Posts by 

Don Machholz

Kochab and Pherkad: The Guardians of the Pole

Kochab and Pherkad are two stars in the Little Dipper that carry the nickname of the Guardians of the Pole. Here's how to find them and more.

Raining fish and frogs … for real

Click here to read many recent, documented accounts of raining fish and frogs. Yes, it's a real thing! Discover the causes here.

Visualize the Perseid meteor stream in space

This visualization by Ian Webster and Peter Jenniskens uses NASA data to render the Perseid meteor stream in space. Don't miss this!

Meet Delta Scorpii, aka Dschubba

Delta Scorpii, also known as Dschubba, is a variable star in the constellation Scorpius. With the eyes alone, you can check its brightness for yourself, and for science.

Shoemaker-Levy 9 impact on Jupiter 28 years ago

Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 hit Jupiter in 1994, 28 years ago, scarring the gaseous surface and also leaving behind water that remains in the atmosphere today.

Draco the Dragon, and a former pole star

Let your eyes and imagination drift to see the winding shape of Draco the Dragon. And meet Thuban, a former pole star, between the Big and Little Dippers.

Tau Herculid meteors: Best images and video

Best images and video from this week's much-anticipated (and not disappointing) Tau Herculid meteor shower.

Comet Halley, parent of 2 meteor showers

The famous comet Halley spawns both the May Eta Aquariid meteor shower and the October Orionid meteor shower.

Baily’s beads seen during a solar eclipse

May 15, 1836: Francis Baily, an English astronomer, saw light shining through lunar ridges during an eclipse of the sun. These are now known as Baily's beads.

Darn! Comet C/2021 O3 PanSTARRS has disintegrated

Astronomers hoped comet C/2021 O3 (PanSTARRS) would get bright after its April 2022 sweep near the sun. Instead, it disintegrated.