a hunk of frozen water and rock with small gravel or grain-of-sand-sized bits with perhaps some carbon dioxide thrown in for good measure. After its initial discovery in January of this year, there was some hope that ISON could perhaps put on a great show in November becoming a very bright comet. ...

For those of us who have grown weary of the 100+ degree temperatures of late August and early September, relief is in sight. Summer ends and autumn begins for the northern hemisphere on Sunday, Sept. 22, at 2:44 a.m., when the sun crosses the celestial equator heading south. The date is called the "Autumnal Equinox" generally so because the length of day and night will be equal...

Contrary to current popular misconception, comets do not go streaking across the sky. True, they are traveling thousands of miles per hour, but, at the extreme distances they are located such speed is not readily apparent to the eye. Even when the comet is visible it will not appear to be moving -- unless you are viewing it through a large telescope. The only indication of movement will be the next evening when it will be located in another part of the sky...

The comet it coming, the comet is coming! While in ancient days that may have served as a notice of impending doom, for us today it means we may be in for a spectacular showing of dark sky splendor put on by an icy visitor from the outer reaches of our solar system...

Well fellow space fans, since there is nothing particularly exciting happening in the sky this week, how about we go back to the mailbag -- or in this case -- the inbox. The question is, "Where did the constellations come from?" As with most astronomical questions, there is no one simple answer. Generally it depended on where you live. Different areas had different names for the same group of stars...

I certainly hope some of you had better success with viewing the Perseid Meteor shower than I did. On both of the peak nights--Monday, Aug. 12, and Tuesday, Aug. 13--it was clouded out here in Southwest Nebraska. But, as they say, that is an occupational hazard for astronomers...

"Star light, star bright; first star I see tonight." You ever say that little poem? I think a lot of us have. So, what is the first star you will see tonight? Well, depends which way you are looking. If you are looking almost directly overhead the first star you will probably see is Vega, the brightest star in Lyra, the Harp, and the fifth brightest star in the night sky or it could be Altair in Aquila, the Eagle, one of the three stars in the Summer Triangle below and to the lower right of Vega.. ...

The meteors are coming, the Perseids that is. The annual August meteor shower that some astronomers have called the best one of the year; it will peak between midnight on Aug. 11, and sunrise Aug. 12. The best time for viewing is between 10:30 p.m. MDT on Sunday, Aug. 11, and 4:30 a.m. MDT on Monday, Aug. 12...

The second crown jewel in the summer sky -- the first being Scorpius -- is Sagittarius, the Archer located right next door to the left of Scorpius. It will be at its highest above the southern horizon at about 10 p.m. local daylight time these mid-summer evenings...

The center of celestial attention now shifts to the morning sky this week as bright Venus, who has kept us entertained for several weeks, is now starting an eastward slide which will last until early September when it will sink below the horizon. You early risers -- or those of you who just want to get up early for a planetary peek -- will be able to view three planets against the rising sun...

Have you noticed that sunlight is creeping back into your south-facing windows? Now that we have passed the summer solstice, the sun is moving southward and more and more sunlight is spilling into your south-facing windows and onto the floor. It means you can move your sun-loving plants back there in preparation for winter...

When you look at the night sky and see the constellations you are familiar with and know the stories behind them. Did you ever stop to consider that someone on the other side of our planet may be looking at the same constellation but have a different story for it?...

As we approach the 237th birthday of our republic; a day which was predicted to be remembered and celebrated with "...bonfires, fireworks, parties, and solemn gatherings," let's add one more aspect to the observance of the birthday of our country--a quick gaze at the "solemn displays" in our sky...

Well, here it is. Summer has begun and we are almost halfway through our year. Have you noticed how the sky has changed from our observations in January? Well, for one thing we have a whole new set of constellations to look at, and for another the weather is sure a lot warmer...

Lots to do this week, so let's get to it. The first big event is the summer solstice, the first day of summer, although I think the weatherman beat us to it. Technically at 11:04 pm, MDT, on Thursday, June 20, the sun will reach the Tropic of Cancer--some 23 degrees north of the equator which supposedly gives us the longest day and the shortest night of the year...

Before we begin, a word from our sponsor ... well, not really, but this is a shameless commercial for the Nebraska Star Party. The Nebraska Star Party is an annual gathering of amateur astronomers from not just Nebraska; attendees come from many states and even a few foreign countries...

When ancient mapmakers didn't know for sure what was beyond the edge of what was drawn on their maps, they wrote in, "Here there be giants." In addition to the giants of Orion and Hercules, there is another giant character from mythology who inhabits our sky. Unfortunately, this one is a little more difficult to locate...

