04.03.10- The Edgar Wilson Award: A Look at Last Year’s Winners.

 
   In this age of astronomical automation and ever increasingly deeper sky surveys, many believe the era of the amateur comet discoveries to be over. A look at last year’s Edgar Wilson Award winners, however, tells a different tale. Established in 1998, this award has historically split a $20,000 purse among 2 to 6 individuals [...]

16.10.09:A Moscow UFO?

What is it? Earlier this week, the above image and obligatory YouTube video flew around ye ‘ole Internet, purportedly showing an “Independence Day”-like spacecraft seemingly descending through the clouds over Moscow. The video was shaky, and the perspective of the light poles moving in the foreground all lent themselves to an eerie look and [...]

24.9.9; “Anti”Crepuscular Rays!

Sometimes near-sky astronomy happens during the strangest of moments. Over the past week, we’ve been treated along the Florida Gulf Coast to some fine displays of crepuscular rays during sunrise and sunset. Generally these shining rays can be seen streaking through the crags and valleys of mountain ranges and ridges when the Sun is [...]

Event of the Week: 13.07.09: Volcanic Sunsets?

Have you noticed that summer sunsets and sunrises have been a tad… scarlet as of late? This is not just your imagination… there are literally tons of volcanic dust currently aloft.  The source is mainly Sarychev Peak volcano, located in the Russian Kuril islands. Part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, Sarychev has been in [...]

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!

My Personal Connection with the Universe

Even since I was young, I’ve looked towards the stars. One of my earliest memories was looking up at the cresent moon, in conjunction with some bright planet (probably Venus) as my Aunt Lorraine carried me up to our apartment in Mapleton, Maine. Not that I knew what any of these objects were. I just [...]