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Astronomy

Looking for an astronomy fix? We've got you covered.

Interested in stargazing? Visit Sommers-Bausch Observatory (next to Fiske) --- the observatory provides free open houses throughout the year.

Photo of the Veil Nebula courtesy of Stephan Abraas, Stargate Observatory

Photo of the Moon in ultraviolet light by the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope carried by the Astro-2 Shuttle mission in March 1995. 
Blue Moons

Aug. 1, 2023

You’ve probably heard the phrase, "...once in a blue Moon." The expression refers to something that doesn’t happen very often. But, what does it really mean? And, does the Moon actually turn blue? The full lunar cycle takes 29.5 days, so typically there aren’t two full Moons within the same...

Read more about Blue Moons

Graphic from Sky Safari showing the southern horizon with large constellation of Scorpius with the Milky Way
Scorpius

July 25, 2023

Have you spotted the Scorpion crawling along the southern sky? Scorpius is a very large constellation, but won’t cause you any harm. And, it actually resembles it’s namesake. Be sure to admire Antares, the red stellar heart before this impressive creature crawls away in fall. Graphic credit: SkySafari app

Read more about Scorpius

Graphic credit from Stellarium showing the western horizon with the crescent Moon, Mercury to lower right, Venus to lower left, Mars to upper left and constellation of Leo during sunset
Cluster of celestial wonders

July 19, 2023

Grab your binos and enjoy a cluster of celestial wonders in the western sky. You won’t have to shift your gaze much in order to see the waxing crescent Moon, bright Venus to the lower left and dim Mercury to the lower right. Regulus, the brightest star of Leo is...

Read more about Cluster of celestial wonders

Graphic from Sky Safari showing the eastern horizon with several constellations including Delphinus, Cygnus the swan, Aquila the eagle and Vulpecula the Fox. Milky way is also visible.
Delphinus

July 12, 2023

Dreaming of the beach? You don’t have to go far to spot a Dolphin in the sky. Delphinus swims along the shore of the Milky Way while Cygnus and Aquila fly overhead. You might also spot a fox crossing the water. Summer is the perfect time to jump in and...

Read more about Delphinus

Graphic from NASA Eyes on the Solar System web-based app showing the inner solar system with planets on July 6
Aphelion

July 6, 2023

Happy aphelion Earthlings! Earth is farther away from the Sun today than any other time of the year - 94.5 million miles away. Learn more about the exact positions of the planets and locations of various spacecraft with NASA's Eyes on the Solar System web-based app.

Read more about Aphelion

Photo from NASA showing two halves of the moon, left one larger supermoon and the right half smaller micromoon
SuperMoons

July 3, 2023

Up for an observing challenge? Check out the Moon tonight. It’s the first of four Full Moons that are considered SUPERMOONS. Keep your streak going by observing the Moon again on August 1st, August 30th and September 28th. What is a supermoon? The Moon’s orbit isn’t circular, it’s more of...

Read more about SuperMoons

Graphic from Stellarium showing the western horizon with the silhouette of a farm and trees with Mars, the waxing crescent Moon and Venus forming a triangle
Summer Solstice and the Triangle

June 21, 2023

Happy Summer Solstice! It’s the longest day of the year for those of us living in the northern hemisphere. Stay out late and celebrate while watching the waxing crescent Moon, Venus and Mars as they form a triangle in the west. Graphic credit: Stellarium

Read more about Summer Solstice and the Triangle

Graphic from Sky Safari showing the eastern horizon the Milky Way rising above the silhouettes of trees
Milky Way

June 16, 2023

This is the perfect weekend to see the Milky Way galaxy! Get out of town and find a dark place to watch our galaxy rise on the eastern horizon. It’ll be visible starting at 11pm and as the night continues it’ll climb higher and higher. Eventually, you’ll see it stretching...

Read more about Milky Way

Graphic from Stellarium showing the western horizon with the silhouette of a tree with Mars, Venus and the Beehive cluster
Venus and the Beehive

June 13, 2023

Look to the west tonight to see Venus and Praesepe, the Beehive cluster in Cancer the Crab. One of the nearest open clusters to us, its hundreds of stars dazzle when viewed with a telescope. Graphic credit: Stellarium

Read more about Venus and the Beehive

Graphic from Stellarium showing the eastern horizon with trees and the Moon and Antares in Scorpius
Full Moon and the Scorpion

June 3, 2023

Watch the Full Moon rise tonight next to Antares, the heart of the Scorpion! Antares is a red supergiant about 550 light years away. The enormity of this star is hard to grasp. If it were dropped into our solar system and replaced the Sun, it would extend out to...

Read more about Full Moon and the Scorpion

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More Astronomy Resources

Photo of the Andromeda galaxy by Stephan Abraas Stargate Observatory in Canon City

Astronomy-related websites

Enjoy our favorite astronomy-related websites for up-to-date information on what’s up in the sky, NASA news, beautiful astronomy images, eclipses, satellites, plus more.

  • Astronomy magazine - The Sky this Week
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe
  • Heavens-Above - Information about artificial satellites, ISS, HST, and Iridium flares
  • International Dark Sky Association - Videos about Light Pollution
  • NASA - News and mission information
  • NASA - eClips: Bringing STEM alive through NASA real-world connections and a Special Edition newsletter for Earth Day
  • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory videos - What’s Up, Mars Report, etc.
  • NASA Eclipse Information - Eclipses of the Sun and Moon
  • Origin of the Constellations from the International Astronomical Union 
  • Sky & Telescope magazine - This Week’s Sky at a Glance
Losing the Dark still image from film of bright sky, trees and buildings

Learn about light pollution

You can learn more about light pollution and how you can help save our starry skies watch "Losing the Dark" from the International Dark Sky Association and Loch Ness Productions. Starry skies are a vanishing treasure because light pollution is washing away our view of the cosmos. It not only threatens astronomy but also disrupts wildlife, and affects human health. The glows over cities and towns — seen so clearly from space — are testament to the billions of dollars spent in wasted energy by lighting up the sky. The video introduces and illustrates some of the issues regarding light pollution and suggests three simple actions people can take to help mitigate it.

To learn more about local efforts to mitigate light pollution check out the Homeowner's Guide to Boulder's Outdoor Lighting Ordinance.

Hubble photo of a galaxy edge on

Got an astro question?

Email us! We'd love to hear from you.

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FISKE PLANETARIUM

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