October 3, 2021 Today in 1962, the Mercury spacecraft Sigma 7 was launched. Aboard the craft, Astronaut Walter M. “Wally” Schirra completed nearly six orbits of the Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean 9 hours, 13 minutes after liftoff. All Mercury capsules were built in St. Louis by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation. Pictured above are… Continue reading
Night Sky Update: October 1 – October 9, 2021
This is the Saint Louis Science Center’s NIGHT SKY UPDATE for the week of Friday, October 1, 2021. Information updated weekly or as needed. Times given as local St. Louis time, which is Central Daylight Time (CDT). For definitions of terminology used in the night sky update, click the highlighted text. If relying on times… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: October 2, 2021
October 2, 2021 The brightest star we see at night is called Sirius. You can find this bright star rising in the southeast around 3 am this month. The bright Star Sirius rising in the southeast around 3 am. Image created using Stellarium
Astronomy Fact of the Day: October 1, 2021
October 1, 2021 Today in 1958, NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) officially became NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). On that day William H. Dana reported to work as an engineer at the High-Speed Flight Station as the first NASA employee. For a timeline of NASA’s history, visit here. The original logo of the… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: September 30, 2021
September 30, 2021 At 9 pm you will find Jupiter and Saturn in the south. You can confirm that you have found these planets with the twinkle test. Generally, stars appear to twinkle, planets do not. The bright star to the northwest of Jupiter and Saturn is Altair and the bright star to their southeast… Continue reading
Artifact of the Week: Colima Dog Figure
For the past 3,000 years, the Colima dog has been the animal most frequently portrayed in Western Mexican art. A relative of the Mexican hairless dog, it was highly regarded among ancient cultures such as the Colima as a guardian of the dead, healer of the sick, protector of the home and as a food… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: September 29, 2021
September 29, 2021 Today in 2001, NASA launched Kodiak Star carrying four satellites into Earth orbit. This was the first launch from the Kodiak Launch Complex on Kodiak Island in Alaska, now named the Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska (PSCA). This facility is one of the best locations in the world for polar launch operations.… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: September 28, 2021
September 28, 2021 Last quarter moon occurs today at 8:57 pm. You can find the Moon rising in the northeast at 11:30 pm. The line that separates day and night on the Moon is called the terminator. Along the terminator is where you will find the best details of lunar features. View of a last… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: September 27, 2021
September 27, 2021 Today in 1956, Air Force test pilot Captain Milburn Apt flew the Bell Aircraft Company’s rocket-powered X-2 at Mach 3.2. This event marked the first human flight to exceed the speed of sound by more than a factor of three. Unfortunately, Apt lost control of the X-2 due to inertial coupling when… Continue reading
Astronomy Fact of the Day: September 26, 2021
September 26, 2021 Today in St. Louis, Missouri, we have equal hours of day and night as the Sun rises at 6:51 and it sets at 18:51. This day is called equilux, which occurs a few days after the autumnal and a few days before the vernal equinox. The reason we experience more daytime on… Continue reading