Posts by 

Larry Sessions

Meet Mimosa, a star of the Southern Cross

Mimosa is the 2nd-brightest star in Crux, the Southern Cross. It's circumpolar - up all night - from much of the Southern Hemisphere.

Spica, the bright beacon of Virgo, is 2 stars

Spica is the brightest star in Virgo and a scorching-hot pair of stars, whirling very closely around one another. One of them may go supernova someday.

Meet Regulus, Leo the Lion’s Heart and brightest star

The bright star Regulus in Leo the Lion is prominent in the evening sky in May. It looks like a single point of light, but is really 4 stars.
Brightest Stars

Alpha Centauri, the star system closest to our sun

Our closest stellar neighbors are the 3 stars that make up the Alpha Centauri system. They lie just over 4 light-years away from us.

Coma Berenices galaxy cluster, best in April and May

Myriads of galaxies - in all shapes and sizes and visible only in telescopes - shine in the Coma Berenices galaxy cluster.

Coma Berenices: See how Leo the Lion lost his tail

Coma Berenices is the constellation of Queen Berenice's Hair. It used to be the tail of Leo the Lion before it became its own constellation.

5 moon myths that still fool people today

There are plenty of myths that surround the moon. Here are 5 of the most popular. How many of these myths have you been led to believe?

Look for the colors of the stars in the night sky

Winter is the perfect time for noticing the colors of the stars. Start with Capella, then move on to Taurus and Orion. Check out some colorful stars tonight!

Can you see Canopus, the 2nd-brightest star?

Here's how to spot Canopus, the 2nd-brightest star in the sky as seen from Earth, on February evenings. It’s located far south on the sky’s dome.

Meet the Crab Nebula, remnant of an exploding star

The Crab Nebula is visible with binoculars or small telescopes. Scan near bright stars in Taurus to spot this expanding stellar remnant.