Posts by 

Larry Sessions

Blue-white Rigel is Orion’s brightest star

Blue-white Rigel shines as the brightest star in the constellation Orion the Hunter. It's a hot massive star, that someday will explode as a supernova.

Meet the Crab Nebula, remnant of an exploding star

The Crab Nebula, the scattered fragments of a supernova, or exploding star, was observed by earthly skywatchers in the year 1054.

M41 is a faint star cluster near bright Sirius

Sirius is easy to find. It's the sky's brightest star. If you have binoculars and a dark location, look near it for the open star cluster M41.

Orange Aldebaran is Taurus the Bull’s fiery eye

Aldebaran, the brightest star in Taurus the Bull, is at one tip of a V-shaped cluster. If placed where our sun is, its surface would pass the orbit of Mercury.

Fomalhaut is the Loneliest Star … but not in 2024

Fomalhaut is known as the “lonely one” or "solitary one" because it shines brightly in an otherwise dim patch of sky. But in 2024, Saturn is nearby.

Alpheratz belongs to Andromeda, but is part of the Great Square

Alpheratz appears to our eyes as a single star but it is actually a close binary star system. Many stargazers use it to locate the Andromeda galaxy.

Why can’t I find the Big Dipper in September?

On northern autumn evenings, the famous Big Dipper lies low on - or even below - the northern horizon. You can use it to find Polaris, the North Star.

Summer Triangle star: Vega is bright and blue-white

There's a noticeable star pattern called the Summer Triangle in the east on July and August evenings. Its brightest star is blue-white Vega.

Summer Triangle star Deneb is distant and luminous

When you gaze at the bright star Deneb, you’re gazing across thousands of light-years of space at one of the bright stars of the huge Summer Triangle asterism.

Summer Triangle star: Altair is variable and spins fast!

Altair, in the constellation Aquila the Eagle, is one of the closest stars to our solar system. It's variable in an unusual way, and it spins very fast!