It would seem that winter is here in full force, bringing icy cold temperatures that chill you to the bone, unless you are prepared for the onslaught. Are you prepared? Is your observing equipment ready to go out in the frosty Yukon deep winter night for another evening of observing? I have recently received multiple …
The hobby of astronomy has always been an art form of simplicity and function. Let’s face it, when starting out in astronomy, the task of getting great views and being comfortable at the same time can seem quite daunting. It is dark out and you are usually bundled up in winter clothing. This, and little …
I have always found that the hobby of astronomy is filled with unexpected surprises. Some are good and some are bad. Take for example the last full lunar eclipse. A quick setup is all-important because the moon will be rising in eclipse mode. The evening sky is full of cloud and there are little or …
April is the month of great change in the Yukon night sky. It is a time when the constellation of Orion is no longer high in the sky all evening and Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, sets on the horizon early after dusk. As for what else is happening in the sky this …
Spring is on the way and that means it is time once again for the Messier Marathon. What is the Messier Marathon you ask? The Messier Marathon is named after Charles Messier, a French astronomer in the middle 1700s, who preferred to hunt comets. While hunting for these elusive icy snowballs, Charles kept bumping into …
Is the Yukon the best place for amateur astronomers? And how can I experience and discover the vast night sky? Let’s take these questions and sort them out for our distinguished visitors to the Conference of Science Writers. First of all, astronomy in the Yukon is unique. Most people that I chat with across the …
Distinguished Guests & Distinguished Night Skies Read More »
Every amateur astronomer’s dream is to have totally dark skies, right in their own backyard. No time spent loading all your telescopes, binoculars, tables and gearboxes into your vehicle; just to unload all your gear as you set up at your favourite observing site. Finally, when it is time to go home, you still have …
For the last week I have been heading out to my rooftop to see the constellation Hercules and the bright globular cluster that resides there. Even just using binoculars the view is amazing. Also found in the same region is the constellation of Lyra, which holds the planetary Ring Nebula. It looks like a perfect …
With May here it is a good reminder that we only have, at best, five weeks of celestial observation left. Recently, I have dedicated much of my time to Comet PanSTARRS and its travels through the Yukon’s skies. It has been an amazing journey, viewing this little cosmic snowball. Looking forward, the next great cosmic …
Charles Messier and the Four Planets in the Evening Sky Read More »
Astronomy and a love for the night sky travels with a person no matter where you go or what you do. In our younger years of life, we have all the time and energy to explore the great cosmos. As a young adult, the real world of responsibilities (careers and children and all that stuff) …
Welcome to the Yukon Winter Night Sky and all the cosmic treasures that are just waiting for you to discover and photograph them. The weather has been unstable, with storm fronts continually moving in, bringing lots of clouds and very uncertain night skies. These are trying times for amateur astronomers and completely frustrating times for …
Cygnus, the flying swan, is a very important constellation to amateur astronomers that live in this magical northern land of ours. Also referred to as the Northern Cross, this constellation is easily recognizable directly overhead by its distinct cross-like shape. This is the best time of year for viewing Cygnus, and all of its hidden …
If you were taking note of the High Lights in the last issue (and this one), you would have discovered that December is chock full of planetary action. The month started off with a very rare event: on December 1st, Venus, Jupiter and the Crescent Moon joined together in the western sky in the early …
Four hundred years ago (actually in 1609), Galileo gazed up into the night sky with a new invention called the telescope. He was the first person do this and to record his observations. Now, by today’s standards, it really was not much of a telescope. All the same, he observed and recorded an amazing amount …
Every once in awhile, the universe and karma come together in some truly spectacular ways. So here is my story … so far. As most of you know by reading these columns, I am an avid fan of obtaining used astronomy equipment and attempting to restore them back to life. This is a great way …
The snow is flying, the sky is full of clouds and apparently this is the way it is to be for a while. What is a budding young Yukon amateur astronomer to do? This is a time to re-grease your telescope with winter grease and double check all your gear and make sure that everything …
With the middle of winter upon us, the Yukon Night Sky is alive with amazing sights for the cosmic tourist. Dark skies and stable air makes for excellent opportunities to explore and discover this vast universe around us. From galaxies and nebulas, to star clusters and planets, there is an abundance of deep sky treasures …
Welcome to 2009, the International Year of Astronomy. This event celebrates Galileo’s first look at the night sky with a telescope, over 400 years ago. Imagine the rush of excitement and discovery he must have experienced seeing, for the first time, the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter and an endless bounty of lunar …
