2009: The Year of Astronomy.

Star trails over the former Very Small Optical Observatory in Vail, Arizona. (Photo by Author).
This is a shout out to the world; 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy. Check with your local astronomy club, observatory or planetarium to find out what events are near you; if they aren’t planning anything, ask them why not!

When You Wish Upon a Star: the Truth About Star Naming.

 
The 4 meter dome in Cerro Telolo, Chile (Credit: Roger Smith).
We have a pet peeve here at Astroguyz. Every great once in a while, most astronomers get asked by a well meaning member of the public to locate a particular star. This is not a problem, even without the benefit of a “Goto” mount; right [...]