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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.

Photo of the Maroon Bell mountains by Aspen Colorado on top with a graphic from Sky & Telescope on the bottom showing the radiant of the Perseid meteor shower.
Fire in the Sky

Aug. 8, 2022

Have you seen any “fire in the sky” yet? John Denver’s famous song ""Rocky Mountain High"" made the Perseid meteor shower iconic! The shower peaks on the 12-13th as Moon is full, but keep your eye out. You may see a stray bit of fire rainin’ here and there.

Read more about Fire in the Sky

Graphic from Stellarium showing the southern horizon with Scorpius and Sagittarius. The Moon is the the upper right of Antares.
Antares

Aug. 6, 2022

The Moon points the way to the heart of the Scorpion tonight - Antares! Also, known as the “Rival of Mars” because of its red color and similar appearance to Mars. This red supergiant star is the 16th brightest star in our sky and a mere 550 light years away...

Read more about Antares

Artistic illustration of our Milky Way Galaxy annotated to show the center of the galaxy and where the sun is in relation to the spiral arms Milky Way Annotated credit NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt
EVERYTHING is moving

July 28, 2022

EVERYTHING is moving… Earth spins on its axis, it orbits the Sun, the Solar System is moving within the Local Interstellar Cloud, & the Orion Spur/Arm is going around the center of our Milky Way galaxy—taking 250 million years to turn once. Feeling dizzy? Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Read more about EVERYTHING is moving

The Milky Way and the location of its central black hole as viewed from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array Image credit: ESO/José Francisco Salgado, EHT Collaboration
Milky Way is HUGE

July 27, 2022

Did you see the Milky Way yet? When you do, take a sec to ground yourself. You’re gazing out upon a huge galaxy…from within. Our solar system is 26,000 light years from the center of the galaxy which stretches 100,000 light years across. In terms of mileage, that’s 100,000 x...

Read more about Milky Way is HUGE

Milky Way Galaxy seen over the Very Large Array, New Mexico. Credit NRAO/AUI/NSF, Jeff Hellerman
Milky Way Galaxy

July 26, 2022

Summertime is prime time for seeing our Milky Way galaxy! It stretches across the entire night sky from Cassiopeia in the north, overhead through Cygnus and Aquila, and down to the southern horizon in between Sagittarius and Scorpius. Tips: Find a dark sky away from city lights Avoid looking at...

Read more about Milky Way Galaxy

Graphic from Sky Safari showing the eastern horizon with Venus to the left, Orion rising and the waning crescent Moon in between the Hyades cluster in Taurus and the Pleiades
Winter at Dawn

July 22, 2022

Is the heat getting to you? Not to worry, the winter stars are rising earlier every day. Look to the east tomorrow before dawn to see the Moon nicely placed between the Pleiades and Hyades. Orion is rising too! Graphic credit: Stellarium

Read more about Winter at Dawn

Graphic showing the size of one half of the Moon during perigee and the other half of the Moon (side by side) at apogee. credit NASA/JPL
Super Full Moon

July 13, 2022

See the Super Full Moon tonight! The Moon’s orbit isn’t circular, it’s an ellipse (oval). During every orbit around the Earth it reaches a closer (perigee) distance and farther (apogee) distance from us. Tonight it happens to be near perigee + it’s a full moon = SUPERMOON!

Read more about Super Full Moon

Photo taken on the ISS of sunrise. Earth's atmospheric layers are visible.
Happy Aphelion!

July 4, 2022

Happy Aphelion Earthlings! We’re farther away from the Sun today than any other time of the year. Why? Our orbit isn’t circular, it’s more like an oval. Why is it hot? It’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere because the Earth’s axis is tilted toward the Sun & the days are...

Read more about Happy Aphelion!

Graphic from Stellarium showing the all the planets along the ecliptic, plus the moon. Eastern and southern horizon are in view.
See ALL the Planets

June 24, 2022

Make the most of your observing time before dawn on June 24th and see ALL of the planets, the Moon, plus asteroid Vesta! (Sorry, Pluto! We still love you.) Find an unobstructed eastern horizon to begin the tour arcing along the ecliptic to spot each object. You’ll need a telescope...

Read more about See ALL the Planets

This visible imagery, captured by the GOES East (GOES-16) satellite on June 21, 2018, shows the pattern of Earth's illumination by the sun just before the solstice. Notice how the daylight terminator, the shadow that separates day and night across Earth, appears highly slanted.
Summer Solstice

June 21, 2022

Happy Summer Solstice! It’s the longest day of the year (and the shortest night) for northern hemisphere inhabitants. The tilt of the Earth's axis is the reason for the seasons. Enjoy the sunshine! Read more about this amazing image from NOAA titled The Summer Solstice Seen from Space . Photograph...

Read more about Summer Solstice

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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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