Stargazing Summary
Taurus, the celestial bull, is one of the highlights of autumn nights. Its brightest star, orange Aldebaran, rises around sunset in November and reaches its highest point in the sky around midnight. The sparkly Pleiades star cluster, which looks like a tiny dipper, rises to the upper left of Aldebaran. One of its horns ends at the appropriately named star El Nath, the butting one.
More stargazing information »
More stargazing information »
40 Years and Counting
The longest running nationally aired science program is marking a major milestone. "StarDate" radio, produced by The University of Texas at Austin's McDonald Observatory, celebrates 40 years on the nation's airwaves. In its nearly 15,000 daily two-minute episodes, "StarDate" has brought skywatching and astronomy to millions of listeners across the United States. Today, it airs on about 400 radio affiliates, split evenly between public and commercial stations.
Stardate Radio celebrates its 40th birthday
Stardate Radio celebrates its 40th birthday
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.
November 1-4: Parsecs. Despite some confusion in the "Star Wars" universe, the parsec is a real concept — a unit for measuring distances to the stars and beyond — and we'll have details. We'll also talk about a speedy star and much more.
November 5-11: Beautiful spirals. Some of the most beautiful sights in the universe are spiral galaxies — great pinwheels of stars that spin through the cosmos. We'll have details on both normal spirals and some odd ones, plus much more.
November 12-18: Looking down a barrel. The last gasp of a dying star forms a beautiful pair of rings. But that appearance is deceiving — it's actually a giant barrel of gas and dust, and we're looking right down the middle. Join us for the Helix Nebula and more.
November 19-25: A challenging arrival. The latest mission to Mars is set for landing in a few days, and we'll talk about the challenging approach to the Red Planet. We'll also talk about galaxies that churn out new stars, and much more.
November 26-30: The little guys. A spacecraft is beginning to snuggle close to an asteroid right now, and we'll have details. We'll also talk about comet tails, and a comet that's visiting the inner solar system. Join us for the solar system's little guys and more.
Program schedule »
Hear StarDate every day on about 400 radio stations in the United States. Find an affiliate»
November 1-4: Parsecs. Despite some confusion in the "Star Wars" universe, the parsec is a real concept — a unit for measuring distances to the stars and beyond — and we'll have details. We'll also talk about a speedy star and much more.
November 5-11: Beautiful spirals. Some of the most beautiful sights in the universe are spiral galaxies — great pinwheels of stars that spin through the cosmos. We'll have details on both normal spirals and some odd ones, plus much more.
November 12-18: Looking down a barrel. The last gasp of a dying star forms a beautiful pair of rings. But that appearance is deceiving — it's actually a giant barrel of gas and dust, and we're looking right down the middle. Join us for the Helix Nebula and more.
November 19-25: A challenging arrival. The latest mission to Mars is set for landing in a few days, and we'll talk about the challenging approach to the Red Planet. We'll also talk about galaxies that churn out new stars, and much more.
November 26-30: The little guys. A spacecraft is beginning to snuggle close to an asteroid right now, and we'll have details. We'll also talk about comet tails, and a comet that's visiting the inner solar system. Join us for the solar system's little guys and more.
Program schedule »
Hear StarDate every day on about 400 radio stations in the United States. Find an affiliate»
This Month in StarDate Magazine
Our November/December issue brings you a holiday treat: Nick D'Alto returns with a feature on how — and when! — cultures around the world celebrate the new year based on different heavenly markers. And editor Rebecca Johnson will bring you up to speed on New Horizons' upcoming post-Pluto encounter with another distant world.
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Subscribe today
Help Keep a Good Thing Going
StarDate radio celebrates its 40th birthday this fall. It's the country's longest-running national science radio program. You can help keep us on the air for many years to come by sponsoring the program for just $295 per day. The sponsorship is open to individuals and businesses. You'll get your name on the air and in the magazine, along with a few other goodies. You can sign up online at stardate.org/sponsor, or call 1-800-STARDATE during regular business hours.
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.
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