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Kochab and Pherkad: Outer bowl stars of the Little Dipper
Kochab and Pherkad are the two outer stars in the bowl of the Little Dipper. They were the pole stars from 1500 BC to 500 BC.
April 18, 2024
10 tips for watching the Geminids in 2023
The Geminids make up a rich and much-loved annual meteor shower that peaks in mid-December. Here are 10 tips for watching the Geminids in 2023.
December 13, 2023
Observing meteors: Top 10 tips for the Perseids
The 2021 Perseid meteor shower is rising to its peak and many are observing meteors. Here are our best 10 tips for watching this shower, or any other!
August 1, 2023
Perseus the Hero and a Demon Star
The star name Algol comes from the Arabic for "head of the demon." Come to know this star, and point it out to your friends this Halloween.
October 27, 2022
Circumpolar stars stay up all night long
Circumpolar stars are those that never rise nor set from a certain location. At the poles, all stars are circumpolar, while at the equator, no star is.
February 18, 2022
Ursid meteor shower peaks morning of December 22
The Ursid meteor shower always peaks around the December solstice. The dark hours before dawn are best. This year, a nearly full moon interferes.
December 19, 2021
Find Perseid and Delta Aquariid radiant points
Every late July and August, two excellent meteor showers overlap. Here's how to find the Perseid and Delta Aquariid radiant points.
July 26, 2021
Come to know the Summer Triangle
Coming to know the Summer Triangle, then seeing it again and again on summer nights, is a deep pleasure that adds to the enjoyment of this season.
June 4, 2021
Leo loses his tail. We gain a constellation
The constellation Leo once had a tail, a clump of faint stars. Now these same stars are known as Coma Berenices, the hair of a queen.
April 9, 2021
Big Dipper stars point to North Star
The 2 outermost stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper always point to the North Star, aka Polaris. That's why astronomers call these stars The Pointers.
February 1, 2021
