Frosty Drew Nature Center & Observatory: David Huestis's Columns

Previewing June’s Evening Skies

David Huestis — Mon, 3 Jun 2013 19:02:57 EDT

Though the month of June does provide much more reasonable temperatures for amateur astronomers to enjoy their hobby, most of us do not welcome the summer months. Why? The sky doesn’t get sufficiently dark for deep sky objects (galaxies and nebulae)

Saturn Now Visible in May’s Early Evening Sky

David Huestis — Wed, 1 May 2013 18:24:39 EDT

If you have any rudimentary knowledge about astronomy and are like most people, anytime someone mentions the planet Saturn the first image that pops into your head is a planet with an extensive system of rings surrounding it. This sixth planet from the

April Lyrids Meteor Shower

David Huestis — Thu, 4 Apr 2013 16:47:15 EDT

For those of us who reside in the northern hemisphere, the spring season provides only one decent meteor shower to watch shooting stars streak across the sky. While not as productive as the August Perseids or the December Geminids, the annual Lyrids me

A Few February Favorites

David Huestis — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:33:04 EST

Perhaps you received a telescope during the holiday season and you've been anxious to see what kind of detail it can provide of various astronomical objects. While the winter months can be a difficult time of the year to observe from southern New Engla

Promising Prospects for December’s Geminid Meteor Shower

David Huestis — Fri, 7 Dec 2012 16:15:50 EST

Mild comfortable nights of observing are now behind us. As we approach the Winter Solstice on December 21 at 6:12 a.m. (the earliest date and time for this astronomical event since 1896), our days grow shorter while the nights grow longer. Amateur astr

Doomsday 21, 2012 Down for the (Long) Count?

David Huestis — Mon, 3 Dec 2012 17:56:02 EST

It's difficult to know exactly when the alleged Mayan doomsday prophecy drivel started. I've had an interest in the Mesoamerican cultures of Central America for many decades, so I was aware of their advanced calendar system. However, in all my studies

Meteors and Planet Pairings for November

David Huestis — Tue, 6 Nov 2012 09:50:19 EST

As the late sunsets of summer (along with the heat, humidity and hazy skies) came to an end, my astronomy associates and I welcomed in the fall season. The biggest plus is that we can begin our observing sessions at a much earlier time in the evening.

October Meteor Shower Prospects

David Huestis — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:22:46 EDT

I can’t tell you how discouraged I am when I’ve written about an upcoming astronomical event, only to have it spoiled by cloudy skies. The latest event to suffer this fate was the 2012 Perseids, scheduled to peak during the early morning hours of S

Autumnal Equinox and Observing the Outer Solar System

David Huestis — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 21:19:45 EDT

Thank goodness summer is almost over. Autumn, or fall, begins on September 22 at 10:49 am EDT. For most of the country, 2012 has been a very hot and dry year. And for us in southern New England, we’ve had more than our fair share of heat, humidity, a

Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks in August

David Huestis — Sat, 4 Aug 2012 19:44:48 EDT

The upcoming Perseid meteor shower of August is the most widely observed meteor shower of the year. This ranking is because families are spending more time outdoors during the summer season, enjoying cookouts, camping, or any other assortment of late e