Q-90.1's Backyard Astronomer

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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.

Q-90.1 FM WUCX


    • May 27, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 1m AVG DURATION
    • 362 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Q-90.1's Backyard Astronomer

    5/26/25 - Spike to Spica

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2025 2:00


    If you follow the arc to Arcturus and keep the curve going even farther down into the south, you'll come to the faint bluish star, Spica.

    5/19/25 - Coma Star Cluster

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 2:00


    Now that we're past full moon, the early evening sky remains dark for longer periods as the moon rises later each night. This reveals a really nice target for binoculars called the Coma star cluster.

    5/12/25 - Leo the Lion

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025 2:00


    In spring, many stargazers use the zodiacal constellation of Leo the Lion as a signpost to the sky.

    5/5/25 - Waxing Gibbous Moon

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2025 2:00


    All this week, the phase of the moon grows larger and brighter as it moves from first quarter toward full. We call this period the “waxing gibbous moon” as the oval shape becomes wider and more rounded.

    4/28/25 - Meteors from Halley's Comet

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 2:00


    Twice each year the Earth crosses the orbit of Halley's Comet. Each time we do, a meteor shower is created from the tiny flecks of ice and dust the comet leaves behind in its orbit.

    4/21/25 - The Spring Triangle

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025 2:00


    During mid-spring, a trio of wide-spread stars covers a huge swath of the eastern sky after dark. It's the Spring Triangle signaling the move into longer days and warmer weather for the Northern Hemisphere.

    4/14/25 - Tour the Stars of Leo

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 2:00


    Each season has that one constellation that serves as a signpost to the sky. In spring, many stargazers use the constellation of Leo the Lion.

    4/7/25 - The Big & Little Dippers

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2025 2:00


    Spring is the time of year when the Big Dipper climbs higher into the northern sky, but the Big Dipper is not itself a constellation. It's only part of a much larger group called Ursa Major, the Great Bear. It also makes for a great guidepost to other stars and constellations!

    3/31/25 - Earthshine

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 2:00


    During the week of March 31, the waxing crescent Moon makes its appearance in the west after sunset. When the moon looks like a thin crescent, there's a feature to look for called earthshine.

    3/24/25 - The Little Beehive

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2025 2:00


    With the moon out of the way, the early evening sky remains dark and full of stars, and that gives us some fine objects to explore with binoculars.

    3/17/25 - The March Equinox

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2025 2:00


    This year, the March equinox arrives on the 20th which marks the first day of spring for the northern hemisphere.

    3/10/25 - Total Lunar Eclipse

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2025 2:00


    This month, the full moon on March 14 is also known as the "Sap Moon" because March marks the tapping of the maple trees. It also coincides with a total lunar eclipse.

    3/3/25 - Venus & Mercury at Dusk

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2025 2:00


    Over the last few months, we've been treated to the brilliant planet Venus piercing the western sky after sunset. During the first part of March, you'll have a rare opportunity to watch the elusive planet Mercury join the show!

    2/24/25 - The Winter Triangle

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2025 2:00


    Sirius, Procyon, and Betelgeuse form a giant triangle in the southern sky known as the Winter Triangle. And like Orion's Belt, it can make for an excellent pointer and guidepost to the winter night sky.

    2/17/25 - The Great Orion Nebula

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2025 2:02


    As the moon wanes and rises later each night, the early evening skies are dark again, allowing us to see the Great Orion Nebula.

    2/10/25 - The Crescent Venus

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2025 2:00


    From now through mid-March, you'll have an opportunity to see the crescent phase of Venus when viewed through a telescope.

    2/3/25 - The Moon Waxes

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2025 2:00


    At the beginning of the week of February 3, the moon shows a crescent shape in the southwest after sunset. But each night, the moon will appear to slip a little further back or eastward among the stars.

    1/27/25 - Say Goodbye to Saturn

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2025 2:00


    The parade of four planets visible across the sky will soon reduce to three as Saturn drops lower in the west each night, fading into the glare of twilight by the end of February.

    1/20/25 - The Face of Taurus

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2025 2:00


    About two hours after sunset, look high in the east for the brilliant planet Jupiter. A little to the lower right of Jupiter is the orange star Aldebaran, the fiery eye of Taurus the Bull.

    1/13/25 - A Parade of Planets

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2025 2:00


    During the week of January 13, a magnificent parade of planets will arch across the early evening sky.

    1/6/25 - The Wolf Moon Eats Mars

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 2:00


    The moon grows from its first quarter phase this week, before its reaches full on the 13th. The January full moon is called the "Wolf Moon" because of the increased howling wolves make at this time.

    12/30/24 - The Return of Orion

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2024 2:00


    One of the best known winter constellations, Orion the Hunter, returns to the evening sky.

    12/23/24 - Birthday of the Sun

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2024 2:00


    The dating of our holidays have their roots in the solstice traditions of long ago, and that includes the dating of Christmas.

    12/16/24 - The Seven Planet Challenge

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2024 2:00


    During the second half of December, you'll have a rare opportunity to spot all the other major planets in our solar system over the course of one night.

    12/9/24 - The Lunar Seas

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2024 2:00


    As the phase of the moon grows steadily from first quarter to full, it's a good opportunity to explore the contrasts of light and dark on its surface.

    12/2/24 - Jupiter at Close Approach

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2024 2:00


    Low in the east, soon after dark, you'll find a star so bright that it looks like a fiery beacon in the sky. It's actually the planet Jupiter, and it's making its closest approach to Earth this week.

    11/25/24 - Buying a Telescope

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2024 2:00


    The holidays are one of the most popular times of year for buying a telescope. So, what's the best one to look for?

    11/18/24 - Bright Stars in the East

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2024 2:00


    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!

    11/11/24 - The Beaver Moon

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2024 2:00


    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.

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

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2024 2:00


    This week offers an evening rendezvous of Venus and the crescent moon.

    10/28/24 - Pleiades Star Cluster

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2024 2:00


    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.

    10/22/24 - The Great Square of Pegasus

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2024 2:00


    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.

    10/14/24 - Waning Gibbous Moon

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2024 2:00


    The Moon will take on an oval shape this week as the visible portion starts to wane, or become smaller. This allows the Moon to be seen in the morning sky after sunrise.

    10/7/24 - An October Comet

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2024 2:00


    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.

    9/30/24 - The W of Cassiopeia

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2024 2:00


    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.

    9/16/24 - Saturn at Close Approach

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2024 2:00


    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.

    9/9/24 - Observe the Moon Night

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2024 2:00


    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!

    9/2/24 - Sagittarius the Archer

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2024 2:00


    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.

    8/26/24 - The Milky Way

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2024 2:00


    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.

    8/19/24 - The Lure of Astronomy

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2024 2:00


    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?

    8/12/24 - The Super Sturgeon Moon

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2024 2:00


    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.

    8/5/24 - The Perseid Meteor Shower

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2024 2:00


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

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