Vernon Whetstone

What's up?

Columns Archive

• A good thing comes to an end (12/28/16)
• A penultimate look at the skies (12/21/16)
• Check out the Great Nebula in Orion (12/14/16)
• You've got a new telescope now what? (12/7/16)
• And now, onward to Christmas (11/30/16)
• Where do we get constellations? (11/23/16)
• Finding the Southern Fish (11/9/16)
• Ghoulies, ghosties, things that go bump in the night (11/2/16)
• A tail of two fishes (10/26/16)
• Wading in the Celestial Sea (10/19/16)
• An Easter Egg Hunt and a near miss (10/12/16)
• Remarkable skies, remarkable sights (10/5/16)
• Equinox isn't everything (9/28/16)
• The changing of the seasons (9/21/16)
• Shine on, shine on Harvest Moon (9/14/16)
• The 'Big Show' goes on the road (9/7/16)
• The 'Stinger Stars' in the tail of Scorpius (8/31/16)
• First an announcement and then a look back at the skies (8/24/16)
• The predictable Perseid meteor shower (8/10/16)
• The great thing about August is ... (8/3/16)
• Congrats to the observant few (7/27/16)
• Continuing a Cook's Tour of constellation Scorpius (7/20/16)
• A giant fierce, menacing constellation (7/13/16)
• Keeping track of the planetary trio (7/6/16)
• Did you have fun seeing double? (6/29/16)
• We get more than our share of 'longest days' (6/22/16)
• Finding the darkest part of Nebraska (6/15/16)
• The best viewing time and how to find it (6/8/16)
• Saturn takes the center stage (6/1/16)
• Planets in the spotlight (5/25/16)
• The Great Mars Hoax is about to reappear (5/18/16)
• The Big Dipper is pouring rain on Earth (5/11/16)
• May the Fourth be with you, Star Wars fans (5/4/16)
• How to drive an astronomer goo-goo (4/27/16)
• Moonshine easiest to partake (4/20/16)
• A faint, fuzzy peak to the Top 10 list (4/13/16)
• Time for No. 5 in our Top 10 (4/6/16)
• Searching the sky for Messier objects (3/30/16)
• We should still pay attention to the sky (3/23/16)
• Changing times, sights and a near-miss (3/16/16)
• Where have all the bright stars gone? (3/9/16)
• A trip to the blackboard (3/2/16)
• Will March be a lion or a lamb? (2/24/16)
• The King of Winter meets the Lion of Summer (2/17/16)
• Time to view two jewels in the sky (2/10/16)
• Groundhog Day, the Mars hoax and other travesties (2/3/16)
• Why so many bright stars (1/27/16)
• The reappearance of the Milky Way (1/20/16)
• Twinkle, twinkle little stellar scintillation (1/13/16)
• Orion the Hunter; Those aren't really stars (12/30/15)
• The reason for the luster (12/23/15)
• Sun: About as far south as it gets (12/16/15)
• Some observations take optical assistance (12/2/15)
• Sailing the Celestial Ocean (11/11/15)
• Early McCook goes social -- the GAR (11/9/15)
• Prepare for grand things in the sky (11/4/15)
• Signs in the sky, some of them spooky (10/28/15)
• Time for a semi-annual shower -- meteor, that is (10/21/15)
• The morning dance of the planets (10/14/15)
• Prepare for the planetary parade (9/30/15)
• Sit back and enjoy a total lunar eclipse (9/23/15)
• The days are getting shorter (9/16/15)
• Exciting month, astronomically speaking (9/9/15)
• Countdown to the Autumnal Equinox (9/2/15)
• Sorry, it ain't gonna happen ... (8/26/15)
• The skies they are a changin' (8/19/15)
• Meteor shower tonight (8/12/15)
• Moving on from the Blue Moon to the Perseids (8/5/15)
• Taking a look at the Scales (7/29/15)
• Gaggle of giggling scientists (7/23/15)
• A gaggle of giggling scientists (7/22/15)
• The Pluto fly-by (7/15/15)
• Acting like kids at Christmastime (7/8/15)
• It's time for the seasons to change (6/17/15)
