Backyard Astronomer - Delta College Public Radio-logo

Backyard Astronomer - Delta College Public Radio

Michigan PR

Mike Murray from the Delta College Planetarium takes a look at what's up in the night sky. Things are happening all the time in the backyard universe, and many of them don't require a telescope to see and enjoy.

Location:

Bay City, MI

Networks:

Michigan PR

Description:

Mike Murray from the Delta College Planetarium takes a look at what's up in the night sky. Things are happening all the time in the backyard universe, and many of them don't require a telescope to see and enjoy.

Language:

English


Episodes
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11/18/24 - Bright Stars in the East

11/19/2024
Two hours after sunset you can’t help but notice several bright stars low in the east and northeast. The brightest one isn’t a star at all, but the planet Jupiter!

Duration:00:02:00

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11/11/24 - The Beaver Moon

11/9/2024
The phase of the moon grows this week. By November 15 it becomes full, rising a little north of east soon after sunset. The November Full Moon was called the Beaver Moon by many Native American tribes.

Duration:00:02:00

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11/4/24 - Venus, Mercury, and the Moon

11/4/2024
This week offers an evening rendezvous of Venus and the crescent moon.

Duration:00:02:00

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10/28/24 - Pleiades Star Cluster

10/28/2024
Look low to the east after dark and you should see a pretty little cluster of stars. Its shape might remind you of a miniature Little Dipper, but it’s actually the famous Pleiades Star Cluster.

Duration:00:02:00

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10/22/24 - The Great Square of Pegasus

10/22/2024
Each season has a notable constellation or group of stars that can serve as a guidepost to that part of the sky. In summer it’s common to use the Summer Triangle and in autumn we have the Great Square of Pegasus.

Duration:00:02:00

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10/14/24 - Waning Gibbous Moon

10/14/2024
The Moon will take on an oval shape this week as the visible portion starts to wane, or become smaller.

Duration:00:02:00

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10/7/24 - An October Comet

10/7/2024
The media buzz is growing about what could be a bright comet gracing our skies this month. It’s called Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, or “A3” for short, and astronomers have been eagerly anticipating its approach for many weeks.

Duration:00:02:00

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9/30/24 - The W of Cassiopeia

9/30/2024
Look high in the northeast for a group of bright stars that resembles a big “W” sitting on its end. This is the constellation of Cassiopeia the Queen.

Duration:00:02:00

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9/16/24 - Saturn at Close Approach

9/20/2024
If you look low in the southeast sky after dark, you’ll see a moderately bright star that doesn’t twinkle as much as the others. This is the famous ringed planet Saturn, and it recently made its closest approach to Earth.

Duration:00:02:00

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9/9/24 - Observe the Moon Night

9/10/2024
By September 13, the Moon will look a little more than half illuminated in the south. This is when the Delta College Planetarium in Bay City will celebrate this year’s International Observe the Moon Night!

Duration:00:02:00

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9/2/24 - Sagittarius the Archer

9/3/2024
From late August through September, Sagittarius the Archer will appear low in the south at evening twilight. With the Milky Way running through it, Sagittarius is a treasure trove of deep sky wonders for binoculars.

Duration:00:02:00

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8/26/24 - The Milky Way

8/26/2024
Away from city lights and bright moonlight, this is the time of year to see the faint band of the Milky Way stretching right over the top of the sky.

Duration:00:02:00

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8/19/24 - The Lure of Astronomy

8/19/2024
For decades now, amateur astronomy continues to be one of the fastest growing hobbies in the world. Why is that? What gets people so hooked on space and the night sky?

Duration:00:02:00

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8/12/24 - The Super Sturgeon Moon

8/13/2024
On August 19, the moon will be full, but this won’t be just any ordinary full moon. It’s the first "super moon" of 2024.

Duration:00:02:00

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8/5/24 - The Perseid Meteor Shower

8/5/2024
One of the best meteor showers of the year comes to a maximum on the evening of August 11th and morning of the 12th.

Duration:00:02:00

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7/29/24 - Morning Planets

7/29/2024
After a long hiatus, the planets Jupiter and Mars are making their way back into the pre-dawn sky.

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7/22/24 - The Eye of the Eagle

7/22/2024
After dusk, look about a third of the way up the eastern sky for Altair, the brightest star in Aquila the Eagle and part of the Summer Triangle.

Duration:00:02:02

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7/15/24 - The Moon’s Southern Seas

7/15/2024
Now is a good time to see the dark round plains called “maria,” and bright splashes of lighter material called “rays.” The southern maria offer some interesting sights in a small telescope.

Duration:00:02:00

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7/8/24 - Globular Cluster in Hercules

7/8/2024
Hercules, the strong man of ancient mythology, rides high overhead in early summer. While its stars are not particularly bright, its most distinctive shape are the four stars in its center known as the Keystone. Within its borders lies one of the most famous globular star clusters of the entire night sky.

Duration:00:02:00

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7/1/24 - Heart of the Scorpion

7/2/2024
As twilight ends around 10:30 pm, look low in the southeast for a bright reddish star – this is Antares, the heart of the Scorpion.

Duration:00:02:00