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Upcoming Solar & Lunar Eclipses

By Jim Hendrickson
Two eclipses, Mercury and Venus at their best, and Saturn ring plane crossing highlight events in March 2025.

Book Review: The Cosmic Mystery Tour: A High-Speed Journey Through Space and Time

By Francine Jackson
Every so often a book comes along that attempts to introduce the universe to a reader in as short a context as possible. Some work, others don’t. The Cosmic Mystery Tour does. It starts long before any of us were born, familiarizes us with the giants of science through the ages, then stops for awhile to let us know what’s been happening during the past several decades.

Sagittarius, the Archer

By Dave Huestis
Sagittarius is an easy constellation to identify, but not in the guise of classical Greek mythology where the star pattern represents a centaur (half-human, half horse) archer, whose poisoned tipped arrow is pointed towards the scorpion’s heart (Antares) in nearby Scorpius. However, today we describe this star pattern as a teapot with the handle to the left and the spout to the right. The Milky Way appears to pour like steam up into the sky from the spout.

Mars: Past, Present and Future

By Dave Huestis
What continues to draw us to Mars? Is it because we still believe life may once have flourished upon or beneath its now lifeless terrain? Spacecraft images and sensors may provide a wealth of data, but nothing can compare to the experience of seeing firsthand even a fleeting image of some Martian surface features through the telescopes at the local observatories or even through one’s personal backyard telescope.

Alan Bean 1932-2018

By Francine Jackson
We’re very quickly losing our greatest era in modern history. Another one of the 12 astronauts to walk on the Moon has recently died: Alan Bean, 86, a Navy test pilot who made his first trip into space November 14, 1969, on Apollo 12, four months after the first Apollo 11 landing with Armstrong and Aldrin.

Venus: Mysteries of the Evening Star

By Francine Jackson
Our neighboring planet is a totally alien object, racked with an unbreathable, crushing, and opaque atmosphere. But, then, how do we know anything about it at all?

The Journey to Totality

By Dave Huestis
Today’s column is a departure from my monthly highlights of upcoming astronomical events. February’s lack of spectacular phenomena influenced my decision to recap last Augusts' solar eclipse. However, this story is more about the journey to the path of totality than it is about the eclipse itself.

Book Review: Magnitude - The Scale of the Universe

By Francine Jackson
Magnitude is a fun read, whether you are looking for just the right information to impress your friends with, or to liven an academic conversation. No matter which set of units you open the book to, you’re sure to find a tidbit of information you might not have been aware of. If you do begin at the beginning, you might have trouble putting this book down, as every page will have you wanting to learn more. Magnitude will hold your interest from cover to cover.

60th Anniversary of Sputnik

By Francine Jackson
The Soviet satellite that ushered in the Space Age was launched into orbit 60 years ago.

A Farewell to Cassini

By Francine Jackson
On September 15, the incredible 20 year journey of the Cassini spacecraft comes to an end.

Voyages to the Stars

By Francine Jackson
On the fortieth anniversary of the launch of Voyager, we explore where the two Voyagers and three other interplanetary travelers are going.

Star Spangled Banner

By Francine Jackson
Some anecdotes on the origin of the stars on the American flag.

Rainbow Over Seagrave

By Francine Jackson
At one of our recent workshops, we were witness to one of nature's most beautiful sights: a rainbow

Astronomical Events Determine Easter Observance

By Dave Huestis
In simpler times our forefathers paid close attention to the clockwork motion of the heavens. One didn’t have to observe the sky for too long a period of time to notice the cyclic phases of the Moon, or the changing position of the Sun relative to the horizon over the course of a year. Nature provided a precise clock and calendar that could be used to determine when to celebrate special events.

Appreciating the Nature of a Solar Eclipse

By Francine Jackson
By now, all members of Skyscrapers, Inc., are aware that on Monday, August 21st, the U.S. will be home to its first total solar eclipse in decades. And, it will be all ours – the path of totality runs completely through the continental United States, from Oregon down through South Carolina. Also, the rest of the country will be able to observe a partial phase. For us in Southern New England, the Sun will lose just under three quarters of its ball to the dark of the New Moon.
Observing the Last Quarter Moon

Observing the Last Quarter Moon

By Dave Huestis
There is a lunar phase which is not observed as regularly as those phases leading up to and just after full. Today’s column will highlight a few of the features that can be observed during the Last (or Third) Quarter Moon. Binoculars or a telescope will be required to adequately observe these formations.

Book Review: The Glass Universe

By Francine Jackson
Many of you are familiar with Dava Sobel's previous books, especially Longitude and Galileo's Daughter, both of which required extensive historical research. This one introduces a part of history that many astronomers use every day, but perhaps aren't aware from where it came: Spectral classification.

The Mystery of the Christmas Star

By Dave Huestis
What was the Star of Bethlehem? Can a natural astronomical event account for the appearance of the Christmas Star about 2000 years ago?

The Great Moon Hoax of 1835

By Francine Jackson
As we ramp up to celebrate this year's International Observe the Moon night October 8th, we have to look at one aspect of it: How its presence has affected us here on Earth. We often think of it as beautiful, romantic, or, of course, an object of scientific importance. But, in 1835, our Moon suddenly became an object of both a money grab, and a potential ruin to the reputation of one of the 19th century's most important scientists.

Dog Days

By Francine Jackson
Like other sayings that have come down through the ages, dog days is another that has its origins in the sky. If any of you are able to wake early in the morning before dawn the next few days, and have a good eastern horizon, please confirm that, once again, our language does contain within it a piece of our sky.

Finding Pluto

By Jim Hendrickson
A guide to locating Pluto during summer 2016

Transit of Mercury: An Infrequent Astronomical Event

By Dave Huestis
Though not as rare as Venus transits, transits of Mercury occur 12-13 times per century. The last one occurred on November 8, 2006, but unfortunately here in Southern New England we were clouded out. Luckily their increased frequency provides our next opportunity on Monday, May 9, when, weather permitting, we will be able to observe this fascinating event from start to finish.

Amazon Smile Program for Skyscrapers, Inc.

By Tracy Prell
I would like to tell you about the "Amazon Smile" program and how it can benefit our Society financially at not cost or obligation to us. This program is offered by Amazon, the online retailer and is available to all 501(c)(3) organizations.

Remembering Comet Halley: 30 Years Later

By Francine Jackson
Can you believe that Halley’s Comet was in our sky 30 years ago? A note in a recent magazine reminds us that in the mid ‘80s we were looking at the most famous of our periodic comets, the only major one not named for its discoverer, but instead for the person who determined that it indeed did return to us. Later research noted that it had been documented since 240 B.C.

Stories in the Sky: Andromeda, the Chained Lady

By Dave Huestis
Today we are going to explore the mythology behind the constellation Andromeda. Then I will highlight two beautiful objects you should attempt to view with either your own telescope or through any of the local observatories’ fine instruments.

In Memory: Roger Menard and Minka Wescott

By Francine Jackson
It’s very hard to lose a friend, but to become aware of two in one day is very difficult. Recently, the Rhode Island astronomical community lost two of its most staunch lovers of astronomy.

Alex Bergemann Promoted to Eagle Scout

By Dave Huestis
On Monday, August 24, Skyscrapers hosted an Eagle Scout induction ceremony for member Alex T. Bergemann. It was a wondeful ceremony, with accolades and awards coming from many individuals, including former astronaut Colonel (retired) Sherwood "Woody" Spring who called in to congratulate Alex. Woody also read a congraulatory letter from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.

Rosertta Update

By Francine Jackson
As we are continuing to monitor Dawn at Ceres, and New Horizons at Pluto, another breakthrough mission seems to have been lost in the dwarf planet hype. Rosetta, traveling alongside Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, is still sending back incredible information on the comet, as craft and comet are moving together in the vicinity of the Sun.

