Weekend Sky Report: Recent Episodes
WFYI Public Media
Matt Pelsor is an astronomy geek. He loves observing the stars, planets and other celestial objects that fill our night sky. With his help, you'll discover the magic of the skies, from streaking comets to harvest moons, in the Weekend Sky Report archives.
This weekend, if we're lucky to get clear enough skies, check out one of the best moon phases for lunar observation.
This weekend's target is a classic cold weather cluster right next door to its famous half-sisters.
This weekend, two rare lunar treats. And the trick is, they always happen at the same time.
While the moon is pretty to look at and easy to find, its light outshines a lot of deep sky objects. Galaxies, star clusters, nebulae. So moonless nights are what amateur astronomers live for.
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, AND Neptune will all be in the evening sky this weekend. And so will Pluto, if you still consider it to be a planet, but most amateur telescopes won't have a chance of spotting it.
Tonight, and EVERY night, you can see not one, but TWO star clusters... right next to each other.
The Alpha Persei (PER-see-EYE) Cluster is an open cluster of hot, bluish-white B-type stars. These kinds of stars are so energetic, they don't live long. So most of the B-type stars we can see in the night sky are, on the cosmic scale, practically newborns.
Hiding in the constellation Cassiopeia is a star cluster that goes by many names. Its most official name is NGC 457 for its place in Danish astronomer John Lewis Emil Dreyer's New General Catalogue.
Hiding in the constellation Cassiopeia is one of the brightest stars of its kind we've ever found.
The Perseid Meteor Shower is great not only because it falls among the warmest nights of the year, so you don't really have to bundle up to see it. But also because it's one of the most frequent showers, producing up to 110 meteors per hour at its peak. That's a meteor almost every thirty seconds.
The weather doesn't look great this weekend, but if we're lucky enough to have clear or clear-ish skies, look the southeast after sundown... so around 9:30.
There's a lot in the sky this weekend for anyone with binoculars or a cheap telescope. Comet Neowise is still in the northwestern sky, but turn around and you'll see two slightly more permanent fixtures.
If you have dark skies, you can see Comet Neowise with the naked eye, but urban and most suburban observers will probably need some help spotting it.
The largest planet in our solar system is clearly visible late at night. It rises to the southeast just after sunset, and it's highest right around 2am, so if you're up late, go out and look.
Looking at the moon with the naked eye, you'll notice a few big features. The so-called "seas," the large 'Ocean of Storms' to the west, Even the Tycho crater to the south. But look closer with a telescope-even a pair of binoculars, and the moon REALLY reveals itself.
Jupiter and Saturn will be low to the southeast late evening. The later it is, the higher they'll be. They're right next to each other too, so if you find one, you can find the other.
The stars Vega, Deneb, and Altair form what's called the summer triangle, which sweeps overhead all night during the warmer months of the northern hemisphere.
Ophiuchus was one of the original 48 constellations listed by the second century Greek astronomer Ptolemy.
It's called the Strawberry Moon because June is the month when strawberries are ripe for the picking in much of the US.
The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules, or M13 was discovered by astronomer Edmund Halley in 1714, and found its way into Charles Messier's catalog of comet-like objects fifty years later.
Some amateur astronomers in the northern hemisphere say that Spring is galaxy season. Basically what that means is that the Virgo Cluster is high in the evening sky.
To the West, the last remnant of the Winter Triangle. To the East, the first stellar sign of the coming summer.
We're halfway through Spring. A perfect time to look for what some call the "Great Diamond."
When the moon is out, it's hard to see dimmer stars and deep sky objects. But there's still plenty to appreciate about our natural satellite.
Messier 3 is a remarkable globular cluster. It's over 33,000 light years away, but it's bright enough to see with a small telescope, which means it's dense. Around half a million stars exist there.
The Lyrids are active all weekend, so you may see some tonight under dark skies, but the big peak comes early this coming Wednesday morning April 22, 2020. This year we're expecting 10 to 15 meteors per hour.
