Bob Drieslein

As of March 25, 2025, NASA reported that there are 421 officially recognized moons orbiting planets in our Solar System, including the dwarf planet Pluto.

Not one of the more well-known of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy in the 2nd Century, none of its stars are brighter than fourth magnitude making it a challenge to see except in a really clear, dark sky. A good pair of binoculars might come in handy here.

Spica is the brightest star in Virgo and one of the 20 brightest stars in our night sky. It’s also one of the easiest to find. If you recall from previous articles, we can follow the arc of the handle of the Big Dipper to the star Arcturus and then “on to Spica.

One thing that has definitely changed is our ability to see what’s out there through advancements in space travel, telescopes and, of course, the Internet.

Meteorologists tell us that March 20 marks the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
For most of us, that’s good news because it’s been a long winter for those who live in the northern U.S. and we’ve been anxiously awaiting warmer temperatures.

Next to the Big Dipper in Ursa major, Orion is probably the best-known constellation in our night sky.
Named after a hunter in Greek mythology, Orion has the distinction of having more bright stars than any other constellation.