• Astronomers now fans of summertime (6/10/15)
• How to tell the stars are moving (6/3/15)
• An Illinois view of the night sky (5/27/15)
• Star light, star bright may not be a star at all (5/13/15)
• Why is the Milky Way missing? (5/6/15)
• Wishing we were all in the dark (4/29/15)
• A week of easily seen meet-ups (4/22/15)
• Tomato, tomaaato, it was quite an eclipse (4/8/15)
• Getting ready for a total lunar eclipse (3/25/15)
• The long-awaited (?) arrival of spring (3/18/15)
• Another look at the ecliptic (3/11/15)
• Why are the planets always meeting up with each other? (3/4/15)
• Heavenly bodies everywhere (2/18/15)
• Something bright and shiny for Valentine's Day (2/11/15)
• One down, 11 more to go (2/4/15)
• Cats and rockers and stars and planets and the moon (1/21/15)
• Venus, Mercury make quite a pair (1/14/15)
• After Christmas, what next? (12/31/14)
• Last-minute astronomy gifts, and the true length of days (12/24/14)
• U.S. crew capsules back in space (12/10/14)
• Thanksgiving week leftovers (12/3/14)
• Did you enjoy Durin's Day? (11/26/14)
• This, that and the other (11/19/14)
• First the bad news ... (11/5/14)
• Why Hallmark gets it wrong (10/29/14)
• An eyeful of autumnal sky (10/22/14)
• Make it a double (10/8/14)
• A lunar eclipse for night owls (10/1/14)
• Heads up for a coming lunar eclipse (9/24/14)
• Equality and the loneliest star in the sky (9/17/14)
• So what IS up, after all? (9/10/14)
• Welcome back, old friend (9/3/14)
• Constellations continue trek across sky (8/27/14)
• Keeping our stars, and planets, in a row (8/20/14)
• Second-guessing the Perseid meteor shower (8/13/14)
• A visual workout, and then a shower (8/6/14)
• A cloud like you've never known (7/30/14)
• Calendar creates more time for viewing (7/23/14)
• And now, for your viewing pleasure ... (7/16/14)
• Another 'Super Moon' is on the way (7/9/14)
• Stand by for some super conjunctions (7/2/14)
• Spring has sprung, summer's here, etc. (6/25/14)
• Sighting the celestial swan (6/18/14)
• Summer is arriving ... almost (6/11/14)
• A constellation that isn't, and a star party (6/4/14)
• Camelopardalid peteor shower mostly a sprinkle (5/28/14)
• Stars are what you make of them (5/21/14)
• Good news, bad; which do you want to hear first? (5/14/14)
• The Pleiades' last hurrah (5/10/14)
• Happy Beltane! (4/30/14)
• Moving on to the next sky-sights (4/23/14)
• Catch the Galilean moons this week (4/16/14)
• Shedding light on the lunar eclipse (4/9/14)
• Get ready for the total lunar eclipse (4/2/14)
• Watch for occultations tonight (3/12/14)
• Scanning the skies for the Irish constellation (3/5/14)
• What's up? Stars and planets getting together (2/26/14)
• Does the moon rotate? (2/19/14)
• Sighting the Seven Sisters (2/12/14)
• Halfway to spring (2/5/14)
• Keeping an eye on the moon (1/29/14)
• Happy birthday, Galileo, once again (1/22/14)
• It's a good week for night owls (1/15/14)
• How do I find out 'What's Up?'? (1/8/14)
• Paying attention in class (12/18/13)
• So, what do we look at now? (12/11/13)
• The little comet that could (12/4/13)
• Things getting real for Comet ISON (11/20/13)
• Finding the elusive Neptune (11/13/13)
• Halfway through autumn, cruising toward winter (11/6/13)
• Technically, no full moon on Halloween (10/30/13)
• Spying the zodiacal light (10/9/13)
• Comet ISON already visible in small telescopes (10/2/13)
• Headed for a breakup? (9/25/13)
• Skies change with changing seasons (9/18/13)
• Comet's speed not easy to see (9/11/13)
• Impending doom, or a spectacular show? (9/4/13)
• Who named the constellations? (8/28/13)
