Astronomy Fact of the Day: October 30, 2022

October 30, 2022 On this date in 1938, Orson Wells broadcasted “The War of the Worlds” over the radio and caused a panic as people believed Martians were invading. Looking to the east around 10 pm, you will see Mars in the constellation Taurus. The east-northeastern sky as it will appear tonight at 10 pm.… Continue reading

Astronomy Fact of the Day: October 29, 2022

October 29, 2022 The Celtic tradition Samhain is the basis for the modern tradition of Halloween. Astronomically, Samhain occurred when the Pleiades star cluster was visible overhead at midnight. If you go outside tonight at midnight, you will find the Pleiades just about overhead. Due to precession, the timing has shifted but it is still… Continue reading

Night Sky Update: October 28 – November 5, 2022

This is the Saint Louis Science Center’s NIGHT SKY UPDATE for the week of Friday, October 28, 2022. 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 28, 2022

October 28, 2022 Tonight at 8:30 pm, you will find the planet Saturn in the constellation Capricornus. Capricornus is one of the 12/13 zodiac constellations that the planets wander through when viewed from Earth. Saturn takes roughly 29.5 year to wander through the zodiacal constellations. The southern sky as it will appear tonight at 8:30… Continue reading

Astronomy Fact of the Day: October 27, 2022

October 27, 2022 Tonight at 8 pm, you can find the Pleiades star cluster rising in the east. Also called Messier 45, the Pleiades is an excellent open star cluster to look at through binoculars. With the unaided eye, most will see 6 or 7 bright stars. Through binoculars, you can see well over 40… Continue reading

Malachite

Malachite – Collected from Zaire, Africa. During the latter part of the 19th and into the early 20th century, Victorian Christmas Lights (also called Christmas Fairy Lamps) like this purple hobnail example, were popular decorations throughout the US. Candles were placed inside these ornamental glass lamps, and they were typically hung with wire outside the… Continue reading

Astronomy Fact of the Day: October 26, 2022

October 26, 2022 Missouri born astronomer, Edwin Hubble categorized galaxies into 3 main types including: spiral, elliptical, and irregular. Our galaxy, the Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy. Neighboring galaxy Messier 31 is a spiral galaxy which can be found over head at 10 pm in the constellation Andromeda. These images show examples of… Continue reading

Astronomy Fact of the Day: October 25, 2022

October 25, 2022 Today, a partial solar eclipse will occur. A Solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and Sun. When this happens, if the Sun, Moon and Earth are in alignment, the Moon will appear to occult the solar disk. Sadly, it will not be visible from St. Louis as it… Continue reading

Astronomy Fact of the Day: October 24, 2022

October 24, 2022 New moon occurs tomorrow at 10:49 UT. This is an ideal time to get into deep sky observing. Deep sky objects are galaxies, nebulae and star clusters which tend to appear faint and diffuse. When near new moon, bright moonlight will not interfere views of these faint objects. One of the best… Continue reading