Rings of the Solar System

By Francine Jackson
The Centaur Chiron was recently found to have a ring, making it the 6th object in our solar system known to have a system of rings.

Dawn Arrives at Ceres

By Francine Jackson
After visiting Vesta and a three-year voyage through the asteroid belt, Dawn is now ready to begin its yearlong mission at one of our solar system's five known dwarf planets, Ceres.

Reason for the Season(s)

By Dave Huestis
Have you ever noticed how high the Sun arcs across the sky during the summer, or how low it arcs during the winter? It’s an astronomical cycle that only requires one’s eyes to observe, plus a one year commitment of time. I’m sure you’ve noticed the Sun rising or setting at various locations along your horizon during the year. One month it may be rising or setting directly in front of you as you drive down a particular road, while at other times it may be either north or south of that same position. Astronomy provides the answers.

A Night at Foxwoods

By Francine Jackson
Francine Jackson reviews a trip to a local theatre to see a presentation by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, host of the recent Cosmos series.

Meteor Shower Prospects for 2015 & Other Astronomical Highlights

By Dave Huestis
I always look forward to writing my January column because it previews a variety of astronomical events for the upcoming year. Yearly astronomical almanacs, both hard copy and Internet, can be referenced to find the best highlights amateur astronomers and casual stargazers may enjoy observing. I often supplement my choices using sophisticated planetarium software like Starry Night Pro to portray better exactly how these phenomena will look in the skies around southern New England.

International Year of Light 2015

By Francine Jackson
On 20 December 2013, The United Nations (UN) General Assembly 68th Session proclaimed 2015 as the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL 2015). This International Year has been the initiative of a large consortium of scientific bodies together with UNESCO, and will bring together many different stakeholders including scientific societies and unions, educational institutions, technology platforms, non-profit organizations and private sector partners.

Star of Bethlehem

By Francine Jackson
As December rolls around, our thoughts naturally turn to holidays, the excitement of the upcoming new year, and, of course, the Star of Bethlehem, the enigmatic mention of a guidepost that led the Wise Men to the stable and the Child. This alleged portent is only mentioned once, in the Gospel of Matthew, as an almost aside, and yet, astronomers, philosophers and theologists have been trying for centuries to determine what, or if, this phenomenon could have been.

In Memory of Walter Dowhyj

By Francine Jackson
It was with great sadness to learn of the recent death of Walter Dowhyj. Although not a presence lately, in past decades Walter had been almost a permanent fixture at Skyscrapers, serving as trustee and being at many public open nights.

Fomalhaut

By Francine Jackson
A lone, bright star low in the south graces the early autumn evening sky.

The Quest for Pluto

By Jim Hendrickson
New Horizons is only a year away from it's fleeting visit with our favorite dwarf planet. Seeing it through the eyepiece of a telescope may be challenging, but capturing it on camera may be easier than you think.

Magnificent Saturn

By Dave Huestis
During the next few months, treat yourself and your family and friends to the wonderful views of Saturn. Whether it is observed through your own telescope or one of the instruments at any of the local observatories, you won’t be disappointed.

M97: The Owl Nebula

By Glenn Chaple
Like its neighbor M108, M97 was discovered by Messier’s contemporary Pierre Méchain in 1781. Described as one of the fainter of the Messier objects, M97 can nonetheless be glimpsed with small aperture scopes.

New England Astronomy: It's More Than Just Cloudy Skies

By Francine Jackson
There’s got to be a reason so many of us who love astronomy live in Southern New England. Yes, we have beautiful coastlines, great schools, fantastic parks and walkways. But, the one feature we seem to be missing is beautiful skies. Already this calendar year we have been unable to see three very unique celestial events, and yet, we’re still here.

The Double Quasar & Gravitational Lensing

By Pete Peterson
Pete Peterson shares his experience of observing a gravitationally lensed quasar 8.7 billion light years away from his Wishing Star Observatory in Barrington, RI.

Mars Madness

By Dave Huestis
A guide to observing the Red Planet in 2014

Date of Easter

By Francine Jackson
Easter is always celebrated on the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the first day of spring.

Ghost of Jupiter: NGC 3242

By Glenn Chaple
This planetary nebula gets its nickname “Jupiter’s Ghost” because its angular size and slightly oval shape (40” by 35”) approximate those of its namesake planet. Make Jupiter 10 magnitudes fainter and change its color from lively yellow to pale blue-green, and you have NGC 3242 – Jupiter’s Ghost!

A December’s Winter Night

By Mark Sweberg
The deep, dark and incredibly cold winter’s night had begun. It was going to be a good one.

M46 & NGC 2438

By Glenn Chaple
There’s a saying that goes, “You can’t see the forest for the trees.” In the case of the planetary nebula NGC 2438, “you can’t see the nebula for the stars.” NGC 2438 lies within the northern portion of the open cluster Messier 46 and is often overshadowed by the surrounding stars.

John Dobson (1915-2014)

By Francine Jackson
John Dobson, known for popularizing astronomy through his Sidewalk Astronomy style of outreach (and the founder of the San Francisco-based Sidewalk Astronomers) passed away on January 15, 2014 at age 98. Dobson was perhaps best known for the simple rocker-box style of telescope mounting that bears his name, but his decades-long commitment to bring astronomy to the public is perhaps even more significant, and as such should be a role model for all of us to share our love for the night sky.

Diamonds Upon Black Velvet

By Dave Huestis
Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane!! No, it’s a bull!!! Taurus the Bull, that is. Taurus is an easy constellation to find, and it has several objects of interest for stargazers equipped with only binoculars or a small telescope.

Kemble's Cascade & NGC 1502

By Glenn Chaple
In 1980, while scanning a rather vacant area of the constellation Camelopardalis with 7 X 35 binoculars, Canadian amateur astronomer Fr. Lucian J. Kemble came across “a beautiful cascade of faint stars tumbling from the northwest down to the open cluster NGC 1502.”

Comet Lovejoy meets Venus

By Mark Sweberg
I had driven down to Point Judith, ostensibly to look for Comet Lovejoy. The previous week, Comet ISON, which the media had heralded as a possible comet of the century, dominated the conversation during Thanksgiving dinner. Hopes were raised that it would emerge from its rendezvous with the Sun and make good on that prediction. With much disappointment, ISON did not long survive that encounter. Yet, the astronomy community was abuzz with the prominence of several other comets, principal among them, Comet Lovejoy.

Happy Perihelion!

By Francine Jackson
This has got to be one of the trickiest, and most confusing times of the year. As we here in the north are struggling to stay as warm as possible, we are experiencing what to many is not possible: Being as close to the Sun as the Earth can be.

Bob's Aurora Borealis

By Mark Sweberg
Some of us will have the awesome experience of viewing the northern lights in Alaska in the wintertime. It is something I look forward to myself. I look forward to viewing the amazing displays of dancing lights, and of having my breath taken away, as so frequently occurs among fascinated viewers.

Preparing for Comet ISON: A Comet Primer for Casual Stargazers

By Dave Huestis
To prepare you for the potential Comet ISON experience (whatever that may be), today’s column (Part I) is a primer that will provide some basic facts about comets in general. Part II will serve as an ISON observing guide, noting dates, times and where to look in the sky.

Samhain

By Francine Jackson
Francine Jackson explains the origin and traditions of our autumn cross-quarter day.

Fly Me to the Moon

By Mark Sweberg
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first men to land on the Moon. Earth’s multitudes sighed a collective sigh of relief when the scratchy transmission, “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed,” echoed around the globe. A jubilant world came together as one, for those precious, glorious moments.

Sunrise, Sunset

By Mark Sweberg
I fashion myself a crepuscular mammal; alert and active at dawn and dusk, I gain inspiration from the subtle interplay of the changing light at the ends of the day. Be it hopeful anticipation as the rising sun infuses the sky with its warm radiance, or the peace and serenity evoked as it sets, I love these times of day.

