Backyard Astronomer - Delta College Public Radio

Latest Episodes:

3/28/22 - Beehive Star Cluster Mar 28, 2022

Show notes

All this week, the early evening sky is clear of moonlight, which allows us time to explore some of the fainter deep sky objects with binoculars and telescopes. One of the best is the Beehive Star Cluster in Cancer the Crab.

3/21/22 - A Trio of Morning Planets Mar 21, 2022

Show notes

All this week, a trio of planets group closer together in the morning sky before dawn.

3/14/22 - The March Equinox Mar 14, 2022

Show notes

This year, the March equinox arrives on the 20th which marks the first day of spring for the northern hemisphere. What does that mean in astronomical terms?

3/7/22 - Sea of Serenity Mar 09, 2022

Show notes

With binoculars, look for the large, almost perfectly round maria a little to the upper right of the center of the moon. This is the Sea of Serenity, measuring in at over 400 miles across.

2/28/22 - Lepus the Hare Feb 28, 2022

Show notes

About 90 minutes after sunset, look high in the south for the three stars in a line that make up Orion’s Belt. Underneath Orion is a faint trapezoid of stars that make up the body of Lepus the Hare.

2/21/22 - The Winter Triangle Feb 21, 2022

Show notes

About two hours after sunset, look high in the south for the constellation of Orion the Hunter. Orion’s Belt can help you find the three bright stars of the Winter Triangle.

2/14/22 - The Dog Star Feb 15, 2022

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The brightest star in the entire sky is... The Sun! So what’s the brightest star in the entire nighttime sky?

2/7/22 - Goodbye to Jupiter, Hello to Venus Feb 08, 2022

Show notes

We won’t have any notable planets to see in the evening sky for many months, but Venus has returned to the morning sky!

1/31/22 - The Heads of Gemini Feb 01, 2022

Show notes

About two hours after sunset, look halfway up the eastern sky for two bright stars that are relatively close to one another. These are Pollux and Castor, the heads of Gemini the Twins.

1/24/22 - The Great Orion Nebula Jan 25, 2022

Show notes

With the bright moon now out of the sky, it’s a perfect time to look for one of the season’s best deep sky objects – The Great Orion Nebula. About two hours after sunset, look about a third of the way up the southeast sky for Orion’s Belt, a line of three bright stars.