• The Perseid disappointment (8/21/13)
• Star light, star brights -- what's the first star I see tonight? (8/14/13)
• Ready for an annual shower? (8/7/13)
• The second crown jewel in summer sky (7/31/13)
• Venus starts her eastward slide (7/24/13)
• Sun heading south again (7/17/13)
• Looking at the sky from a different angle (7/10/13)
• More "solemn displays" in the sky (7/3/13)
• A whole new set of constellations (6/26/13)
• Weatherman wins again (6/19/13)
• Throwing a party for the stars (6/12/13)
• This giant is hard to spot (6/5/13)
• Another mythical hero takes the stage (5/29/13)
• Jupiter, Venus, Mercury get things straight (5/22/13)
• Doing a double-take on double stars (5/15/13)
• Seeing double (5/8/13)
• Wishing on a star (5/1/13)
• Wishing on a star (5/1/13)
• Saturn in opposition to the sun (4/24/13)
• A good night to spot some old friends (4/18/13)
• Changing seasons bring changing skies (4/11/13)
• Sighting Comet PanSTARRS, finally (4/4/13)
• Where is the South Star? (3/28/13)
• Springtime views of the moon, Mercury (3/21/13)
• Catch PanSTARRS if you can (3/14/13)
• Astronomy 101, Part II: Comets (3/7/13)
• Astronomy 101, Part II (2/28/13)
• Asteroids make for big news events (2/21/13)
• More easy, not-so-easy to find objects (2/14/13)
• More easy-to-find objects (2/7/13)
• A quick look skyward on a cold winter night (1/31/13)
• More lessons on celestial mechanics (1/24/13)
• Sighting Taurus, the Bull (1/17/13)
• The sun and moon, riding high and low (1/10/13)
• Fun with asterisms (1/3/13)
• Christmas reminders in the sky (12/27/12)
• Are two big comets on their way? (12/20/12)
• 'The Bringer of Jollity' (12/13/12)
• How to tell when winter arrives (12/6/12)
• Give the binoculars a workout (11/21/12)
• Something to look for every night (11/15/12)
• Smoky meteor trails in the sky (11/8/12)
• Moon late Halloween arrival (11/1/12)
• Continuing the tour and the 'Faint and Fuzzies' (10/25/12)
• The romantic couple in the eastern sky (10/18/12)
• Keeping track of the seasons with the stars (10/11/12)
• Ready for the Great Worldwide Star Count (10/4/12)
• 'Shine on Harvest Moon' (9/27/12)
• Busy Saturday ahead (9/20/12)
• 'International Observe the Moon Night' Sept. 22 (9/13/12)
• Diminishing daylight (9/6/12)
• The moon won't be blue (8/30/12)
• A quick peek at the mail (8/23/12)
• The Perseids will have to wait another year (8/16/12)
• A celestial double-header (8/9/12)
• A favorite part of the sky (7/26/12)
• Catch a glimpse of earthshine (7/19/12)
• Something for everyone this week (7/12/12)
• Viewing the 1776 sky in the Wayback Machine (7/5/12)
• It was a quiet week in the sky (6/28/12)
• Welcome to summer (6/21/12)
• Summer officially begins June 20 (6/14/12)
• Off on a celestial snipe hunt (6/7/12)
• A partial lunar eclipse, and a rare Venus transit (5/31/12)
• Annular eclipse gets astronomers' hearts pumping (5/10/12)
• Animal stars and the big full moon (5/3/12)
• Making the most of the dark (4/26/12)
• The great procession in the sky (4/19/12)
• Close encounters of the next kind (4/12/12)
• Astronomical events almost over (4/5/12)
• What's in a name? (3/29/12)
• Hunting for some elusive objects (3/22/12)
• How the planets get together (3/15/12)
• Planets are pairing up (3/8/12)
• Planetary conjunctions continuing (3/1/12)
• They'll only look like they're close together (2/16/12)
• The grand astronomical planetary parade (2/9/12)
• Six more weeks of winter, regardless (2/2/12)
• Why astronomers are happiest in winter (1/26/12)
• It just seems like the longest season (1/19/12)
