Bob Drieslein

Hunters know that the days are getting shorter as the fall season progresses. That’s good news if you’re anxious for the night sky to show itself, and the drier fall air usually means clearer skies for star-gazing.
One of the treats to appear this time of year is the constellation Pegasus – named for a “winged horse” in Greek Mythology.

The dictionary defines a “moon” as “the natural satellite of Earth visible (chiefly at night) by reflected light from the sun.” But other planets have moons, too.

This year the Autumn Equinox, also known as the first day of the fall season, occurs on Sunday, Sept. 22. The question arises, what’s so special about this date and how is it determined?

Astronomers tell us that the planet Saturn will be at “opposition” on Sept. 8, 2024. So why is this significant to myself and other stargazers?

The genus “Cygnus” in the wildlife world includes two species of native birds found in the United States. Most of us are familiar with tundra and trumpeter swans, but did you know that another “Cygnus” is found in our night sky, thanks to the ancient Greeks?

The dazzling variety of new and improved camera equipment available to amateur astronomers is making astrophotography one of America’s fastest-growing hobbies. With just a digital camera or a small telescope with a smart phone attachment, you can snap pictures today that were once only in the realm of professional photographers.

If you have a good imagination and are willing to stay up late some nights during July or August until the skies get good and dark, you may find a “teapot” above the southeastern horizon. This familiar-shaped object is part of a group of stars that make up the constellation Sagittarius.
Sagittarius means “archer” in Latin. This is what the ancient astronomers saw when they viewed this group of 20 or so stars.

It’s almost summer, and you’ll have to stay up later now for skies to darken enough to see these celestial features, but trust me, it’ll be worth it!
If you follow the arc from the handle of the Big Dipper, you come to a bright star, Arcturus, by far the most prominent feature in the constellation Bootes, the “herdsman” according to Greek mythology.