To find Gemini, look to the west and find the familiar Orion. You'll know it by its iconic "Belt" of three bright stars in a row. Then, simply look above Orion for two bright stars next to each other.
As Venus continues its rise in the evening sky through the end of April, it will travel through many constellations. Tonight, Friday, April 3rd, it will be in the middle of the Pleiades star cluster.
If we're lucky enough to get clear skies in the early morning--before 7am Eastern, look to the south and you'll see three bright points of light. From left-to-right, it's Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter.
The Beehive Cluster is right smack in the middle of Cancer the Crab, which is actually a very dim constellation.
Blue stars that are really close to red stars can appear to us as a greenish blue. One good example is Antares B, the binary companion to the red giant Antares A, the heart of Scorpius.
Leo sweeps across the southern sky all night this time of year. In the evening, it's to the east. To find it, look for the Big Dipper. It'll be straight up and down with the cup at the top. Connect the two stars at the top that make up the end of the cup, and from that straight line, extend the line to the right toward the east, and when you hit the bright star Regulus, you've arrived.
Every good hunter needs support. Orion and his two dogs have reigned the evening sky in the winter since before human civilization. One of the earliest representations of Orion appeared in cave art dated more than 32,000 years ago.
On Tuesday morning, February 18, 2020, just after 7am Eastern, Mars will disappear behind the moon. An event known as a lunar occultation.
Sirius is a binary system consisting of the very bright, main sequence stage star we can see with the naked eye, Sirius A, and a much smaller companion white dwarf stage star, Sirius B.
Venus is 15 times brighter than the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius. And planets don't twinkle like stars do.
The Triangulum Galaxy gets its name from the constellation where it's found. It's a small constellation and, as the name suggests... it's a triangle.
The Orion Nebula is just over 1300 light years from our solar system, and it's believed to be an enormous 24 light years across. Because it's so big, and... relatively close, it's easily visible with binoculars or a telescope, even under fairly bright, suburban skies.
looking at a full moon through a telescope, you notice a lot. The craters, the so-called "seas," the "Ocean of Storms-" that's the big sea... So just what are all those geographic features?
Around 9pm, look low to the southeast to find the brightest star in the night sky. Bright white, twinkling Sirius. Above it, you'll see that iconic winter constellation Orion the Hunter. The orange star at his shoulder is the red supergiant Betelgeuse. Draw a line between Sirius and Betelgeuse, then look to the left, or east to find Procyon (PRO-see-on), another bright white star, and there you have it. A large, nearly perfect equilateral triangle of bright evening stars.
Betelgeuse is one of the largest stars we've ever discovered. If you were to replace the sun with Betelgeuse, it would engulf all four inner planets from Mercury to Mars, and, by some estimates, even Jupiter.
At 2300 light years away, the cluster resembles an upside-down Christmas tree with the brightest star representing the base of the tree. The other stars form a loose cone shape that makes it look like Christmas tree lights.
Auriga is home to three Messier objects, named after 18th century French astronomer Charles Messier, famous for his catalog of deep-sky objects. The three objects are all open clusters, which can be seen through most backyard telescopes.
The three stars that make up Orion's belt is the giveaway. But there's a lot more to appreciate.
A globular cluster is a densely-packed group of stars bound by their own collective gravity. The globular we're looking for tonight is Messier 15 -- also known as the Globular Cluster in Pegasus.
Lots of people can see just those three stars of Orion's belt and know what they're looking at. But look a little closer at the belt with a telescope, or even a good pair of binoculars, and you'll see many more stars.
There was a full moon this past Tuesday, which means this weekend the moon is in the waning gibbous phase. Waning moons are out in the morning, and this week's mostly clear skies have given us a good view--particularly those of us who drive west into work. If we get clear skies this weekend, take a moment to look west at the gibbous moon.