Orion is not the only celestial strong man in the sky. Now that he has exited stage-right for the summer, there is another constellation depicting a mythological hero taking his place, Hercules. Strangely, Hercules clears the eastern horizon in the same manner as our old friend Orion -- he is laying down, parallel to the horizon with his head to the right and his feet to the left...

OK, troops, this week is where our watching of Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury all comes to a grand conclusion. We have watched as the gas giant planet Jupiter has crossed the sky from a morning object into the evening sky and now is about to leave our view on its trip around to the far side of the Sun...

More about double stars. Astronomers have estimated that between one-half to 80 percent of the stars in the Milky Way are double stars. It was once thought that most of the stars in the galaxy were like our sun, a single star. But when larger and more powerful telescopes began to come into play, more and more of the stars were discovered to be doubles...

Well, it's a slow news week astronomically speaking, so let's go the mailbag--or rather the in-box that is. Interesting question from a reader, "What are double stars?" Ok, the simple answer is a double star is a pair of stars that appear close to each other in the sky as seen from Earth. A double star can also be called a binary...

"Star light, star bright; first star I see tonight; wish I may, wish I might; grant the wish I wish tonight." You ever say that little verse when you were growing up, when you saw the first star of the evening in the sky? I must confess, I did upon occasion. However, the first star you see in tonight's sky won't be a star at all. It will be the planet Jupiter and I don't know about the power of planets for granting wishes...

"Star light, star bright; first star I see tonight; wish I may, wish I might; grant the wish I wish tonight." You ever say that little verse when you were growing up, when you saw the first star of the evening in the sky? I must confess, I did upon occasion. However, the first star you see in tonight's sky won't be a star at all. It will be the planet Jupiter and I don't know about the power of planets for granting wishes...

OK space fans, a couple of things this week. First, our favorite planet, Saturn, will be at opposition on Sunday, April 28. Opposition means "opposite" the sun in the sky. That is just a big word that means the ringed-planet is on the opposite side of Earth from the sun. If you will think of is as Earth being in the middle with the sun on one side and Saturn on the other...

The last few days of this week will be a good opportunity to use our old friend, the moon, to help us find some astronomical objects. Let's start with tonight, Thursday, April 18. Tonight the moon is high in the southwest just below the constellation Cancer, the Crab...

As the seasons change, so do the constellations in the sky. The "Old Guard" of winter -- Orion, Taurus, Canis Major, and Auriga, are giving way to the constellations of spring. Above the eastern horizon in the early evening Leo, Virgo, Bootes, and Cancer are making their annual appearance...

I was finally able to get some glass on Comet PanSTARRS. After several days of clouds there was finally a clear evening with great viewing and I bagged it. However, I have not been able to view it since. A conspiracy of lack of time and clouds worked together to prevent any opportunity for another view...

OK space fans, let's go to the mailbag for this week's question. "What is the brightest star in the sky?" Okay, good one. I have heard some who have said that Polaris, the North Star, is the brightest star in the sky; too bad they are wrong. In fact, there are about 50 stars in the sky that are brighter than Polaris...

"Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the flowers is?" Or so goes the old saying. And spring has sprung, or at least it did yesterday, Wednesday, March 20, at 5:02 a.m. MDT. For those in other time zones, adjust the time accordingly. Technically, spring--or the vernal equinox--is when the sun crosses the celestial equator moving north along the horizon...

Have you seen comet PanSTARRS? As of this writing I haven't. You still have some time to catch a glimpse in the western sky about a half-hour to 45-minutes after local sunset. Which, now that Daylight Savings Time has kicked in, will be at about 7:05 pm MDT...

Comets are basically just big balls of frozen water, dirt, and gasses. They come whizzing into the inner solar system from out beyond the orbit of Pluto, make a trip around the sun and head back out to where they came from -- generally. In ancient times they were thought to be bringers of bad news. You know, kings dying, catastrophe and other sorts of bad news...

For this session of Astronomy 101 Part II, we are going to discuss the difference between comets, meteors, and asteroids. First, comets. Comets, contrary to popular belief, do not go whizzing across the sky at great speed. Now, understand, comets are traveling at great speed, but with the distances involved in space, the human eye will not perceive it as moving fast. Only when we see the comet change locations against the background stars each evening will we see that it is indeed moving...

Did you see asteroid 2012 DA14 last week? I think I did. It was quite a news event. Combining the very close pass of DA14 with the explosion of a possible asteroid over Siberia injuring more than 1,000 people the day before made for some real headlines...

The last two objects on our easy-to-find, quick-view list are the star Capella in the constellation Auriga, the Charioteer, and one of our very best old friends, the Big Dipper. Capella is also known as the "Goat Star" due to its association with three small nearby stars in a small triangle (Almaaz, and Hoedus I and II) which are called "The Kids."...

