It was over a Mercury orbit ago when I last saw snow on the ground. We just got several inches overnight.
Moon through Smartphone: Compensating for Clouds
With clouds, the equation changes a bit, so I scaled the shutter all the way up to 1/50 to get this (cropped, as the surroundings are all black).
Searching for Uranus, with Torcularis Septentrionalis
Last weekend I went on an extreme hunt (from the safety of my driveway) to find the normally-shy seventh planet, Uranus.
More Perspective on Capturing the Moon’s Detail with a Smartphone
The following day and at approximately the same time (in daylight), the sky was still clear. So I took another round of pictures.
The Moon: So Far and Yet So Near
Tonight, I took a few more pictures of the Moon (and my, has it grown since its run-in over the weekend with Aldebaran!).
Searching for Uranus
My explanation for how I tried to find the planet Uranus is the post-Dusk sky.
Watch as Aldebaran Disappears Behind the Moon
It was a little nerve wracking as Aldebaran was about to disappear, for though I was video taping it, I had to keep adjusting the telescope as the sky moved.
Grinding a Telescope Mirror: The Non-DIY Project
I asked myself, “could I grind my own primary mirror?” My weak answer was…maybe.
How to (and not to) Get Kids Interested in Astronomy
I feel these are sound recommendations based on research, experimenting, and common sense, for finding children’s telescopes.
The Thinning and Brightening of Venus
I took one last look at bright Venus in 2017.