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Astronomy

Looking for an astronomy fix? We have you covered.

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

Graphic from Stellarium showing the constellation of Orion on the eastern horizon with the radiant for the meteor shower by Betelgeuse
Orionid Meteor Shower 

Oct. 20, 2022

The Orionid meteor shower peaks tonight! As we pass through the incoming stream of Halley’s comet you’ll see 10-20 meteors per hour moving through the sky at 150,000mph. The comet is in Hydra now (3.3 billion miles away, but will return in 2061), but has left some sparkly treats for...

Read more about Orionid Meteor Shower 

Graphic from Stellarium showing the Moon and planet Mars in between the tips of the horns of Taurus - Aldebaran and Betelgeuse are highlighted too in orange
Moon & Mars in the Horns

Oct. 14, 2022

The Moon and Mars are rising in the horns of the Bull tonight! Check out this spectacular sight at 11pm and take a peek at two brilliant orange suns - Aldebaran and Betelgeuse. Graphic credit: Stellarium

Read more about Moon & Mars in the Horns

Photo of the moon with cottonwood tree on the horizon
Full Moon

Oct. 9, 2022

Full Moon tonight! With all the vibrant colors of fall it’ll make for a picture perfect moment.

Read more about Full Moon

Graphic from Stellarium showing the Moon above the southeastern horizon with Jupiter on its left and Saturn on the right distances listed
Moon sandwiched between Jupiter and Saturn

Oct. 6, 2022

Let the Moon be your guide tonight to spot massive Jupiter on its left and ringed-Saturn on its right. In terms of light travel time, you’ll see the Moon as it was a little over a second ago, Jupiter about 30 minutes ago and Saturn as it was 80 minutes...

Read more about Moon sandwiched between Jupiter and Saturn

Graphic from Stellarium showing the constellation of Perseus above the Northeastern horizon with the star Algol notated
Algol - The Demon star

Oct. 1, 2022

Algol is known as the demon star! A fascinating variable in Perseus that looks like a single magnitude 2.1 star to the unaided eye, but is actually a 3-star system. It dips to mag 3.4 every 2.8 days when 1 of the stars partially eclipses the other. The main binary...

Read more about Algol - The Demon star

Photo of Jupiter's Southern Hemisphere by Juno Mission
Jupiter at Opposition

Sept. 26, 2022

Jupiter is at opposition tonight and directly opposite of the Sun, so it’ll rise in the east as the Sun sets and set in the west the Sun rises. Plus, Jupiter is the closest it’s been to Earth since 1963, a mere 367 million miles away. Should be a beautiful...

Read more about Jupiter at Opposition

Photo of aspen trees starting to turn yellow
Fall Equinox

Sept. 22, 2022

Happy Fall Equinox! The Sun is directly over the equator creating an equal amount of daylight and nighttime hours. Enjoy the day and the continuous cycles of change.

Read more about Fall Equinox

Photo of the full Moon image by NASA
Drying Grass Moon

Sept. 9, 2022

Take a stroll after dinner and watch the Sun set as the Full Moon rises in the east. September’s full Moon is known as the Drying Grass Moon by the Arapaho and Cheyenne peoples. Tomorrow, the Moon will be a day past full and will rise with Jupiter.

Read more about Drying Grass Moon

Graphic from Sky Safari showing the eastern horizon with Venus in the constellation of the Crab next to the Beehive Cluster M44
Venus in the Beehive 

Aug. 18, 2022

Venus is buzzing around the Beehive! Grab your binos before dawn and look eastward, low on the horizon to find our sister planet amongst one of the loveliest open clusters ( M44 ) in the sky. Graphic credit: SkySafari app

Read more about Venus in the Beehive 

Photo of Saturn from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope
Saturntime

Aug. 14, 2022

It’s Saturntime! The 2nd largest planet is at opposition tonight, meaning directly opposite of the Sun from our Earthly perspective. Saturn rises in the east as the Sun sets and sets in the west the Sun rises. Enjoy the view all night long!

Read more about Saturntime

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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.

A View from Earth graphic with artistic impression of being in orbit around the Earth

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FISKE PLANETARIUM

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