Galaxies

Arcturus: A Star Worth Saluting: On the next clear evening around 8 p.m., look west and halfway up the sky—you’ll spot Arcturus, a bright pastel-orange star and the fourth brightest we can see from Earth. It once famously opened the 1933 Chicago World's Fair with its light and is unique among bright stars for its wild, plunging path through space. Unlike stars that circle with the Milky Way, Arcturus is just passing through—so catch a glimpse while you can. It's the brightest thing in tonight’s sky… and it won’t be there forever.

On Wednesday, July 23, we saw a rare cosmic pairing as the Moon passes unusually close to Spica, the brilliant blue star in Virgo. Thanks to a unique tilt in the Moon’s orbit — an event that won’t repeat until 2043 — this striking alignment becomes visible to the naked eye. Learn why Spica shines so hot and bright, and how to pronounce its name the right way. Look up between 9:30 and 10 p.m. for a glimpse of this fleeting spectacle.

Twelve years ago, NASA's Curiosity rover journeyed to Mars with instruments that measured space radiation for the first time en route. The findings were sobering: astronauts would face radiation doses equivalent to a full-body CT scan every few days—raising cancer risks by 3–4% on the trip alone. Most of this came from galactic cosmic rays, which spacecraft walls can’t block. And this didn’t even include the added threat of solar storms. To send humans safely to Mars, solving the radiation challenge is essential.

Set your alarm early this week and look east between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m. to catch a stunning celestial display. Brilliant Venus, the Morning Star, shines high with the bright orange star Aldebaran glowing below. Aldebaran, part of the V-shaped Hyades cluster in Taurus, has a rich astronomical legacy—its position once helped confirm Einstein’s theory of General Relativity. Nearby, you’ll also spot the shimmering Pleiades cluster. Together, these stars create a breathtaking, layered view of the cosmos worth waking up for.

Celestial Visitor: Mars. You’ll see a bright "star" near the Moon, Mars — the planet long blamed for alien invasions in fiction. While Martian fears have faded, real space threats remain, like rogue asteroids. In 2013, one zipped past Earth while another exploded over Russia, injuring over a thousand. However, the ultimate doomsday scenario won’t come from space rocks, pandemics, or even climate change — it’ll come from our own Sun. In about 1.1 billion years, the Sun’s growing heat will boil Earth’s oceans, ending life as we know it. So, enjoy the night sky… while you can (you've got time).

There are two universes—the one we see, and the one we never will. The visible universe, just a sliver of the cosmos, ends where light can no longer reach us. Beyond that lies a possibly infinite realm—endless galaxies, stars, and mysteries forever out of reach. A groundbreaking study of 900,000 galaxies hints at this staggering vastness, suggesting that what we observe is zero percent of everything. An infinite universe could mean whole regions governed by unknown laws of physics. And if our view is that limited, can we trust the conclusions we’ve drawn? While science gives us solid facts, like the rotation of Mars, infinity challenges our grasp of the cosmos—and maybe that’s why it rarely makes the headlines.

Summer Solstice Oddities: On Friday, June 20th at 10:43 p.m. marks the official start of summer! While ancient cultures celebrated solstices with flair (sometimes literally tossing people off pyramids), we now settle for noting the longest day of the year. Expect the sun at its highest, shortest shadows, and sunsets as far north as they get. Upstate New York gets over 15 hours of sunlight and the longest twilight of the year—great for solar fans, not so much for stargazers.

On Sunday night, June 1, enjoy an easy and beautiful sky show: a crescent Moon pairs with two bright stars—one blue-white, one orange. The star just below the Moon is Regulus, the brilliant heart of Leo the Lion, once known as “Qalb” and later named by Copernicus. To the Moon’s right, the orange glow of Mars adds a planetary touch, though it’s dimmer now, sitting on the far side of its orbit. Look west anytime between nightfall and midnight for this celestial trio—no telescope needed.

This month look up for a colorful celestial display! Just find the crescent moon in the western sky—sitting in a line with orange-hued Mars and pale blue Regulus, the brightest star in Leo. Together, they create a striking trio of white, orange, and blue—a patriotic parade in the night sky. Tune in to hear when the magic will happen.

As we enter the moonless phase of the month — ideal for stargazing — it’s worth noting that even the darkest rural skies aren’t truly black. Natural skyglow, made up of airglow, Zodiacal Light, scattered starlight, and the unresolved shimmer of our galaxy, keeps the night subtly illuminated. During this period of solar maximum, the upper atmosphere glows more intensely, making the phenomenon even more striking. Despite urban light pollution, nature still puts on a quietly radiant show overhead.