• Pairs of planets and an approaching eclipse (1/12/12)
• The more the sky stays the same, the more it changes (1/5/12)
• Put that new telescope to work (12/29/11)
• Darkness creeps in on little cat feet (12/22/11)
• A beautiful view of the lunar eclipse (12/15/11)
• Good news, bad news on eclipse (12/8/11)
• A lot of little things going on (12/1/11)
• Astronomers and wimps (11/23/11)
• Tracking the evening visitors (11/17/11)
• Now that Daylight Saving Time is over (11/10/11)
• Slow times in the evening skies (11/3/11)
• The view from the mile-high city (10/27/11)
• Earlier sunsets mean stargazing sooner (10/13/11)
• Saturday is International Look at the Moon Day (10/6/11)
• The final two characters in the celestial story (9/29/11)
• Astronomical rivalries and their outcomes (9/22/11)
• Flying into autumn with Pegasus (9/15/11)
• Switching on the fall season (9/8/11)
• Checking out the smallest constellations (9/1/11)
• Loaf Mass and the Dog Days of Summer (8/18/11)
• Nothing like a good Star Party (8/11/11)
• Check out the Milky Way (8/4/11)
• Hit 'delete' key on Mars hoax (7/27/11)
• Once more with the Summer Triangle (7/21/11)
• A disappointing view (7/14/11)
• Viewing the Summer Triangle, Saturn (7/7/11)
• First conjunctions, then some swan songs (6/23/11)
• We won't be able to see the next one, either (6/16/11)
• Living in interesting times (6/9/11)
• Farewell Orion, hello Scorpius (6/2/11)
• More chances to see the ISS, shuttle go by (5/26/11)
• So many questions ... (5/19/11)
• Shuttle derby still in 'hold' mode (5/12/11)
• Where did all the constellations come from? (4/21/11)
• Saturn, we knew he'd back (4/14/11)
• Messier marathon madness (4/7/11)
• Not a bad evening's work (3/31/11)
• Watch out for the zodiacal light (3/24/11)
• Mercury, Jupiter continue their dance (3/17/11)
• Plenty to see in winter skies (2/24/11)
• Predictions the stars do get right (2/17/11)
• Why can't I see through my telescope? (2/10/11)
• The heater from Van Meter (1/31/11)
• The wobble in our stars (1/20/11)
• Why winter is the shortest season (1/13/11)
• The winter 'Wow' factor (1/6/11)
• Check out these asterisms (12/30/10)
• Get ready for Monday's total lunar eclipse (12/16/10)
• Comet Hartley proving elusive (11/24/10)
• Be on the lookout for the ISS (11/18/10)
• Great to hear response from readers (11/11/10)
• Sightings for a cool autumn evening (11/4/10)
• Now that the moon is out of the way ... (10/28/10)
• Blue Jupiter takes control of the sky (10/21/10)
• Cooler, more comfortable viewing (10/14/10)
• The last two constellations in the 'ocean' (9/23/10)
• Time for a celestial swim (9/16/10)
• Constellations of autumn appearing (9/9/10)
• The sky tells the story; autumn is on its way (9/2/10)
• A good show after sundown (8/19/10)
• Driving a stake in the monster's heart (8/12/10)
• Sit back and enjoy the show (8/5/10)
• Still time to catch the early evening parade (7/22/10)
• OK, sharp-eyed readers, in was M8 (7/15/10)
• Turn to the southern skies (7/8/10)
• Observational Astronomy in action (7/1/10)
• The comet hunt continues (6/24/10)
• Conjunctions, groupings and a comet hunt (6/17/10)
• Time for some fabulous conjunctions (6/3/10)
• A great mystery to be solved (5/27/10)
• Star-gazing becomes a later activity (5/20/10)
• Peering into the mail bag (5/6/10)
• The skies, they are a changin' (4/22/10)
• Dancing with the stars (and planets) (4/15/10)
• A walking tour of the evening sky (4/8/10)
• Lions, lambs and astronomy (4/1/10)
• Changing kings of the sky (3/25/10)
• Celebrating the spring equinox (3/18/10)
