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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
My Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon (UAP)
I witnessed and recorded an unidentified anomalous phenomenon (UAP) on April 21, 2026. In its independent 2022 study NASA defines UAPs as "observations of events in the sky that cannot be identified as aircraft or known natural phenomena." While it may be known to someone, the apparition is unknown to me. Absent an established reporting system, I volunteer this example merely as a scientific data point in the spirit of their "effort to better understand the nature and orig
May 113 min read
Use the Moon to Find America's Semiquincentennial Star
While stars and stripes will be prominent during America's 250th Anniversary celebration, one star in the night sky has special significance. Shining brightly at 250 light years away, Spica is America's Semiquincentennial Star . Light that left Spica in 1776--traveling at 186,000 miles per second --is just now reaching our eyes. For a visceral Semiquincentennial experience in 2026, find Spica, then contemplate your and America's place in the firmament. To find Spica, follo
Mar 72 min read
Mira Brightening
The variable star Mira is brightening after months of being out of sight in the constellation Cetus the Sea Monster. Mira, root word for miracle, is different in that it is a prominent star in Cetus but is sometimes not visible. Observers can record its rising brightness and compare it to nearby comparison stars, then submit their results to the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO). An infographic from the Astronomical League gives guidance on how to fi
Jan 84 min read
Predicting the Stars in 2026
Astronomy is in the business of making predictions. Not the predictions of astrology and horoscopes, but the insights of science. In a simple form, we watch the sun rise and set, so we anticipate it following that tradition on ensuing days. Yet some cultures conceived that around the winter solstice the sun might not come back with its life-sustaining presence. All it takes is one non-occurrence for a scientific theory to be thrown into the tumult of uncertainty. As we l
Jan 13 min read
Dipper Scoops Ice Cream For Cone And Cup
For a summer vacation pursuit, launch a star watch to witness a rare visible nova . In the midst of summer ice cream, a new star may...
Jun 2, 20252 min read
