Stargazing Summary
The planets seem especially busy this month, highlighting both morning and evening skies. Venus reigns as the Evening Star, and points out some interesting sights in Gemini and Cancer during the month. Saturn puts in its best showing of the year, with Jupiter just past its best. And Mars climbs inexorably across the sky, toward its best appearance next month.
More stargazing information »
More stargazing information »
Red Blazer
Mars dazzles all summer long as it passes closest to Earth for many years to come. The Red Planet reaches opposition in late July, aligning opposite the Sun in our sky. It rises at sunset and is in view all night. It will pass just 36 million miles from Earth, so it will shine as the third-brightest object in the sky sky, after the Moon and Venus. Find all the details in the July/August issue of StarDate magazine, and on the air through several episodes of StarDate radio.
Radio Program Highlights
If you want to start hearing the StarDate program in your area, you can request a station to carry our program by emailing the request to stations@stardate.org.
July 2-8: Far from the Sun. Even though we're heading into the hottest part of the year in the northern hemisphere, we're actually farthest from the Sun right now, and we'll have details. Join us for the Sun, plus an astronomy pioneer and much more.
July 9-15: Hunting aliens. Astronomers keep searching for signs of other civilizations, but they keep coming up empty, and we'll have details. We'll also talk about the possibility of life in the clouds of Venus and much more.
July 16-22: Exploding stars. Some stars end their lives with big bangs — brilliant explosions known as supernovae. We'll talk about what kinds of stars explode, what they leave behind, and what they mean for the galaxy.
July 23-29: Mars. The Red Planet is at its brilliant best this week, shining like an orange cosmic jewel. We'll talk about its great appearance, an encounter with the Moon, and grand plans for future exploration.
July 30-August 5: A pioneer. Maria Mitchell was the first American woman to become a professional astronomer, and we'll have details. We'll also talk about a future exploding star, an element created by an explosion, and more.
Program schedule »
Hear StarDate every day on about 400 radio stations in the United States. Find an affiliate »
July 2-8: Far from the Sun. Even though we're heading into the hottest part of the year in the northern hemisphere, we're actually farthest from the Sun right now, and we'll have details. Join us for the Sun, plus an astronomy pioneer and much more.
July 9-15: Hunting aliens. Astronomers keep searching for signs of other civilizations, but they keep coming up empty, and we'll have details. We'll also talk about the possibility of life in the clouds of Venus and much more.
July 16-22: Exploding stars. Some stars end their lives with big bangs — brilliant explosions known as supernovae. We'll talk about what kinds of stars explode, what they leave behind, and what they mean for the galaxy.
July 23-29: Mars. The Red Planet is at its brilliant best this week, shining like an orange cosmic jewel. We'll talk about its great appearance, an encounter with the Moon, and grand plans for future exploration.
July 30-August 5: A pioneer. Maria Mitchell was the first American woman to become a professional astronomer, and we'll have details. We'll also talk about a future exploding star, an element created by an explosion, and more.
Program schedule »
Hear StarDate every day on about 400 radio stations in the United States. Find an affiliate »
Places to Go, Stars to See
Keep up with astronomy events around the country this summer and throughout the year with our online events calendar. We have information about dozens of star parties and other skywatching events, public lectures, exhibitions, and other activities. Most or all of them are at state parks or other public venues, so admission fees are low. And if you know of an upcoming (non-commercial) activity that you would like to share, please let us know.
Go to the Guide
Go to the Guide
Gravitational Wave Event Likely Signaled Creation of a Black Hole
The spectacular merger of two neutron stars that generated gravitational waves announced last fall likely did something else: birthed a black hole, according to a team of researchers including Pawan Kumar and J. Craig Wheeler of The University of Texas at Austin. This newly spawned black hole would be the lowest mass black hole ever found.
Read more »
Read more »
About SkyTips
SkyTips is a monthly email newsletter for visitors to McDonald Observatory and StarDate Online. Each issue features stargazing highlights, upcoming StarDate radio program descriptions, and other news. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends and family.
SkyTips is a publication of the University of Texas McDonald Observatory Education and Outreach Office, 2515 Speedway C1402, Austin, TX 78712. Reproduction of SkyTips content is permitted with proper credit given to McDonald Observatory.
SkyTips is a publication of the University of Texas McDonald Observatory Education and Outreach Office, 2515 Speedway C1402, Austin, TX 78712. Reproduction of SkyTips content is permitted with proper credit given to McDonald Observatory.
No comments:
Post a Comment