• Playing fast and loose with clocks (3/11/10)
• The stars, they are a changin' (3/4/10)
• Spirit is a Rover no more (2/25/10)
• Milky Way, winter version (2/18/10)
• Stars right side up down under (2/11/10)
• In search of Castor and Pollux (2/4/10)
• Continuing around the Winter Circle (1/28/10)
• The second star in the Winter Circle (1/21/10)
• The home of the Rigelian Slime Devils (1/14/10)
• It's a great time for stargazing (12/31/09)
• Something eternal about the stars (12/24/09)
• Astronomical gift, not price (12/17/09)
• Get ready for a 'blue moon' (12/3/09)
• Sorry, Chicken Little, the sky isn't falling (11/25/09)
• The chameleon constellation (11/5/09)
• Full moon rare on Halloween (10/29/09)
• More darkness to go around (10/22/09)
• October skies among most clear, but what to see? (10/15/09)
• It was a dark, still and early morning (10/8/09)
• What size is the moon, really? (10/1/09)
• Cephus and the carbon star (9/24/09)
• The steam from the tea pot (9/17/09)
• Ready or not, here comes fall (9/10/09)
• The sun is heading south again (8/27/09)
• Confessions of a space case (8/20/09)
• Back to the Scorpion (8/13/09)
• Still recovering from the Star Party (8/6/09)
• The Great Nebraska Star Party (7/30/09)
• Scorpius sign summertime is really here (7/23/09)
• The give and take of orbital mechanics (7/16/09)
• Wow! A boy sees Saturn for the first time (7/9/09)
• Clouds are gone, but not mosquitoes (7/2/09)
• Cookies go great with the Milky Way (6/25/09)
• Clouds foil stargazing plans (6/18/09)
• A grand tour of the solar system (6/11/09)
• The Mars monster that won't go away (6/4/09)
• And the score is ... two to nothing (5/28/09)
• Summer constellations make appearance (5/21/09)
• Exploring more spring constellations (5/14/09)
• What's Up down under (5/7/09)
• Moon, Venus get up close and personal (4/30/09)
• Sighting the spring constellations (4/23/09)
• The quietest sun in a century (4/16/09)
• Exciting observations from Hastings (4/9/09)
• Spirit, Opportunity live up to their names (4/2/09)
• A short goodbye to our old friend Venus (3/26/09)
• Moving slowly toward spring (3/19/09)
• 2009 DD45's near miss (3/12/09)
• In like a lamb? Out like a lion? (3/5/09)
• Random things about the Milky Way (2/26/09)
• 'Comet of Cooperation' streaking by (2/12/09)
• Is somebody following us? (2/5/09)
• Time to get out that new telescope (1/26/09)
• 'Loneliest star' isn't loneliest any more (1/22/09)
• Heavenly bodies playing tag (1/15/09)
• 'Little things for looking through' (1/8/09)
• One good thing about winter (12/18/08)
• A picture is worth a thousand words (12/11/08)
• How big is space, really? (12/4/08)
• After-sunset view is nothing short of fabulous (11/20/08)
• The sun makes its southward march (11/13/08)
• A good night for counting stars (11/6/08)
• Join me tonight for the Great World-Wide Star Count (10/30/08)
• Ready for the star count? (10/23/08)
• Ready for the Great World Wide Star Count (10/16/08)
• Venus dominates the western sky (10/9/08)
• Sensational sunrises and the dance of the seasons (10/2/08)
• The rescue of the princess (9/25/08)
• When day and night get equal time (9/18/08)
• How about a star party in our area (9/11/08)
• Bursting the Mars bubble (9/4/08)
• Spotting a planetary pair (8/28/08)
• Clouds, moon -- it's always something for the Perseids (8/21/08)
• Just in time for a planetary parade (8/14/08)
• Watch out, Andromeda's on its way (8/7/08)
• Pick out a dark place to view the Perseids (7/31/08)
• Guess you just had to be there (7/24/08)
• Leaving Cygnus and Lyra behind (7/10/08)
