A jet flying almost directly overhead joined the already crowded skies in Gemini tonight, including the Moon, Jupiter, and the stars Castor and Pollux. These two frames were taken 28 seconds apart.
The Gemini gathering: Castor, Pollux, Moon, Jupiter. Taken with Olympus camera and 53 mm lens.
The Gemini gathering: Castor, Pollux, Moon, Jupiter. Taken with Olympus camera and 53 mm lens. #astronomy
Celestial traffic jam in Gemini tonight . . . high overhead! Tonight, the 86% lit Moon is positioned beside Castor and Pollux, the two brightest stars of Gemini. The Moon essentially becomes a third (and very bright) brother. And bright Jupiter stands nearby.
Celestial traffic jam in Gemini tonight . . . high overhead! Tonight, the 86% lit Moon is positioned beside Castor and Pollux, the two brightest stars of Gemini. The Moon essentially becomes a third (and very bright) brother. 😁 And bright Jupiter stands nearby.
#astronomy
This post revealed to me that Bluesky significantly mangles the fine resolution of posted photos. My original shows two Jovian moons plainly; not at all here! Interestingly, Facebook mangles the least 👍; Instagram and Threads mangle the most. 👎
Tonight's Great Rectangle overhead . . . with corners marked by the Moon, Jupiter, Castor and Pollux (stars in Gemini). Two of Jupiter's moons can be seen by zooming in on the lower right "star." Olympus camera; zoom lens set at 53 mm.
Tonight's Great Rectangle overhead . . . with corners marked by the Moon, Jupiter, Castor and Pollux (stars in Gemini). Two of Jupiter's moons can be seen by zooming in on the lower right "star." Olympus camera; zoom lens set at 53 mm.
The Moon visits the Pleiades February 23. 8:01 p.m. CST Olympus camera. 270mm f.l.
The Moon visits the Pleiades
February 23. 8:01 p.m. CST
Olympus camera. 270mm f.l.
Happy Birthday, George Washington! 🎂
In 6 years, we’ll celebrate the tricentennial of your birth!
I enjoy explaining across my interests:
🪐 Astronomy — what’s in the sky
🇺🇸 Civil War — citizen soldiers & history
🪙 Coins & stamps — history in objects
🚴🏻♂️ Cycling — trails & observations
• Retired planetarium director
• Astrophotographer
Accurate, calm explanations across topics.
Remembering Abraham Lincoln on his birthday, which was in 1809 (217 years ago).
Remembering Abraham Lincoln on his birthday, which was in 1809 (217 years ago).
#AbrahamLincoln #CivilWarHistory #americanhistory
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 12 — Second Inaugural
Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address may be his greatest speech. Delivered in March 1865 as the Civil War neared its end, its famous line
“With malice toward none; with charity for all”
emphasized reconciliation over triumph.
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln Day 11 — The Lincoln Cent In 1909, on the centennial of Lincoln’s birth, the U.S. replaced the Indian Head Cent with the Lincoln Cent — the first circulating coin to feature a real person. 117 years later, its obverse design hasn’t changed.
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 11 — The Lincoln Cent
In 1909, on the centennial of Lincoln’s birth, the U.S. replaced the Indian Head Cent with the Lincoln Cent — the first circulating coin to feature a real person. 117 years later, its obverse design hasn’t changed.
#CivilWarHistory
Today I enjoyed my first bike ride in 4 weeks! It reached a balmy 45 degrees, with traces of snow still clinging to the less traveled streets.
Today I enjoyed my first bike ride in 4 weeks! It reached a balmy 45 degrees, with traces of snow still clinging to the less traveled streets.
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 10 — Places Named Lincoln
Only one town named “Lincoln” existed during his lifetime — Lincoln, Illinois. In the 1850s, Abraham Lincoln helped design the town, practiced law there, and helped shape its future.
All others were named for him after his death.
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 9 — Lincoln’s Height
In the 1850s, the average American man stood about 5’ 7”.
At 6’ 4”, Lincoln physically towered over his contemporaries — including Stephen Douglas, who stood a full foot shorter. The contrast became part of his legend.
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln Day 8 — Lincoln’s Beard In 1860, an 11-year-old girl wrote Lincoln suggesting he grow a beard to soften his appearance. After the election, he did just that! When his train passed through Grace’s town in 1861, he met her and credited her suggestion.
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 8 — Lincoln’s Beard
In 1860, an 11-year-old girl wrote Lincoln suggesting he grow a beard to soften his appearance. After the election, he did just that! When his train passed through Grace’s town in 1861, he met her and credited her suggestion.
