High in our winter evening sky you’ll find the 6th-brightest star, yellow-white Capella , along with other stars of the constellation Auriga .

As seen from Earth, the Sun appears to move around the Earth in a plane that is inclined 23.5 degrees to the Earth’s celestial equator, the plane formed by projecting the terrestrial equator into space. This plane is called the ecliptic and it also defines the plane in which, with some variations, all the planets in the solar system orbit the Sun. This is one piece of evidence for planetary formation starting from a disk of dust and gas orbiting around the Sun.

It’s mid-February, and love is in the air. But for some constellations, it seems love can be blue.

Humans have been looking at the Moon and contemplating its “face,” and various light and dark features for millennia.

Did you see the solar eclipse in the U.S. last August? If you’re eager to see another eclipse, you’re in luck. We can see the first part of a total lunar eclipse from the Western Slope during the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday, January 31.

As we welcome in a New Year, let’s explore the astronomical wonders that we can see from the Western Slope during 2018.

With Winter fast approaching, with its long cold nights, the month of December may not seem to be an ideal time for star gazing. Fortunately, those willing to brave the cold will be amply rewarded by views of the most magnificent constellation in the sky, the brightest star, as well as a famous nebula.

Mid December nights are cold and often snowy on the Western Slope. But, here’s an observing challenge: Catch the peak of this year’s Geminid Meteor Shower on the night of December 13th to 14th.

Early in the evening, on a late November night, the Big Dipper skims the northern horizon. Turning our attention east-northeast, we first come to Capella , the brightest star in the constellation Auriga, the Charioteer, and the sixth brightest star in the sky. Unlike most proper star names, Capella is Latin, and means the little she-goat. Capella is a multi-star system about 42 light years distant.

Have you ever looked at a full or gibbous Moon through binoculars or a telescope? If so, you may have noticed some bright streaks that radiate outward from a few bright craters.