Observing Uranus in 2013

By Jim Hendrickson
Our solar system's seventh planet is an easy binocular object among the stars of Pisces in the evening sky.

What do you see when you look at the Moon?

By Francine Jackson
Have you ever looked at the Moon, especially during the waxing and waning gibbous phases, and seen some type of shape? Normally, we speak about the Man on the Moon, but there are a lot of other images that people see; all you need is your imagination.

Light

By Mark Sweberg
Light is awesome. It’s something we take for granted every day; we certainly don’t stop and think about it often or try and define it. Let’s give light its due and take a few minutes to understand some things about it.

Observing Neptune in 2013

By Jim Hendrickson
Our solar system's eighth and outermost planet Neptune reaches opposition on August 27, meaning that it is at its nearest position to us and therefore this is the best time of the year to observe it.

Some Treasures of the Summer Milky Way From Perseus to Sagittarius

By Dave Huestis
On July evenings, from a sky not severely limited by light pollution, an observer will notice a milky patch of light well above the eastern horizon and spanning the sky from north to south. This is the light from some of the 400 billion stars of our Milky Way galaxy.

The Art of the Crescent Moon

By Francine Jackson
A crescent Moon is often drawn in the comics to represent night, but have you noticed that it is often drawn backwards?

M104: The Sombrero Galaxy

By Glenn Chaple
One of the more noteworthy examples of an edge-on spiral galaxy bisected by a dark dust lane is M104, the Sombrero Galaxy. The nick-name arises from the galaxy’s resemblance to the traditional Mexican headwear, the bright nuclear bulge forming the hat and the spiral arms/dust lane the wide brim.

University of Rhode Island Planetarium

By Francine Jackson
Nestled quietly on the corner of Upper College Road and Engineering Row is a unique little building resembling a silo stepped on by the Jolly Green Giant. Many students who pass by this building have no idea they are looking at one of the most modern planetariums in the area. The University of Rhode Island Planetarium, a part of the campus for decades, has within its doors the ability to travel through the solar system, and beyond.

M101: Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major

By Glenn Chaple
One of the best examples of a star-hop is the one that takes us from Mizar (the middle star in the Handle of the Big Dipper) to the face-on spiral galaxy M101. It’s a fortuitous situation because, were it isolated, M101 might be one of the more difficult Messier objects to locate.

See Comet PanSTARRS in March and April

By Dave Huestis
On any clear night there are tens of comets visible in the night sky. The majority are faint and require large telescopes to view them visually. They can be detected because they shine by reflected sunlight, just like all the planets and moons in our solar system. Once in a while a new comet will be discovered that shows potential for putting on a good show that anyone in a dark sky can observe and appreciate.

Spring

By Francine Jackson
Francine Jackson describes the astronomical connection to some of the dates associated with the change of season.

M78: Reflection Nebula in Orion

By Glenn Chaple
It’s understandable that M78 should be overlooked by backyard astronomers. Not far away is the much brighter, much more easily found, and much, much more spectacular M42 - the Orion Nebula. This deep-sky masterpiece was spectacular even through the eyepiece of my 3-inch scope. M78, on the other hand, was a faint blob that seemed to sport an off-center nucleus.

NGC 7662: the Blue Snowball

By Glenn Chaple
What could be a more appropriate telescopic destination for a wintry night in January than the “Blue Snowball?” More formally known as NGC 7662, the Blue Snowball is a beautiful planetary nebula located in Andromeda. Discovered by William Herschel in 1784, it sports as the nickname implies a circular form and eye-pleasing bluish hue.

Maserthim (γ Arietis)

By Glenn Chaple
I’m a double star aficionado; my sky gazing motto is “double stars are twice the fun!” Unlike the “faint fuzzies” most backyard astronomers prefer, double stars aren’t hidden by light pollution or bright moonlight. They aren’t the exclusive property of big-scope owners. In fact, many showpiece doubles are within reach of small-aperture instruments. The common 60mm refractor with its crisp stellar images delivers exquisite views of double stars - especially twin systems.

Doomsday 2012: Down for the (Long) Count?

By Dave Huestis
It’s difficult to know exactly when the alleged Mayan doomsday prophecy drivel started. I’ve had an interest in the Mesoamerican cultures of Central America for many decades, so I was aware of their advanced calendar system. However, in all my studies of these cultures I never encountered any reference to a Mayan prophecy regarding the end of the world on December 21, 2012. Misinterpretation, lack of knowledge of Mayan calendar reckoning, and downright falsehoods have conspired to feed the doomsday scenario.

Promising Prospects for December’s Geminid Meteor Shower

By Dave Huestis
Mild comfortable nights of observing are now behind us. As we approach the Winter Solstice on December 21 at 6:12 a.m. (the earliest date and time for this astronomical event since 1896), our days grow shorter while the nights grow longer. Amateur astronomers like the early sunsets and the longer nighttime skies, but the cold temperatures can shorten one’s observing session quite effectively.

December Long Night Moon

By Francine Jackson
With the winter season beginning this month, the nights are the longest, and the days slowly begin to get colder. As such, we celebrate both the Full Cold Moon and the Full Long Night Moon. And, because we also celebrate the holiday season at this time of year, this can also be called the Moon Before Yule, although this year it takes place afterwards, on December 28th.

November Moon

By Francine Jackson
As the swamps began to freeze, settlers looking to stay warm during the winter would set traps along them, to try to catch the full, soft, fluffy beaver, who were looking to prepare their winters' naps; this is why the Full Moon of November is called the Beaver Moon. Also, because the weather tends to take a turn toward the chilly, and ice begins to form on our windows, this Moon is also referred to as the Full Frosty Moon.

Struve 2816 and 2819: Triple and Double Stars in Cepheus

By Glenn Chaple
There’s something hypnotic about a double star – two gleaming points of light shining bravely through the surrounding darkness. A triple star is even more mesmerizing. Place a double star and triple star in the same eyepiece field, and the visual effect is stunning. This is what greets the eye when you view the triple/double star combo Struve 2816 and Struve 2819.

Moon of the Falling Leaves

By Francine Jackson
Traditionally, the October Full Moon is considered the Hunter's Moon, because, after the beautiful Harvest Moon allowed our ancestors to stay out later in the evenings and gather their crops, only the stubble remained, making the cute little woodland creatures easier to kill for the long winter that was to come. They have now eaten their fill, and are plump, ready for the hunt. Fox, rabbit, deer, and others are very easy to find in the harvested land.

NGC 6934: Globular Cluster in Delphinus

By Glenn Chaple
October sees the demise of the summer Milky Way and its swarm of globular clusters centered on the constellation Sagittarius. A few, notably M15 in Pegasus, lag behind to grace our autumn skies. Another of these stragglers is NGC 6934 in Delphinus. This small 9th magnitude globular was discovered by William Herschel in 1785. In early star atlases and in modern-day “Herschel 400” guides, it bears the designation H1031 - the 103rd entry in Category I (bright nebulae) of Herschel’s deep sky catalog.

The Moon: It's just a Phase it's Going Through

By Dave Huestis
Even the most casual sky observer will notice the changing phases of the Moon. However, the reason for the Moon’s phases during a 29-day period seems to be almost all but forgotten.

Observing the First Quarter Moon

By Dave Huestis
The Moon is an easy target for event the cheapest of small telescopes. Even binoculars can show a casual stargazer the more prominent features that populate the lunar landscape.

Remembering Neil Armstrong

By Francine Jackson
Skyscrapers members Francine Jackson and Jim Hendrickson offer perspectives on the passing of Neil Armstrong, first man on the Moon.

September Harvest Moon

By Francine Jackson
The Full Moon of August has often been called the Full Sturgeon Moon by tribes around the Great Lakes because these fish were at their most plentiful at this time of year. In 2012 we have a second Full Moon in August, on the 31st. Anytime there is a second Full Moon in one month, it is referred to as a Blue Moon.

Coathanger Asterism in Vulpecula

By Glenn Chaple
If you slowly scan the southern part of Vulpecula with binoculars or rich-field telescope, you’ll come across a remarkable asterism comprised of 10 stars arranged in the distinct form of a coathanger. Six line up to form the bar, while four others create the hook. It’s quite an eye-opening sight!

Curiosity to Explore Mars

By Dave Huestis
We will all be anxiously awaiting news of Curiosity’s successful landing in Gale Crater during the early morning hours of August 6 as it begins a new chapter in the exploration of Mars and the search for evidence of life on the planet.

M22: Globular Cluster in Sagittarius

By Glenn Chaple
What’s the most spectacular globular cluster in the northern sky? Most backyard astronomers would pick the Great Cluster M13 in Hercules. If you wish to view the finest globular cluster visible from the entire New England sky, however, you’ll have to travel south of the celestial equator to the constellation Sagittarius and its showpiece globular cluster M22.

Asteroids, Meteors, & the Dog Days

By Jim Hendrickson
Mars, Saturn, & Spica gather in the evening sky, Jupiter and Venus dominate the morning sky, and the Moon and planets guide you to spotting three of the four largest asteroids in the asteroid belt. Also, how early can we see the Dog Star?

The Lunar X

By Glenn Chaple
Some of the more intriguing lunar sights are transient features - short-lived phantoms formed by shadows cast by crater rims or by high-altitude areas capturing the glint of the rising sun. Many of these occur near the lunar terminator. One of the most remarkable is the “Lunar X” which appears around the time of first quarter moon.

July's Apollo Moon

By Francine Jackson
The full Moon in July is sometimes known as the Buck Moon, Thunder Moon, or more recently the Apollo Moon, in honor of the Apollo 11 Moon landing in July 1969 when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first walked on our planetary neighbor.

Charlestown Approves Town Lighting Ordinance

By Francine Jackson
Directory of Frosty Drew Observatory Francine Jackson gives a positive update on the long-running effort to protect dark skies in southern Rhode Island. Again, we’d like to thank the Charlestown Town Council, the Town Planning Committee, and all of you who sent notes in allowing the town lighting ordinance to be passed.

Saturn, the “Recruiter”

By Dave Huestis
Right now is a good time to be recruited by Saturn. While this article is primarily intended for individuals with telescopes, those of you who do not own these wonderful instruments can still learn about the Saturnian system and then visit one of the local observatories.

Be Prepared for the Transit of Venus: June 5, 2012

By Dave Huestis
This notice is a brief reminder about the rare transit of Venus that will be visible here on the evening of June 5. A more detailed account appeared last month, which can also be viewed at the Skyscrapers website (http://www.theskyscrapers.org). Following are the highlights of this event, the last one to occur until the year 2117.

Shooting Stars of May

By Dave Huestis
On the night of May 5-6 the Eta Aquarids will grace our skies. This display is an old and declining one and is best seen from the southern hemisphere, and this year will be mostly blotted out by the light of the Full Moon.

Porrima: Binary Star in Virgo

By Glenn Chaple
Compiling a list of the finest double stars for backyard telescopes is always a work in progress. The list is forever in flux, because many showpiece double stars are binary systems that periodically close to the point where they can’t be resolved by small-aperture telescopes. Such is the case with Porrima (gamma [γ] Virginis).

Algieba: Double Star in Leo

By Glenn Chaple
One of the finest double stars in the spring sky – indeed, in all the heavens – is gamma (y) Leonis. Its proper name, Algieba, comes from the Arabic Al Jabbah (The Lion’s Mane).

Solar Activity Primer

By Dave Huestis
With the increase in very energetic solar flares, I thought it was prudent to provide a basic primer on our Sun and the reasons for its recent outbursts.

Northern Lights Primer

By Dave Huestis
As the Sun’s activity continues to climb to solar maximum in 2013, you can expect the frequency and intensity of geomagnetic storms to increase as well, and with it the chance to witness a beautiful display of the northern lights from right here in southern New England.

April Meteor Shower

By Dave Huestis
I haven't written about the April Lyrids for a few years now because the shower had been in decline, and the observing conditions were always poor to fair at best. Well, this year the shower peaks at around midnight on the night of April 21-22, and, best of all, the Moon will be New and will not blot out any of the meteors.

Marvelous Mars

By Dave Huestis
This brief Mars observing guide will help you to discern and appreciate the planetary detail a telescope may show you of this neighboring world. While this 2012 apparition is not one of the closer ones, medium-sized backyard telescopes should still coax some detail out of the small image. And of course the local observatories will be able to share even more Martian detail when steady seeing allows them to “crank up” the magnification.

Mars History Highlights

By Dave Huestis
What continues to draw us to Mars? Is it because we still believe life may once have flourished upon or beneath its now lifeless terrain? Spacecraft images and sensors may provide a wealth of data, but nothing can compare to the experience of seeing firsthand even a fleeting image of some Martian surface features through the telescopes at the local observatories or even through one’s personal backyard telescope.

Variable Star R Leonis

By Glenn Chaple
On the evening of March 1, 1918, a young Ohio farm boy trained a small refracting telescope towards the variable star R Leonis. He estimated its brightness, later forwarding the information to the American Association of Variable Star Observers. It was the first of over 132.000 variable star observations the legendary Leslie Peltier would submit to the AAVSO.

433 Eros

By Glenn Chaple
Very rarely does a near-earth asteroid become bright enough to be seen with small backyard scopes. A notable exception is the asteroid 433 Eros. Around the time of its nearest approach on January 31, Eros will be 16.6 million miles from Earth.

M74: Galaxy in Pisces

By Glenn Chaple
Last month, we explored the galaxy M33, a notoriously difficult telescopic target due to its extremely low surface brightness. For the same reason, M74 is even more challenging; in fact, many consider it the most visually demanding of all the Messier objects.

Observe Delta Cephei

By Gerry Dyck
Gerry Dyck introduces us to variable star observing with the naked eye star Delta Cephei.

M33: Galaxy in Triangulum

By Glenn Chaple
Consider the spiral galaxy M33 in Triangulum. Listed as a 6th magnitude object, it’s notoriously difficult to view in telescopes. M33 is elusive because its light is spread over an area four times that of the full moon.

November Constellations & Folklore

By Francine Jackson
After enjoying the overhead rescue of Andromeda by the prince charming Perseus, you might notice that Perseus has his foot on a tiny little clump of stars. At first glance, many people believe they have found the Little Dipper, not realizing that the Little Dipper is a part of our northern circumpolar sky, visible whenever you care to look in that direction; instead, that tiny cuplike group is the Pleiades.

Almach

By Glenn Chaple
Last month, I suggested that our featured object, Albireo, may not be the most beautiful double star in the sky and I’d introduce a rival this month. If you guessed that Albireo’s challenger is Almach, the gamma (?) star in Andromeda, you’d be correct!
John T. Hopf (1920-2011)

John T. Hopf (1920-2011)

By Bob Napier
Skyscrapers has benefited greatly from having John associated with the Society, almost from the beginning when Skyscrapers was founded in 1932.

β Cygni (Albireo)

By Glenn Chaple
I’m a big fan of “off-the-beaten-path” sky objects. One of my favorites is the little-known double star Struve 817 - the 817th double star catalogued by the German-born Russian astronomer F. G. W. Struve during a survey conducted between 1824 and 1827.

Ordinary turns into the Extraordinary

By Tom Thibault
Yet another business trip! This time I needed to take a quick jaunt west to Phoenix, AZ. I was to test a design concept at one location and visit a number of other stores while in the area. Here was the plan: fly down Wednesday afternoon, get car and into hotel by 7:00, eat, hook up to the internet, and call it a day. Work all next day and catch a flight back real early the next morning. Not much time for the ordinary to turn into the extraordinary—at least that’s what I thought.

October Constellations & Folklore

By Francine Jackson
Once again, the sign of the new season is beginning to make its way higher and higher in the sky. As October begins, the Great Square, symbol of fall, is getting easier to find in the southeast.

Lets All Observe Neptune’s First Year Anniversary

By Steve Siok
September 23, 2011 marks the 165th anniversary of the discovery of Neptune by Johann Galle of the Berlin Observatory based on calculations made by LaVerrier in France. The discovery took place in 1846. Because it takes Neptune 165 years to orbit the sun, this year marks the first full “year” or trip around the sun since Neptune’s discovery.
September Constellations & Folklore

September Constellations & Folklore

By Francine Jackson
At this time of year, even though the season of summer ends this month and fall begins, the sky takes a little longer to shift to its next season. The Summer Triangle is still in a beautiful observing position, not really giving the fall constellations a chance to come to full view. So, while we’re waiting, it might be good to turn back to the north and see what is happening there.
The Ships of Sheliak

The Ships of Sheliak

By Jim Hendrickson
Hidden in the rich starfields near the Ring Nebula is an asterism that resembles a pair of ships from Star Wars.

M56: Globular Cluster in Lyra

By Glenn Chaple
In July, we looked at M92, a fine globular cluster in Hercules that’s overlooked in favor of the easier-to-find M13. The same misfortune has befallen another globular cluster - M56 in Lyra. M56 is often bypassed by backyard astronomers who favor the planetary nebula M57, conveniently positioned midway between the stars beta (β) and gamma (γ) Lyrae.
August Contellations & Folklore

August Contellations & Folklore

By Francine Jackson
Now that the signpost of summer, the Summer Triangle, is reaching its high position in the sky, it's time to use its stars to find some of the dimmer, but still easy to sight, constellations.
Frosty Drew Observatory

Frosty Drew Observatory

By Dave Huestis
Several years ago I wrote a series of articles highlighting “space places” in Rhode Island. I neglected one important astronomical facility located down on Rhode Island’s south coast. Natives of the smallest state don’t like to drive far for any event. We often joke that someone from the northern environs of our state needs to bring a passport, lunch, and an overnight bag to make a journey to Newport or Westerly. That state of mind even has a name, it’s called being provincial.

M92: Globular Cluster in Hercules

By Glenn Chaple
Quick question. How many times (to the nearest thousand) have you viewed the great globular cluster M13 with your telescope? Next question. How many times (nearest thousandth) have you visited Hercules’ other great globular cluster M92? I doubt it would be an exaggeration to say that I’ve seen M92 once for every hundred times I’ve viewed M13.

β Scorpii

By Glenn Chaple
This month, we travel southward to the constellation Scorpius and the showpiece double star beta (β) Scorpii, also known as Graffias. Beta Scorpii is an eye-pleasing pair of magnitude 2.6 and 4.5 stars separated by 13.6 arc-seconds. The magnitudes and separation are quite similar to those of the better-know Mizar; indeed, Graffias rivals Mizar in visual splendor.
Midland Mall Remembrance

Midland Mall Remembrance

By Dave Huestis
What connection could there possibly be between astronomy and the once grand experiment called the Midland Mall? Well, those of you who have been Rhode Island residents for just more than 36 years may already know the answer to that question. Perhaps you were one of many visitors who experienced a memorable display presented by Skyscrapers at the Midland Mall during a ten-day span from April 7 – 17, 1975. I dedicate this remembrance to the Midland Mall and all the people who helped to make the event a memorable one.
The Circumpolar Constellations

The Circumpolar Constellations

By Francine Jackson
We normally spend a lot of time enjoying the seasonal constellations, the ones that our ancestors depended on as indicators of changes here on Earth, but we often forget that there is a set of star patterns that are always there, waiting for us when we turn around to the north. These are the circumpolar constellations, the ones that, although their positions do change with time, they seem to travel in a circle centered at the sky’s north pole, and are always visible from our northern latitudes.
Kennedy Space Center: The Gateway to the Stars

Kennedy Space Center: The Gateway to the Stars

By Tom Thibault
The following is an account of the trip my wife Lisa and I made to witness the launch of STS-134. Our itinerary included a visit to my parents in Largo, next to Tampa, for a few days, followed by four days in Cocoa Beach. I purchased our tickets to Kennedy Space Center as well as a bus tour to view STS-134 on launch pad 39A, one of the gateways to the stars.

May Constellations & Folklore

By Francine Jackson
As the sky begins to remind us that a new month is approaching, we are able to see a constellation that is often forgotten, but much more important than we usually let on.

3C 273: Quasar in Virgo

By Glenn Chaple
“How far can you see with that telescope?” It’s a question I occasionally hear from visitors who peer into my telescope at public star parties. The farthest my telescopes have taken my eye, I tell them, is 2 billion light years - to the quasar 3C 273.

The Constellations of Spring

By Francine Jackson
As the warm weather starts letting us know that seasonal change is really happening, we can look to the skies to remind us that springtime is once again coming to us.

NGC 2903: Spiral Galaxy in Leo

By Glenn Chaple
To the deep-sky aficionado, spring means one thing – galaxies. Dozens of these island universes are within the grasp of small-aperture telescopes, while a 10-inch Dob can corral thousands. The constellation Leo is home to some of the brighter spring galaxies, including five listed in the Messier Catalog. One, however, escaped the eye of the French comet-hunter, even though it’s visible in binoculars from dark-sky locations.

Castor: alpha (α) Geminorum

By Glenn Chaple
Are you looking for something new and different to add to your late winter/early spring star party repertoire – a cosmic showpiece guaranteed to elicit a gasp of surprise and wonder from anyone who peers into your telescope? I suggest the double star alpha (α) Geminorum, better know as Castor. One glance at these sparkling magnitude 2.0 and 2.9 diamonds and it’s easy to understand why William Herschel’s son, John, considered Castor the finest double star in the northern sky.
In Like a Lion… Out Like a Lamb

In Like a Lion… Out Like a Lamb

By Francine Jackson
We have many indicators that the month of March marks a change of season. In the sky, we are seeing the constellation marked as the "sign of spring." We've all heard the old adage that the month of March, comes, "in like a lion..." Rising out of the eastern horizon is Leo, the Lion.
Getting to Know the Big Dipper

Getting to Know the Big Dipper

By Jim Hendrickson
With the arrival of spring in the northern hemisphere comes the culmination of the northern sky’s most recognized asterism, the Big Dipper. This familiar group of seven stars is notable for having a clear resemblance to its namesake (it is easy to imagine it forming the shape of a large spoon), but how much do you really know about the Big Dipper?
Orion the Hunter

Orion the Hunter

By Dave Huestis
Everyone with an interest in astronomy probably has a favorite constellation. It may be because of the star pattern’s mythology, or its shape in the sky, or for the beautiful objects that reside within its boundaries, or possibly because it’s your astrological sign.
February Constellations & Folklore

February Constellations & Folklore

By Francine Jackson
One of the biggest moments for a new astronomy lover is the sudden realization that we have suddenly connected the stars and found the constellations, as has happened for generations all around the world. And, then, to try to remember the figure, we often depend on a story, or a myth, to keep the stars in their proper position. Very often, we depend on the ancient European, notably the Greco-Roman stories, to keep the sky in line.

β Monocerotis

By Glenn Chaple
Observe one of the sky's best triple stars just 12 degrees east of the Great Orion Nebula.

NGC 457 (the “ET Cluster”)

By Glenn Chaple
Have you seen “ET” lately? Not that cute little alien in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 movie. I’m referring to the ET-mimicking open star cluster NGC 457 in Cassiopeia. Discovered by William Herschel in 1787, NGC 457 is often overlooked because of its proximity to the Messier cluster M103.
There’s Always Time for Astronomical Pleasures

There’s Always Time for Astronomical Pleasures

By Tom Thibault
The month of August this year required that I take an 11 day business trip to Honolulu, Hawaii, to review the progress of a number of construction projects under way for the company. My wife Lisa, who has never shown a great interest in my work, for some reason insisted she accompany me on this grueling trip. This trip I intended to spend a little more time in Hawaii than the last, which involved two days in San Francisco, three days in Honolulu, and ending with two days in LA. During that trip it was all work and no play. This visit I made a point of including some personal time of which astronomy would be part of the agenda.

Delta (δ) and Mu (μ) Cephei

By Glenn Chaple
In the southern part of Cepheus is a pair of naked eye variable stars worthy of note. The first, delta (?), is the prototypical Cepheid variable. It ranges between magnitudes 3.5 and 4.4 in a precise 5.37 day period. The rise from minimum to maximum brightness takes about 1½ days; the fade back to minimum involves an additional four.

The “Little Big Dipper”

By Jim Hendrickson
An asterism in Cepheus that is easy to find in small telescopes or binoculars is comprised of 10 stars between magnitude 6.0 and 9.5 and very closely approximates the shape of the northern sky’s most famous asterism-the Big Dipper

A Star-Hop that Finally Worked!

By Craig Cortis
Craig Cortis describes an adventure in star-hopping to one of the lesser-known Messier objects, globular cluster M75 in Sagittarius.

Stella-this and Stella-that

By Gerry Dyck
Gerry Dyck provides a whimsical verse in honor of Stellafane, which he could not attend this year
The Milky Way

The Milky Way

By Glenn Chaple
Many astronomers regard the Milky Way, viewed with the unaided eye on a dark, moonless night, as the most awe-inspiring heavenly sight of all. During late summer, it arches overhead, from Cassiopeia to our north, through Cygnus above, then down to Sagittarius on the southern horizon.

Corona Australis & the Southern Limits of Sagittarius

By Craig Cortis
I’ve written about this subject in past issues, but it occurs to me now that it might be of interest to mention just the few bright stars that lie way down near the southern border of Sagittarius, only a few degrees above our local horizon limit of -48° in declination. The small constellation of Corona Australis, known as the Southern Crown, lies just west of these stars and is a worthwhile section of sky for those who might wish to become better acquainted with the more southerly parts of the summer Milky Way as presented to our view in August.

IC 4665

By Glenn Chaple
One reason for IC 4665’s relative anonymity is its large size, allowing it to elude the narrow fields of large-aperture telescopes. Charles Messier and William Herschel missed it, and it wasn’t included in the New General Catalogue. This often-overlooked cluster is definitely a must-see object for binoculars and rich-field telescopes.

Book Review: The Sun and the Moon

By Francine Jackson
We all every so often find a book we either love or hate. It might be nice to let each other know about them. For example, I was recently loaned a book by my friend John, from the Providence Athenaeum, who assured me that I’d love it, because it included, among others, man-bats. OK. It also has a very, almost nothing title, The Sun and the Moon.
NGC 6207

NGC 6207

By Glenn Chaple
Most backyard astronomers are so entranced by the Great Hercules Cluster M13 that they fail to notice a small, faint oval patch of light a half degree to the northeast. This is the 11th magnitude galaxy NGC 6207.
It’s Full of Stars!

It’s Full of Stars!

By Dave Huestis
This month Dave Huestis examines the 5th largest constellation in the sky - Hercules. While there are many mythological stories about this giant, one of the most beautiful objects in the heavens resides within its borders. It's full of stars!

Izar (ε Boötis)

By Glenn Chaple
A larger telescope and magnifying power of 200X will readily split Izar and reveal a striking color contrast between the golden yellow primary and its bluish companion. The Russian astronomer Wilhelm Struve, who conducted a double star survey in the late 1820s and early 1830s, nick-named it “Pulcherrima” (The Most Beautiful).

Can You Find a Quasar? (You Might be Surprised)

By Craig Cortis
Readers having 8” or larger telescopes might wish to observe a quasar, provided you can follow a detailed finder chart and manage to isolate a 12.8 magnitude object that looks exactly like a star, but actually is not. Rather it’s the brightest known quasar and, at a distance of 2.5 billion light years, will be by far and away the most distant thing in the universe most of you will ever see in your lives.

M40: The “Unknown” Messier Object

By Glenn Chaple
Arguably the oddest member of the Catalog, M40 isn’t a cluster, nebula, or galaxy. It’s a double star! We might well label M40 “Messier’s Mistake.”
Celebrating the Sesquicentennial Birthday of Frank Evans Seagrave (1860–1934)

Celebrating the Sesquicentennial Birthday of Frank Evans Seagrave (1860–1934)

By Dave Huestis
Skyscrapers' historian Dave Huestis has written a brief summary of the life and achievements of Frank Evans Seagrave to celebrate the sesquicentennial birthday of this great "amateur" astronomer. Our observatory and 8 1/4-inch Alvan Clark refractor was once Seagrave's property, which Skyscrapers purchased in 1936. One of the most amazing facts that both amateur astronomers and the public alike envy the most is that Frank received that exquisite telescope for his 16th birthday in 1876!

Sirius

By Glenn Chaple
Next time you set out to do some “serious” astronomy, try a moment to make a “Sirius” observation. You’ll be delighted you did.

h 3945 Canis Majoris

By Glenn Chaple
What is the most colorful double star in the night sky? Most amateur astronomers would vote for β Cygni (Albireo). Others might cite γ Andromedae (Almach), ι Cancri, ξ Bootis, or η Cassiopeiae. Sadly overlooked is a double star that might challenge them all – h 3945 in Canis Major. It is arguably the most colorful double star in the winter sky and, in fact, has been nick-named the “Winter Albireo.”

Southern Viewing at Sea

By Tom Thibault
My advice to all considering a cruise is to bring with you either large pair of binoculars or a small aperture telescope. One would think conditions on the ship would provide both enhancements and some challenges for viewing. The dark sites achieved at sea are fantastic with slight interference from the ship lighting. The low elevation and the possibility of a thin fog that may arise depending on water verses air temp are the main challenges. The other perceived issue most would think is the movement of the ship on water, but my experience on both cruises has shown this not to be significant obstacle due to the ships size and calm seas. On both cruises we had balcony suites, nothing like having the view of the sea 24/7. It’s nice to have an early morning coffee, a late night drink or to just get away by your selves for a while. It also provides a great observing platform after the sun has set and skies have darkened.

Beta Orionis (Rigel)

By Glenn Chaple
You won’t need a finder chart to locate this month’s featured sky object. It’s the first magnitude star β Orionis, better known by its proper name Rigel. Seventh brightest star in the night sky, Rigel dazzles us with a diamond-white color; especially striking when compared with Orion’s other first-magnitude star, the ruddy-hued Betelgeuse.

Iway Bridge Light Pillar Should Be Shut Down

By Jim Hendrickson
The new Iway Bridge in Providence features many dozens of high intensity lights pointing vertically, straight up into the sky, drastically increasing light pollution over a large swath of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Narragansett Bay.

Omicron Ceti (Mira, the “Wonderful”)

By Glenn Chaple
Last month, we looked at the prototypical eclipsing binary beta Persei (Algol). This month, we turn to another prototype, the classic long-period variable (LPV) omicron Ceti.

Avoiding the “Trash Scope” Trap

By Craig Cortis
This is intended for readers who might not feel knowledgeable enough to make a wise purchase of a first-time telescope, or who are considering buying a scope as a gift for another person, particularly a child. We give gifts at other times of the year, of course, but Christmas is probably the biggest occasion for astronomy-related gift purchases. This is also the season when you’ll see the most ads or merchandise displayed in stores that carry optical equipment.

2009 Leonids Observing Report

By Dave Huestis
One Leonid of about 1st magnitude appeared to the east of Betelgeuse, leaving a two second train of dust behind it. Not bad. Much later a bright Leonid, perhaps as bright as Jupiter, shot about 15 degrees to the west of Sirius. I saw it disappear below my tree line to the south. These were the highlights.

Beta Persei (Algol, the "Demon Star")

By Glenn Chaple
Are you ready for the eclipse of November 13th? I’m not talking about the sun or moon. I’m referring instead to an eclipse of the fascinating star ß Persei (Algol).

NGC 7293: the Helix Nebula

By Glenn Chaple
NGC 7293, the Helix Nebula, is the nearest planetary nebula (distance ~ 450 LY) and largest in apparent size (12 by 16 arcminutes). Moreover, it’s a 7th magnitude object. An easy telescopic target? Hardly! The magnitudes listed for deep-sky objects are often misleading, and the Helix Nebula is a prime example.

Epsilon Pegasi: The Pendulum Star

By Glenn Chaple
Epsilon Pegasi (Enif) is an optical double star comprised of magnitude 2.5 and 8.7 component stars separated by 144 seconds of arc. Pairs this wide usually don’t merit much consideration, but wait! Epsilon Pegasi has a surprise for us.

Cygnus X-1: A Black Hole You Can Find!

By Craig Cortis
Unusual celestial objects having bizarre or extreme astrophysical properties often make highly desirable observing targets for amateur astronomers wishing to find things outside the scope of the usual, customary star party “menu”. So how do you find something that even the Hubble Space Telescope can’t image in visible light? The answer is surprisingly simple and is my topic for this month.

Visual Observing With The 40-Inch Yerkes Refractor

By Steve Hubbard
With it’s incredible 40-inch refractor, Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay Wisconsin has long been on my list of “those places that I’d love to visit, but just haven’t been able to make it to yet.” At the end of September 2009, I and Dan Lorraine, Jack Szelka, Joe Sarandrea, Jim Hendrickson, Glenn Jackson and John Briggs of The Skyscrapers Inc. amateur astronomy society of Rhode Island got the chance to not only visit Yerkes, but had the rare opportunity of a night of exclusive observing with the 40-inch.
Building an Equatorial Mount

Building an Equatorial Mount

By James Brenek
I have seen a lot of fine instruments produced by our members and thought I might want to try my hand at a couple of projects. My main reason for doing this project was to have a mount that tracks and does not have to be manually moved to follow an object.
The Heart of our Milky Way Galaxy

The Heart of our Milky Way Galaxy

By Craig Cortis
Now we come to the very best that summertime observing has to offer us: the areas around the actual center of our home Galaxy, the Milky Way.

Chaple’s Arc

By Glenn Chaple
Forgive me for the apparent ego trip, but this month I’m going to introduce you to an amazing little asterism called “Chaple’s Arc.” I stumbled upon the Arc in the mid-1970s while looking for the double star h1470.

Round and Round (the Celestial Pole) We Go…

By Craig Cortis
This month’s contribution is intended for the benefit of those who might not be entirely clear as to what the term “circumpolar” means and why this concept is important for understanding the apparent motions of stars around the sky caused by Earth’s continual rotation about its axis.

Messier 6 and Messier 7

By Glenn Chaple
The song “Love and Marriage,” contains a line that goes, “you can’t have one without the other.” The words aptly describe the open clusters M6 and M7 in Scorpius. This cosmic “horse and carriage” lies in the southern sky above the Scorpion’s stinger.

40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing

By Dave Huestis
“That’s one small step for (a) man. One giant leap for mankind.” On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong first set foot upon the Moon and spoke those words. It is perhaps the quote that most people of all cultures throughout the world recognize. This year we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing which set the stage for a total of 12 men to walk the surface of another world. Dave Huestis gives us a brief review of this crowning achievement and honors all those who made the Moon landings possible.

Occultation/Graze of Antares by Moon: June 6, 2009

By Dave Huestis
I have watched the Moon occult stars in the Pleiades star cluster on many occasions. And I have also observed the Moon occult a planet or two during my 37 years of amateur astronomy. But just seeing a single star either pass behind the lunar limb or move tangentially to it never seemed to interest me.

Searching for Extraterrestrial Signals

By Dave Huestis
Are there any extraterrestrial civilizations out there in our galaxy capable of transmitting a deliberate signal that we earthlings can detect?

44 Boötis

By Glenn Chaple
44 Boötis, whose 210-year orbit is highly inclined to our line-of-sight, has opened up. Its magnitude 5.3 and 6.2 component stars are separated by 2.2 arc-seconds.

A Better Galaxy Guide: Late Spring

By Craig Cortis
Those of you who enjoyed my first installment on this subject will find this second part to be even better. Three constellations are covered on the accompanying list of recommended objects and two—Virgo and Coma Berenices-feature the grandest, richest assortment of galaxies bright enough to be seen in small-to-medium aperture instruments.
Mizar, The First Double Star

Mizar, The First Double Star

By Glenn Chaple
The middle star in the handle of the Big Dipper, Mizar is the easiest double star for the novice to locate. It boasts historical importance as the first double star discovered.

A Better Galaxy Guide: Early Spring

By Craig Cortis
We all know about the wealth of galaxies that populate the sky beginning around this time of year, but if you’re not an experienced deep-sky observer, where do you begin?

The Winter Circle

By Dave Huestis
Just as the summer sky has the Summer Triangle, the winter sky has its own special asterism, and this one is huge and includes a total of eight bright stars. It’s called the Winter Circle or Winter Hexagon. I’ll explain why you can get both shapes from the stars.

Struve 817 Orionis

By Glenn Chaple
I’m a big fan of “off-the-beaten-path” sky objects. One of my favorites is the little-known double star Struve 817 - the 817th double star catalogued by the German-born Russian astronomer F. G. W. Struve during a survey conducted between 1824 and 1827.
Reflections on Three Decades of Variable Star Observing

Reflections on Three Decades of Variable Star Observing

By Gerry Dyck
Sometimes I feel that my thirty years of variable star observing have been about as variable as the variable stars themselves. Next month I will send in my 300th consecutive monthly report to the AAVSO. Today I look back at highlights, lowlights, trends and changes in my astronomical endeavors.
Heaven’s View Observatory

Heaven’s View Observatory

By Tom Thibault
The benefits of having a Roll-off Roof observatory are numerous; it has provided me with many nights of enjoyment.

A Selection of Double Stars in Andromeda

By Glenn Chaple
Andromeda is home to a fine collection of double stars. Here are eight of the best. Data on magnitudes and separation were taken from the Washington Double Star Catalog.

Sometimes Binoculars are Best

By Craig Cortis
Craig Cortis explains the benefits of using binoculars for stargazing, and outlines some tips on what to look for when selecting a suitable pair.

Exploring the Southern Constellations

By Craig Cortis
Of the 88 constellations covering the entire sky, would you believe that only 15 are not ever visible from our latitude? We can see small extreme northern sections of many, but just 15 never rise at all here.
A Starhop Through Scutum

A Starhop Through Scutum

By Craig Cortis
The Wild Duck Cluster, M11 is one of the many highlights to be seen in and around the Scutum Star Cloud using binoculars and small telescopes.

A Selection of Double Stars in Draco

By Glenn Chaple
A hazy summer evening may prevent you from observing nebulae and galaxies, but it could afford ideal seeing conditions for high power targets like double stars.

A Selection of Double Stars in Cancer

By Glenn Chaple
For our spring double star selection, we’ll say goodbye to Gemini and shift eastward to the faint constellation Cancer. Notable for its bright Messier cluster M44 (the Praesepe), Cancer is also home to a splendid array of double and multiple stars. How many can you notch? (Data from the Washington Double Star Catalog (WDS)

A Night With the Messiers

By Jim Hendrickson
A close pairing of M35 and Mars highlights a Messier Marathon effort on March 10, 2008.