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 7 — Lincoln’s Speaking Voice (Part 2)
We’ll never hear Lincoln’s real voice, but using historical descriptions, I conducted a thought experiment using ElevenLabs speech synthesis technology. The result was far less strange than expected:
bit.ly/3OeEtFt
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln Day 6 — Lincoln’s Speaking Voice (Part 1) Lincoln’s voice was high-pitched and reedy — not the booming baritone we imagine. But it carried across crowds and proved remarkably effective once listeners adjusted. Tomorrow: a voice reconstruction experiment.
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 6 — Lincoln’s Speaking Voice (Part 1)
Lincoln’s voice was high-pitched and reedy — not the booming baritone we imagine. But it carried across crowds and proved remarkably effective once listeners adjusted.
Tomorrow: a voice reconstruction experiment.
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln Day 5 — Lincoln at Gettysburg Following Edward Everett's two hour speech, Lincoln's short address argued that the Civil War was a test of whether a nation founded on equality and self-government could survive. Lincoln’s 272 words redefined American democracy.
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 5 — Lincoln at Gettysburg
Following Edward Everett's two hour speech, Lincoln's short address argued that the Civil War was a test of whether a nation founded on equality and self-government could survive. Lincoln’s 272 words redefined American democracy.
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 4 — Cooper Union: Lincoln the Logician
Lincoln’s 1860 Cooper Union speech made his presidency possible. By calmly proving that the Founders supported restricting slavery, he made his conclusion inescapable — and transformed himself into a national figure.
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln Day 3 — Thinking Anew (Annual Message, 1862) In 1862, Lincoln warned that: “The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present.” To save the country, Americans had to “think anew” — and free themselves from past traditions and outdated habits.
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 3 — Thinking Anew (Annual Message, 1862)
In 1862, Lincoln warned that:
“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present.”
To save the country, Americans had to “think anew” — and free themselves from past traditions and outdated habits.
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 2 — Public Sentiment
In an 1861 letter to Stephen Douglas, Lincoln warned that “Public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed.” Lincoln understood that no policy can succeed without the support of the public.
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln Day 1 — Lincoln and Power In an 1858 letter to his law partner William Herndon, Lincoln warned that adversity builds character — but power tests it. In an era of celebrity politics and constant amplification, the warning feels uncannily modern.
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 1 — Lincoln and Power
In an 1858 letter to his law partner William Herndon, Lincoln warned that adversity builds character — but power tests it. In an era of celebrity politics and constant amplification, the warning feels uncannily modern.
#CivilWarHistory
Here begins my "12 Days of Lincoln" tribute to our nation's 16th President to commemorate the 217th anniversary of his birth. Each day, I’ll highlight a different Lincoln quote or factoid, ending on his February 12th birthday.
Tonight (Jan. 30), the waxing gibbous Moon will be near Jupiter all night. If you have a clear sky, step outside and have a look. The cold air and beauty of the night sky will do you good! SkySafari rendering.
Tonight (Jan. 30), the waxing gibbous Moon will be near Jupiter all night. If you have a clear sky, step outside and have a look. The cold air and beauty of the night sky will do you good! SkySafari rendering. #astronomy
2026 Sky Highlight #9: The night of December 23-24 will feature the largest Full Moon of 2026, which will appear 15% larger than the smallest full moon that occurs on the night of May 30-31. December’s “SuperMoon” will also be the largest Full Moon since January of 2023!
2026 Sky Highlight #9: The night of December 23-24 will feature the largest Full Moon of 2026, which will appear 15% larger than the smallest full moon that occurs on the night of May 30-31. December’s “SuperMoon” will also be the largest Full Moon since January of 2023! #astronomy
40 years ago today, the world was rocked by the tragic loss of Challenger. I was performing a planetarium show to a school group at the Cernan Earth & Space Center at the time. In the days that followed, I made a number of radio and TV appearances to discuss the disaster to a grief-stricken world.
With the edge of the Moon’s dark limb faintly illuminated by Earthshine, there will be 5 great reappearance events over the span of 7 minutes — Europa, Callisto, Io, Jupiter, and Ganymede. Jupiter itself will take about a minute to be fully uncovered.
2026 Sky Highlight # 8: Before dawn on Tuesday, October 6th, a rare and lovely celestial event will be visible in much of the U.S. — an occultation of Jupiter and its four large moons by the waning crescent Moon. #astronomy
2026 Sky Highlight #7: Saturn will be closest to Earth on October 4th and remains a fixture in our evening sky through February of 2027. By this time, Saturn’s rings will have opened up considerably since going edge-on in 2025.
2026 Sky Highlight #7: Saturn will be closest to Earth on October 4th and remains a fixture in our evening sky through February of 2027. By this time, Saturn’s rings will have opened up considerably since going edge-on in 2025. #astronomy
