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Posts by
Larry Sessions
No leap second for December 31, 2021
World timekeepers have decreed there will be no leap second on December 31, 2021. Overall the spin of Earth is slowing down, but in 2020 it sped up.
December 31, 2021
The Magellanic Clouds, our galactic neighbors
The Large and Small Magellanic Clouds are two of the closest galaxies to the Milky Way. They can be seen without optical aid from southern skies.
December 8, 2021
The colors of the stars you can see with your eyes
December is the perfect time for noticing the colors of the stars. Never noticed them? Check them out tonight!
December 2, 2021
Achernar marks the End of the River
Achernar is the 9th brightest star and flattest star known. It marks the end of Eridanus the River. Here's why much of Earth never sees it ... and how you can.
November 14, 2021
Fomalhaut, loneliest star, near Jupiter and Saturn in 2021
Fomalhaut is known as the “lonely one” or the "solitary one" as it shines brightly in a patch of sky with no other bright stars nearby.
September 9, 2021
Use Big Dipper to find Polaris in September
Use the famous Big Dipper to find Polaris, the North Star. In September, the Big Dipper is in the northwest in the evening. But watch for it soon!
September 2, 2021
Explore the Lagoon Nebula, Messier 8
The Lagoon Nebula, or Messier 8, is a large emission nebula in the constellation Sagittarius that observers can explore with binoculars.
August 10, 2021
Why 61 Cygni is nicknamed Flying Star
Compared to other stars, 61 Cygni moves quite rapidly against the background of more distant stars, revealing its proximity to Earth.
August 4, 2021
Spica, bright beacon of Virgo, is 2 stars
Spica is a very close, scorching-hot pair of stars, whirling around one another. One may someday go supernova.
July 15, 2021
Summer Triangle star: Altair spins fast!
Altair is only 16.8 light-years from Earth, making it one of our closest stellar neighbors. It's variable in an usual way, and it spins fast!
July 8, 2021