• Settling down for some summer viewing (7/3/08)
• Time to keep an eye on Mars (6/26/08)
• Books, software for stargazers (6/12/08)
• The ever-changing panoply of heavenly objects (6/5/08)
• Spotting satellites (5/29/08)
• Mars tries to look like it belongs (5/22/08)
• Moon, Mercury make a splendid pair (5/15/08)
• Mercury's ready to put on a show (5/6/08)
• And now, for something completely different (4/29/08)
• Mars is moving eastward (4/22/08)
• New constellations take the stage (4/8/08)
• Any excuse for a star party (4/1/08)
• A new binocular challenge (3/25/08)
• The vernal equinox -- wait, we missed it! (3/18/08)
• Spring is nearly ready to ... spring (3/11/08)
• Despite clouds, eclipse party carries on (2/26/08)
• Wednesday's the night for the sky show (2/19/08)
• See the shuttle, space station Friday (2/11/08)
• Objects coming together in the sky (2/5/08)
• Asteroids passing too close for comfort (1/29/08)
• Signs in the sky point to spring (1/22/08)
• Red companions, new and old friends (1/15/08)
• Check out the latest conjunctions (1/8/08)
• What was the Star of Bethlehem (12/18/07)
• That $5,000 'goto' telescope (12/11/07)
• How far can you see with that? (12/4/07)
• Comet 17/P Holmes still making appearance (11/20/07)
• A sight worth getting up for (11/13/07)
• Zodiacal light may wait until spring (11/6/07)
• Still hasn't seen the light (10/30/07)
• History in making ... or current events? (10/23/07)
• Rising early for something special (10/2/07)
• What are those things in the sky (9/25/07)
• An early-morning appointment (9/18/07)
• When observation hours grow longer (9/11/07)
• Another eclipse coming in February (9/4/07)
• Stovepipe snakes and telephone tales (9/4/07)
• Lunar eclipse on tap for early risers (8/14/07)
• Pick out a dark place for the Perseids (8/7/07)
• Curtains going down on the Venus, Saturn and Jupiter show (7/31/07)
• Mars? Close, but not THAT close (7/24/07)
• Stars of summer take over the sky (7/16/07)
• Tilt, not distance makes a difference (7/9/07)
• Back on the summer constellations (7/2/07)
• Still more chances to view the space station (6/19/07)
• Taking the telescope plunge (6/12/07)
• Let's start an astronomy club (6/4/07)
• Number five on the Top Ten countdown (5/29/07)
• Use binoculars to view the Blue Moon (5/22/07)
• Enjoy Earth's two moons while they last (5/15/07)
• An astronomical 'Top 10' list (5/8/07)
• Revisiting our old celestial friends (5/1/07)
• Earthshine prominent during conjunction (4/24/07)
• The hero of the spring constellations (4/17/07)
• Small entries in the grand scheme (4/10/07)
• The second largest constellation (4/3/07)
• The kite or the ice cream cone? (3/27/07)
• One more spring constellation (3/20/07)
• The constellations of spring (3/12/07)
• Satellite memories and Iridium flares (3/5/07)
• Is it the first, or the last, constellation (2/12/07)
• Watching the Winter Triangle (2/5/07)
• Two for one winter constellations (1/29/07)
• The moon, Jupiter ... then what? (1/22/07)
• Orion is favorite of 88 official constellations (1/15/07)
• The Big and Little Dippers (1/9/07)
• Celestial dance, or a miracle? (12/18/06)
• What to look for in a Christmas telescope (12/11/06)
• Touring the winter skies (12/4/06)
• Our long history with Taurus, the Bull (11/27/06)
• The Seven Sisters of the Pleiades (11/20/06)
• The brightest star in the southern sky (11/13/06)
• The king and queen of the sky (11/7/06)
• Mercury crossing the face of the sun (10/30/06)
• A look at the hero, Perseus (10/23/06)
• Astonomy column debuts (10/16/06)