Brian Ventrudo

Science of Stargazing – The Cosmic Distance Scale

This month you learn about Type Ia supernovae, fearsome events that call attention to themselves over millions of light years and help astronomers estimate the size of the universe. And you learn about the “cosmic distance ladder” by which we try to understand the scale of the universe from our solar system to the edge of the known universe.
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Deep Sky Tours – December

Filed Under: Fundamentals of Stargazing

This month we have an eclectic mix of galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters in the far northern and southern skies. Southern stargazers also enjoy a look at the magnificent Large Magellanic Cloud, a nearby irregular galaxy that is mainstay of the deep-southern skies.
Click here to download notes for 'Deep Sky Tours - December' (PDF, 1 MB)
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Sky Tours (South) – December

Filed Under: Fundamentals of Stargazing

Summer comes to the southern hemisphere in December, and many regions don’t get dark until well after 9 p.m. local time. The stars of southern winter, especially Scorpius and Sagittarius, have set in the west for the year. And the stars of southern summer, especially Orion and Eridanus, are starting to rise in the east. This month you conclude the ...

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Sky Tours (North) – December

Filed Under: Fundamentals of Stargazing

This month we wind up the tours of the northern skies with a tour of the constellations Perseus, Cetus, and Camelopardalis.
Click here to download notes for 'Sky Tours (North) - December' (PDF, 1 MB)
Click here to download audio for 'Sky Tours (North) - December' (MP3, 5.9 MB)
Streaming Audio for this Lesson:
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Solar System Observing – Venus and Mercury

Filed Under: Fundamentals of Stargazing

The waxing crescent Moon, Venus (middle), and Mercury in the twilight evening sky.
We continue our tour of the major planets of our solar system with a look at the so-called “inferior” planets Mercury and Venus, the planets closer to the Sun than Earth. When sufficiently separated from the Sun, these planets are visible without optical aid, and the...

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