In The Sky

Here are a few tips Dr. Billy Teets shares with anyone interested in getting a telescope: We often refer folks to Dobsonian telescopes as they give you the most light-gathering bang for your buck.  These telescopes are more suited for visual observing rather than photography, but one can still… Read More

The brightest star in the image (just right of center) is Barnard’s Star, a red dwarf star discovered in 1916 by Edward Emerson Barnard. Image acquired with Dyer Observatory’s 14″ Bergquist Telescope and a ZWO ASI6200MC Pro camera. Credit: Billy Teets A mere six light-years… Read More

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) began its evening apparition during the second week of October 2024. During the period when the comet was at its brightest, observers were still able to spot it despite fighting the light of the waxing Moon. On October 20th, observatory director Billy Teets acquired this… Read More

Dyer Observatory’s all-sky camera caught a gorgeous aurora as it burst over our area on October 10, 2024. Click on the image to see a timelapse of the aurora. Images were taken approximately every 20 seconds.  The pink prologue started soon after sunset, the… Read More

Look for Lunar X along the Moon’s terminator (light/dark boundary) during the few hours it is visible in your area. Image credits: Stellarium and Billy Teets (inset). “Lunar X” is a visual phenomenon where an X appears on the Moon’s surface. What one actually sees is the contrast between the… Read More

Clouds parted long enough in Lanai Lookout, Oahu, Hawaii, to capture rapidly brightening comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) in the early morning hours of September 26, 2024. Credit: Chaim Scowcroft. For skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere, it often seems that spectacular comets only make their appearances in Southern… Read More

The Moon during the penumbral phase of the lunar eclipse on September 17, 2024. The image was created by combining nearly 600 frames of a 30-second video to reduce the blurring effects of Earth’s atmosphere. The darkest part of Earth’s penumbra appears at the top of the… Read More

The middle of September turns out to be a busy time for our Moon in 2024.  This month, skywatchers will have an opportunity to view a partial lunar eclipse and two lunar occultations.  Not only will clear skies be needed but location will also play a big role as to… Read More

The center of the Eagle Nebula (M16). The 78-minute composite hydrogen-alpha image was taken with Dyer Observatory’s 24″ Seyfert Telescope on September 5, 2024. Credit: Billy Teets Approximately 6,500 light-years away in the constellation Serpens lies an immense cloud of gas and dust that has become a symbol of… Read More

If you have a clear western view, go out just as the Sun sets and take note of where it is on the horizon. About 30 minutes afterward, carefully scan to the left of where the Sun disappeared (a pair of binoculars would be helpful). You should pick up a… Read More