A Selection of Double Stars in Gemini

By Glenn Chaple
It’s appropriate that the constellation Gemini, the Twins, should be home to a numerous collection of double stars. Here are ten stellar – pardon the pun - examples (data from the Washington Double Star Catalog (WDS).

A Selection of Double Stars in Cygnus

By Glenn Chaple
Although it’s a Summer Triangle constellation, Cygnus remains well-seen throughout the autumn months. Located in the star-rich fields of the Milky Way, the Swan is home to numerous double stars. Here are eight of the most noteworthy (data from the Washington Double Star Catalog.

A Selection of Double Stars in Scorpius

By Glenn Chaple
Our summer double star adventure takes us to the southern skies and the constellation Scorpius. The region north and west of, and including, Antares contains a remarkable array of showpiece double and multiple stars.

A Selection of Double Stars in Corona Borealis

By Glenn Chaple
It’s time to come out of hibernation! After two months of intense cold weather here in the Northeast, mild temperatures are returning. Celebrate spring with a visit to one of the season’s loveliest constellations, Corona Borealis. The Northern Crown is home to a splendid collection of double stars. Here are ten of the most noteworthy.

Our Solar System of Eight Planets

By Jim Hendrickson
The International Astronomical Union has voted to refine the definition of what constitutes a planet, and the end result is the fact that our solar system now consists of eight classical planets.

Impactors and Their Possible Explosive Effects on the Earth: Part 1

By Jerry Jeffrey
This article is the first in a series of three articles addressing some of the facts and suppositions surrounding Earth impactors and their effects. This article will address the basic scientific facts about the speed and direction (i.e., the velocity) of large objects colliding at high speed with the Earth. The second article will address the composition of impactors and the third article will describe a couple of hypothetical examples. Given time and the availability of space in our newsletter over the months following the publication of these articles I plan to periodically summarize the use of impactors as implements of death and destruction by accident or design in the cinematic and written literature.

A Selection of Double Stars in Boötes

By Glenn Chaple
During the warm summer evenings, the constellation Boötes is perched high in the sky after sunset. The Herdsman is a rich hunting ground for double stars.

Some Bright Spring Double Stars

By Glenn Chaple
To most deep sky enthusiasts, spring means “galaxies.” Hundreds of these island universes – many in the Coma-Virgo cluster – are within the reach of backyard scopes. Often forgotten are the beautiful double stars that also inhabit the spring skies. Here are ten of the best:

Some Bright Winter Double Stars

By Glenn Chaple
The winter night sky, dominated by mighty Orion, is rich with deep-sky splendors. If you can brave the cold, you’ll be rewarded by some of the finest double and triple stars the night sky has to offer.

Mars History Highlights

By Dave Huestis
What continues to draw us to Mars? Is it because we still believe life may once have flourished upon or beneath its now lifeless terrain? Spacecraft images and sensors may provide a wealth of data, but nothing can compare to the experience of seeing firsthand even a fleeting image of some Martian surface features through a backyard telescope.

Some Bright Autumn Double Stars

By Glenn Chaple
Autumn is a season of promise for the stargazers. The nights are getting longer, the air clearer, and those pesky summer mosquitoes are a thing of the past. In a few months, Orion and his magnificent wintry retinue will take center stage. While the autumn night sky appears devoid of bright stars, it’s still home to a rich array of double stars. Here are ten of the best:
Meeting Captain Alan Bean

Meeting Captain Alan Bean

By Donna Gaumond
On June 8, the Skyscrapers had the pleasure of meeting and hearing from Captain Alan Bean, the Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 12, fourth man to walk on the moon, and Commander of Skylab Mission II. Captain Bean was the guest speaker at the annual Celebrity/Scholarship Dinner hosted by the Center for Business Research at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
Hybrid Eclipse Expedition

Hybrid Eclipse Expedition

By Greg Shanos
Greg Shanos provides a diary of his April 2005 expedition to the Galapagos and to view the April 8 eclipse in the Pacific.

Some Bright Summer Double Stars

By Glenn Chaple
In this modern era of the huge galaxy-gulping Dobsonian reflector, double stars have become the neglected children of the cosmos. That’s too bad, because few heavenly objects have the visual appeal of double stars.
Skyscrapers Portable Planetarium Project

Skyscrapers Portable Planetarium Project

By Dave Huestis
Historian Dave Huestis gave a presentation at the February 4, 2005 meeting highlighting the 30th anniversary of the portable planetarium project undertaken by Sksyscrapers in 1975, which became a significant turning point for the organization.
Margaret M. Jacoby Observatory

Margaret M. Jacoby Observatory

By Dave Huestis
As space places in Rhode Island go, the CCRI observatory is a fairly new facility dedicated to the teaching of science in our state.
Brian Magaw: A Remembrance

Brian Magaw: A Remembrance

By Dave Huestis
In July 1994, Skyscrapers were both ecstatic and sad at the same time. While we and the world were anxiously awaiting the icy fragments of Shoemaker-Levy 9 to plunge into Jupiter's atmosphere, our colleague Brian D. Magaw lost his courageous battle with cancer.

ET Phone Earth

By Dave Huestis
Humankind has never been satisfied with what merely lies in his own backyard. We must explore. We have to know what is beyond the next hill. The more questions we answer about our existence, the more questions we ask.

Stellar Rorschach

By Dave Huestis
Every season has its share of interesting astronomical wonders for us to marvel at in the heavens. But whether you are using your naked-eye or a newly acquired telescope, can you navigate your way around the constellations to find a particular object?

Mars on the Net

By Dave Huestis
Have you gotten it yet? Mars mania? Mars fever? Mars madness? If not, you will soon. Astronomers have been anxiously awaiting August 27, 2003. Mars will then be closer to our world than it has for 60,000 years, 34,646,418 miles. Even small backyard telescopes will reveal detail only fleetingly glimpsed before in larger aperture scopes under the best of best conditions. Get ready for a close encounter of your lifetime.
Ladd Observatory

Ladd Observatory

By Dave Huestis
The third installment of Space Planes in Rhode Island features this observatory at the corner of Hope St and Doyle Ave in Providence.

Cormack Planetarium

By Dave Huestis
Located in the Roger Williams Park Museum of Natural History, the Cormack Planetarium is open to the public every weekend and during school vacation weeks.

Northeast Planetary Data Center

By Dave Huestis
Did you know there are two other major observatories open to the public in Little Rhody besides our own Seagrave Observatory?

Cygnus the Swan

By Dave Huestis
Cygnus the Swan (also known as the Northern Cross), can be found in one of the richest star regions in the sky.

A Giant Constellation: Orion

By Dave Huestis
One of those bright and easily recognizable constellations is Orion, the mighty hunter. Though one does not need a telescope to view all the stars that comprise this star pattern, you can put your Christmas telescope to good use and go outside this February and focus your attention on one of the most beautiful celestial objects that resides within Orion's starry boundaries.

Summer Double Stars

By Nan D'Antuono
The same hazy summer skies that provide excellent views of the planets also bring many double stars within reach of the small-scope user, some of which are close pairs. Here are just a few of these stars, waiting to be observed before the Square of Pegasus rises to announce that fall is but three months away.

Spring Double Stars: The Three Leaps of the Gazelle

By Nan D'Antuono
The Great Bear Ursa Major is high in the north these Spring evenings. Along his southwestern border, shared with the constellations Lynx, Leo Minor, and Leo lie the three distinctive pairs of third magnitude stars known from ancient times by many names, one of the best known of which is the charming name "The Three Leaps of the Gazelle." Three of the six leap stars are wonderful doubles, and there are many more awaiting discovery in Ursa Major.