Sometimes, night-time excursions do not always go the way one envisions them. Case in point, the other evening the Moon and Venus were supposed to be a mere 5 degrees apart from each other. Considering that 10 x 50 binoculars will give you a 5-degree field of view, this event should make for an impressive …
Springtime is finally here and, along with it, unstable weather. Our last outing to Grey Mountain was a washout due to clouds and strong wind. This was to be expected because my mirror set has recently arrived from being tested, re-configured and with a fresh mirror coating. It is a well-known amateur-astronomy rule that if …
Finally, the weekend has arrived; hopefully, the weather will be clear. All the weather-information sources, including Whitehorse Clear Sky Clock and others, seem to agree that Saturday night should be great. Quickly, we send an astro-alert e-mail to let everyone know we are heading up to Grey Mountain Lookout point after 9 p.m. It is …
In astronomy, there are good nights and there are bad nights. A good night is a cosmic gift: cloud-free skies and transparent atmosphere are basic requirements before you get started. Our last outing at Miles Canyon Lookout Point was one of those wonderful sessions where sky conditions were as perfect as the temperature. So, with …
While we were waiting for Comet PanSTARRS to arrive in our skies, we had a chance to get up to the Grey Mountain lookout point. We have not been out to this observation site yet this year, so I was a little apprehensive about the road. But the road is reasonably well ploughed, and was …
The month of May is over, and so is observing deep-sky objects such as nebulas and galaxies. The only stellar objects in the sky that are of interest to amateur astronomers are the moon, sun, Jupiter, Saturn and a handful of stars and clusters. Saturn is moving quickly toward the horizon and will soon disappear …
We are closing in on that time when visual astronomy is about over for the season. That does not mean there is nothing to do; on the contrary, we have to shift our cosmic interests a bit, to a more solar-system approach of things. Start with the easiest target in the sky, the Moon: there …
Lets hope for some greatly improved weather in February, as the January selection was atrocious. Here’s what February has in store for us. Starting off the month on February 3, we have the last quarter-moon, three degrees below Saturn. This ringed gas giant can now be found low in the pre-dawn western sky, in the …
This time of year I am frequently asked the same question: “What is the best gift for someone who wants to get into astronomy and wants to see more than what binoculars can offer?” A box store special telescope is a bad choice for a Christmas present. These telescopes are plagued with problems that are …
As the International Space Station (ISS) approaches completion, it is so bright that some observers have glimpsed it during daylight hours. To do this, the sun must be low in the sky. To find out where to look in the sky, go the website www.heavens-above.com and dial in your location. They have an excellent chart …
As December begins, we reflect on the “High Lights” of November. Unsettled weather, with cloudy nights, high winds and snow flurries, offered few good opportunities for observing. From the observer’s log … After being “closed down” for five Saturdays in a row, due to nasty weather, I headed out. The temperature was a balmy minus-eight …
December is, as always, an action-packed viewing experience full of discovery and adventure for all Yukon amateur astronomers. There are dazzling delights for anyone with binoculars or a telescope and the inclination to look up. All we need now is some clear transparent night skies. November’s weather had proved to be so cloudy that we …
The clock is ticking, soon the Yukon Night Skies will disappear, and sunlight will dominate. It seems like only yesterday that you had to rush out right after work to be at the observing site, before darkness falls … now darkness approaches after 10 p.m. For the past week, I have enjoyed beautiful views of …
With all this wonderful warm weather, there is a price to pay for amateur astronomers in the Yukon. As a springtime rule, warm weather brings cloudy and unstable skies. Every once in a while though, we get a break, and the next thing you know you are observing in clear skies with nice warm weather. …
March is one of the most active months for Yukon amateur astronomers. And, this year, we have a visitor making our observing sessions all the more memorable. The timing and location of this visitor is perfect. And who is this cosmic visitor you ask? The answer is the ringed gas giant, Saturn. To locate Saturn …
Where are the Northern Lights? The answer as far as I can tell is two-fold. First, we have been pummelled with atrocious weather and, second, most of the Northern Light activity seems to be taking place in the High Arctic. One of my favourite websites (www.spaceweather.com) has an aurora map and alert system for aurora …
The Yukon Night Skies are coming alive with winter constellations like Orion, Taurus, and Gemini. Using a pair of humble binoculars, star clusters, galaxies, and nebula can all be easily seen. The Yukon Night Skies also holds an easily-seen comet, and several planets. So what did I see on my last observing session up on …
As the end of May approaches, and June begins, we notice darkness at midnight. Living in the 60-degree latitude and above means that in the months of June, July and the first week of August, the sky doesn’t even get truly dark. Does this mean that northern astronomers will be putting all of their gear …
The month of December promises to be an action-packed month of celestial events for every amateur astronomer and nighttime photographer. As long as the weather holds, we will be in for a very busy month. The month starts out with Mercury, the closest planet to the sun. This little planet is always elusive to find …
Where were you on Saturday March 19, when the Super Moon occurred? Sounds kind of ominous doesn’t it? So, what is a super moon? As the moon orbits Earth, its path is not a perfect circle, but more elliptical in nature. When the moon is at its closest point to Earth (called the perigee) it …
With the oncoming of spring, the nights are shorter and temperatures are struggling to rise. The Yukon night skies are also in a state of celestial change. The constellations Leo the Lion and Virgo the Virgin are now clearing the eastern horizon well before midnight. This is a marvellous time for any deep sky observer, …
Welcome to an exciting new year in astronomy that promises to be filled with fabulous cosmic events and happenings. The weather of late has been uncooperative at best, and just plain downright annoying the rest of the time. In Whitehorse we were washed out by clouds for the total lunar eclipse and a meteor shower. …
We are in for a rare astronomical treat this month. On December 10, early in the morning hours, we are going to experience a total lunar eclipse. This eclipse favours western and northern Canada for a change, and we will be able to see all 51 minutes of totality. To view this eclipse you will …
For many amateur astronomers, the passion for deep space observing ultimately leads them to photography and imaging of the night sky. It is a good thing to come home with pictures of your late night observing sessions, sharing with others what you are actually doing out there all night, as crazy as it might seem …
Winter has arrived and the weather is starting to stabilize. With clear skies and reasonably warm temperatures, it is time to grab your parka and head outside to explore those amazing Yukon night skies. So what is there to see, you ask? Let’s start with the planets. Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, will …
Amazing weather has made the last couple of weeks an absolute dream for observing, with clear skies, warm temperatures and no pesky insects. The northern lights have been putting on quite a show lately as well. It makes you wonder, if the solar maximum is 2012 to 2013, can you imagine how impressive the aurora …
With the partial solar eclipse taking place on May 20 it seems only fitting to back it up with a partial lunar eclipse. A little known fact is that lunar and solar eclipses always come in pairs, two weeks apart. This partial lunar eclipse is going to take place very early in the morning, starting …
For most northern astronomers, summer is either solar observing, or waiting for the return of the autumn night skies. The other option is to head to a star party in the southern part of the country. This year we went to one of our favourite star parties at Mount Kobau, right outside Osoyoos in B.C. …
Wondrous views await the cosmic tourist in the month of April. The end of March and the first two weeks of April are sometimes referred to as, the Changing of the Guard. This means the winter constellations are slowly sinking lower into the horizon, while springtime constellations are rising higher each evening into the night …
As spring approaches, the Yukon night skies sizzle with cosmic happenings. The weather has offered us a few nights of reprieve with well above normal temperatures and clear skies. Comets, planets aplenty, northern lights and deep sky objects are all waiting to be seen, from sundown to sunup. With the Moon high in the evening …
Here comes another year with plenty of amazing sights for the cosmic tourist in this great northern land of ice and snow. Now if the weather would cooperate, we would be rocking! January appears to be an action-packed month of viewing, including some old familiar sights. For example, Venus is making a comeback and can …
After a rather busy weekend down at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Center for the Erik’s Main Event consumer electronics show, [what day are we on here?] we were unloading a large truck and as we looked up, there were the northern lights. While there are many avid aurora-watchers in the Yukon, I still find it …
Autumn is upon us and the Yukon night skies are at their best. If you head out early in the evening, you will see the summer constellations slowly sinking into the horizon. Alternately, if you stay up until just before sunrise, you’ll be able to see the winter constellations climbing over the horizon. Add in …
Astronomy and all its wonders are fascinating regardless of where you are or how much equipment you have. Every year we do the family holiday down in southern British Columbia visiting family and friends. This is a prime opportunity to see a very different night sky, especially when looking towards the southern horizon. Even as …
The Yukon night skies have been alive with planets playing tag with the moon. The last couple of weeks have presented a planetary show, including Mars, Venus and Jupiter in the evening hours, and Saturn in the early morning hours before sunrise. So let’s start with the brightest planet, Venus, which is at its greatest …
For most astronomers there is always the memory of that first, jaw-dropping, eye-popping, “I don’t believe this is real” experience at the eyepiece of a telescope. You even get the chance to hear the occasional, “Holy Smokes!” every once in a while at a star party, or a Saturday night at the local observing site. …
