Tag: astronomy
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Eyes on the skies — May
Welcome to the Ontario Parks “Eyes on the Skies” series. This space (see what we did there?) will cover a wide range of astronomy topics with a focus on what can be seen from the pristine skies found in our provincial parks. While spring “technically” begins in March, most of us living in cold climates…
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Featured constellations: Boötes the Herdsman, Virgo the Maiden and Libra the Scales
In last month’s constellation post, we discussed the Bears and a Dragon. In this month’s edition, we will talk about constellations that are ideal for warm weather observation.
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The galaxies: a partially solved mystery – part 1
After a typical Canadian winter, we look forward to the spring season and the changes that go with it: fresh flora fragrance, natural forest lushness and the flowing water tranquility. Spring also ushers in a new landscape of interesting objects visible in the night skies: the galaxies.
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Celestial objects of interest in November
November is the perfect time for stargazing. Even though the temperatures are cooling down, the early sunset and later sunrise provide us with almost fifteen hours of darkness in which to observe nighttime splendors. Plus, there are some exciting occurrences lighting up the skies all month long. Why not take some time this month to…
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November's digital download
Sneaking out of your tent in the middle of the night to stare up at the stars… is there anything better? There’s no substitution for witnessing a starry sky firsthand, but this month’s FREE digital download is a good start!
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Looking up at Mars
Did you know that we can see surface detail on Mars with even a small telescope? During most of October, Mars rises at sunset and sets at sunrise. It is now (after the sun and moon) the brightest object in the sky and noticeably pinkish! Mars’ orbit is somewhat elliptical (egg-shaped), meaning that about every…
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Comet NEOWISE
Our night sky seems to be a fixture of perfection. While the stars rise and set, and the sun, moon and planets do appear to move against the starry backdrop, little other changes are apparent. However, that stillness does get punctuated from time to time by ghostly interlopers — the comets! And right now, our…
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Jupiter and Saturn
Looking to brush up on your planetary science? Let’s learn more about Jupiter and Saturn: