Jan 30, 2025 | Focal Plane
The Artemis project is our follow-up to the Apollo missions. In Greek mythology Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo. The goal is to not be a repeat of Apollo, but to achieve a sustainable long-term presence at the Moon. Artemis 1 launched November 16, 2022 and...
Jan 30, 2025 | Focal Plane
The Winter season brings some of the brightest stars in view. And with those stars, some bright deep sky objects. The season brings a chance to observe M42, M44, and M45, as well as the Winter Milky Way through Cassiopeia. However, the same old objects every year may...
Dec 4, 2024 | Focal Plane
December brings a mix of emotions for amateur astronomers. The nights are longer, so there is more time available for viewing. In addition to longer nights, winter also holds some bright stars and constellations. But it comes at a price. The weather at night will be...
Dec 4, 2024 | Focal Plane
The history of planetariums can be traced back to ancient civilizations. In Greece, Archimedes created mechanical devices to illustrate celestial movement. In 1229, Emperor Frederick II used a tent with holes to represent stars, and rotated the tent to mimic the...
Nov 12, 2024 | Focal Plane
The October 3, 2024 NASA Universe of Learning featured discussion on gravity. One of the topics covered was searching for gravitational waves from supermassive black hole mergers. Chiara Mingarelli, PhD – assistant professor of Physics at Yale...
Nov 12, 2024 | Focal Plane
For many new comers to the hobby, the biggest question asked is what kind of telescope should I buy? Whether it is parents nurturing their child’s curiosity, or an adult that wants to enjoy the night sky. Of course, the hobby can be enjoyed without telescopes, and...