The Pleiades is a collection of B-type stars, which are bright, hot, and blue in color. And the stars of the Pleiades are close too-around 450 light years away, which contributes to its brightness. And while you don't need a telescope or even binoculars to appreciate the Pleiades, it certainly helps.
Cassiopeia is popular with amateur astronomers because it's large, bright, and the main reference point for several deep-sky objects.
This weekend (Sat, Oct 26, 2019), you can find Uranus in the Eastern sky between the constellations Aries and Pisces with Aries to the left, and Pisces to the right.
The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules, or M13 was discovered by astronomer Edmund Halley in 1714, and found its way into Charles Messier's catalog of comet-like objects fifty years later.
International Observe the Moon Night was started in 2010 by NASA. Specifically, the group responsible for its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Launched in the summer of 2009, it continues to deliver important data today, as well as photos and video of the lunar surface--including the landing sites of all six successful crewed lunar surface missions.
The aptly named Double Cluster is a favorite among budding amateur astronomers. Not only because its brightness makes it easy to find, but also because its beauty keeps observers coming back.
The brightest star in the constellation Perseus is Mirfak, and it's where you need to look to find this weekend's target.
The moon won't officially be full until early morning Saturday, but by most definitions, tonight will be a full moon. It's also Friday the 13th. This coincidence hasn't happened since 2006, and won't happen again for ANOTHER 13 years.
Many people aren't even aware that the rings of Saturn are visible from Earth--much less from our own backyards with simple consumer telescopes.
Tonight's target has been known since LONG before the telescope was invented. This of course means it can be seen WITHOUT a telescope, but ONLY under very dark skies. And it wasn't until the early 1800s that, THANKS to the telescope, it was identified as two separate clusters instead of one. The aptly named Double Cluster is a favorite among budding amateur astronomers. Not only because its brightness makes it easy to find, but also because its beauty keeps observers coming back. And here in the Northern Hemisphere, Double Cluster never dips below the horizon... so depending on your view, it's out all night! To find Double Cluster, look for Cassiopeia. You'll find it in the northeastern sky in the evening. The later you're out, the higher it will be... Cassiopeia looks like an elongated, oddly-proportioned "W." Once you find it, look for the two stars closest together in the constellation. If the "W" were on its side, as it will be tonight, it's the second and third stars from the bottom. Trace a line between those two stars, then scan down with binoculars or a telescope... following that same line. When you see a double cluster of stars, guess what... you've found it. Two brilliant clusters of mostly bluish white stars-but there are a few bright yellow and orange stars for variety. When you find it, you'll be looking at one of the younger star clusters you can easily find in the night sky... at only about 13 million years old. To give you an idea, Kangaroos evolved on Earth about two million years BEFORE these stars formed.
Hiding in the northeastern sky this evening (August 23, 2019) is one of the most distant objects visible to the naked eye.
Hiding in the constellation Cassiopeia is one of the brightest stars of its kind we've ever found.
A good view of the southern sky tonight will show you a lethal predator... and a planetary rival.
Arcturus and Spica are two of the brightest stars in the northern hemisphere, so they're not hard to see... but if you're new to Astronomy, you can use this mnemonic device to find them: Arc to Arcturus, and Spike to Spica.
Orion The Hunter has revealed many secrets about how young stars form, and how big stars can get.
Celebrate the upcoming finale of PBS's Great American Read with a literary reference to this weekend's star target.
This weekend, find the popular "Double Cluster" below Cassiopeia to the northeast. Listen to find out how...
This weekend, Spetmeber 29, 2018, step into the early Autumn chill for a glance at a popular, easy-to-find star cluster.
Our closest planetary neighbor shows itself in a unique way during early evening. Matt shares how to find it in this Weekend Sky Report.
This weekend, the moon dances between Jupiter and Saturn. How to find the planets is the focus of this Weekend Sky Report.
Cloudy skies don't change the fact that the star Arcturus is prominent in the western sky this weekend... even if we can't see it.