The next two objects on our easy-to-find list are the "Belt of Orion," and the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius. By now we should all be familiar with the hourglass shape of our old friend Orion with the three stars across the middle for a belt and the three objects that look like stars hanging down from it like a sword...

When I started writing this column eight and a half years ago, my intention was to simplify the concept of astronomy and give the readers an opportunity to get to know just what is out there. As such, I am always on the look-out for any information that would help accomplish that task...

Healthcare is back on the front burner in Lincoln this session of the Legislature, with lawmakers set to consider expanding Medicaid coverage to as many as 159,000 Nebraskans by fiscal 2016. The move would bring the state into line with the federal health care law, even though the U.S. Supreme Court has struck down the provision that would allow Washington to withhold funding from states that chose not to expand Medicaid programs...

Aside from Orion, the Hunter, the second most-recognizable constellation in the winter sky is Taurus, the Bull. It can be easily found these winter evenings by going outside about an hour to an hour and a half after local sunset and looking southeast. The sky doesn't have to be totally dark, but the darker, the better...

We have had winter now for almost a month and the physical traits of the season are well in view. The cold weather, the snow (if you have some), and the runny noses which seem to abound. The winter sky is also well in view. The giant constellation Orion, the Hunter, often referred to as the "King of Winter," is in full view in the early evening sky in the east by 7 p.m. local time...

I trust you all had the merriest of Christmases and the safest and sanest of New Years. Now, on to business. There are 88 officially recognized constellations in the northern and southern skies. There are also many unofficial asterisms, or star patterns, that while not ordained by the International Astronomical Union, they are recognized by astronomers and star gazers around the world...

Here is hoping that each of you had a wonderful and enjoyable Christmas, now, down to business. OK, ok, enough with the correction notes. Contrary to popular belief, I do know the difference between a solstice and an equinox; it is just that I get them confused once in a while, OK, almost always (here insert very large grin)...

The outdoor temperature seem to be catching up with the season. We can definitely say that winter is on its way; as if two inches of snow wasn't a good enough hint. But, as we have discussed before, the seasons are an astronomical event, not a meteorological one...

When English composer, Gustav Holst wrote his orchestral suite, "The Planets," he gave a different musical identity to each planet. Mars he called "The Bringer of War," Venus he called, "The Bringer of Peace," but Jupiter he called, "The Bringer of Jollity."...

The calendar says that winter is here. Friday, Dec. 21, at 4:12 p.m. MST, the Sun will cross the celestial equator heading south ushering in the winter season for the northern hemisphere. Well, the calendar may say it, but the recent daily temperatures sure don't say that winter is here...

Thursday we will sit down with our family and friends to a table that is overflowing with all those things our doctor has told us we shouldn't be eating and engage in that annual feast called Thanksgiving. Ostensibly it is to celebrate and remember the Pilgrims and their journey to find religious freedom and to honor the Native Americans who helped then through that first year...

Okay troops, I have a fun-filled week of observing for you this week. Something to look for almost each night. First up is something you can't look for, a total solar eclipse, unless you are out in the South Pacific, or northern Australia. The new moon will totally cover the face of the sun causing it to be blotted out, eclipsed...

Now that the way we count the time of day has returned to normal, we are suddenly noticing that it is dark a lot sooner. By the middle of next week, the sun will be dropping below the western horizon at about 4:30 p.m. MST. Now, while that may not be good for the average person, it is great for us astronomers. That means about another hour of dark that we can use for outside observation...

While there were no "celestial spooks" in the sky last night, there were many of the earthly variety wandering from house to house seeking treats. I hope you were generous, even though you may have wanted the leftovers in the bowl for yourself. Another thing that wasn't in the sky, at least for the early goblin crowd, was the moon. The just-past-full moon didn't rise over the eastern horizon until around 8 p.m. local time...

Hope you had a nice Autumn Astronomy Day last Saturday. The sky was perfect in Nebraska, and Colorado too. Good opportunity to view the first quarter moon. As we continue our tour of the Perseus/Pegasus/Andromeda group I want to focus this week on one of those famous "Faint Fuzzies" I always talk about...

There are many romantic couples in history. Romeo and Juliet, Pyramus and Thisbe, Tristan and Isolde, Wayne and Wanda (OK, you have to be a Muppets fan to know that one). One such romantic couple can be seen in the eastern evening sky about an hour and a half after local sunset...

One nice thing about the stars, they are always there and they keep coming back around again each year. The ancients used them to determine plowing and planting time, harvest time, and when to expect seasonal changes long before the changes actually occurred...

Now that we are past the autumnal equinox, the next thing we have to look forward to is the full moon. Traditionally, the full moon nearest the equinox is called the Harvest Moon. Back in the days before mechanized farming and the bazillion candlepower lights on harvesters, farmers depended on moonlight to give them more time to bring in their crop...