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Fireworks Prelude
The night of July fireworks, as the crowd gathers and darkness settles in, eyes are looking skyward in anticipation of a spectacle. Appropriately, America’s Semiquincentennial Star is among the first to appear in the deepening twilight. The day our founders were signing the Declaration of Independence, light left the star Spica in the constellation Virgo. Traveling at 186,000 miles per second, those photons are just now striking our retinas, for Spica is 250 light years a
Jun 222 min read
Paper Suggests Longer Wait For Nova Eruption. Oh, Well.
"Ruh-roh", as George Jetson's dog Astro would say. The observing campaign to witness a recurring nova erupt after an 80-year hiatus may be longer than anticipated. The new analysis of known previous events suggests accreted mass around the star T Coronae Borealis (T CrB) is likely to blow up closer to the first half of 2027, centered around March 25. In early 2024, astronomers observed a "pre-eruption dip" in the brightness of the star T Coronae Borealis, a precursor of the
Jun 212 min read
Sunshine Leading Up To Summer
While summer begins on the June solstice, a new solargraph result reveals how much warmth and light Sol has been delivering over the past six months. Impatience yielded the red emphasis. After removing the pinhole camera from its mount I hurriedly removed the paper inside while I was in a dark closet. I simply imaged the result with my phone's camera while wearing a red headlamp to avoid exposing the paper to bright light. A red-lit solargraph result is paired with a photo
Jun 212 min read
Astronomy@250 For Curious Minds
Tell me of an astronomy experience in your life, big or small. How has astronomy intersected your personal life and all that has led up to where we are now as a country? I encourage you to attend the virtual conference Astronomy@250, which celebrates 250 years of astronomy in the United States on August 27-29, 2026. Hosted by the Astro Society, the Semiquincentennial event "brings together researchers, educators, amateur astronomers, and curious minds from across the commun
Jun 212 min read
Nova Watch In Summer 2026
Each day brings us closer to an anticipated recurring nova visible to the naked eye, and warm summer nights provide a great observing opportunity. Now all we need is for the darned thing to blow up. Here's how to find this "new" star before, during, and after it erupts. Summer offers multiple ways to star hop to the target in the constellation Corona Borealis (CrB). Find and photograph the U-shaped Northern Crown beforehand so you'll have a comparison starfield when the nov
Jun 191 min read
