M87 is a huge galaxy over 50 million light years away with approximately one trillion stars, but these facts are not the most interesting part about the galaxy. A photo taken through the 10”...
The Heavens Declare God’s Glory
Dusty, Milky—Beautiful
Milky Way over Matterhorn. Photo © iStock. Our home galaxy is called the Milky Way because people have long had the idea that it looks like spilled milk drifting across the sky. It’s believed the...
The Horsehead Nebula
Horsehead Nebula. Photo © Morris Yoder. If you’ve ever found the constellation Orion, there’s a good chance you looked right through this complex cloud of dust and gas without realizing it. The...
The Big Dipper
Most people who can pick out at least two constellations in the night sky can point out the Big Dipper. As it turns out, the Big Dipper is not a constellation. It’s an asterism within the...
Satellites
I enjoy relaxing and watching the darkness of night extinguish the distractions of daytime, as the tranquil beauty of the silent stars appears. We’re used to those stars holding still, but at times...
Two Are Better Than One!
Binoviewer. Photo © Morris Yoder. A contractor once told me to always wear safety glasses when appropriate because life with only one eye is difficult. He was talking from experience; he’d lost an...
The Unequal Equinox
I’ve heard it’s possible to balance an egg, or even a broom, on its end on the date of the equinox. There’s a good chance you’ve heard the same thing. It sounds incredible, but it’s true.There’s...
The Great Conjunction: Saturn and Jupiter
Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. Photo © Morris Yoder. Jupiter and Saturn appear to pass each other in the sky about once every twenty years. When this happens, astronomers call it a great...
Eclipse Traffic Jam was a Godsend
Also, "The Influence of Absence" Solar eclipse excerpts from the November 2017 Nature Friend magazine.
