by Jim Stratigos | Dec 21, 2020 | Balsam skies
Looks like the weather will cooperate so I plan to set up a small scope at the Boarding House late this afternoon. Best times to stop by and view or to view from your location will be between twilight (6:00 PM) and 8:00 PM when they set below the horizon. Both planets...
by Jim Stratigos | Dec 20, 2020 | Balsam skies
We drove around the mountain today looking for a good place to observe the conjunction and the only spot with a reasonable view of the southwest without trees or mountains is the back deck at the Boarding House. There are likely other favorable spots like the 9th hole...
by Jim Stratigos | Dec 16, 2020 | Balsam skies
Our Sun goes through a roughly 11 year cycle in which the number of sunspots and overall activity waxes and wanes. Astronomers have been observing this phenomenon for over a hundred years. We are entering cycle 25 based upon direct observations but cycles for the past...
by Jim Stratigos | Nov 15, 2020 | Astronomical events
After several attempts at getting a good shot of Mars with a new camera, I managed to capture a so-so image last week. You can see the south polar ice cap and portions of Syrtis Major, the dark band just shout of the equator. Due to atmospheric turbulence caused by...
by Jim Stratigos | Oct 30, 2020 | Nature
I was working in the observatory last week and looked and saw what looked like a large flock of buzzards circling. After a couple of minutes they all headed off to the south west. Do they migrate for the winter?
