Scott MacNeill's Columns
- Viewing The International Space Station
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Entry Date: Jan 17, 2020
Published Under: Scott MacNeill's Columns
Periodically throughout the year, the International Space Station (ISS) becomes visible in the evening sky, offering up stunning opportunities to view bright nightly passes for a few weeks. The ISS orbits planet Earth once every 93 minutes at a 51.6° ... more
- Dressing for All-Night Winter Stargazing
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Entry Date: Dec 20, 2019
Published Under: Scott MacNeill's Columns
With the heart of winter bearing down on New England in full attack mode, stargazing starts to sound a bit relentless and the idea becomes as remote as a sunny day at the beach. Though the cold temperatures and snowy landscape can be a cause for therma... more
- A Transit of Mercury for Veterans Day
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Entry Date: Oct 17, 2019
Published Under: Scott MacNeill's Columns
On Monday, November 11, 2019, Mercury will reach inferior conjunction, which is when Mercury orbits in between Earth and the Sun. Even though this happens about 4 times per year, this particular inferior conjunction is quite special. On that date, Merc... more
- A New Statistic For Earth-like Exoplanets
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Entry Date: Aug 28, 2019
Published Under: Scott MacNeill's Columns
Over the past several years, exoplanet hunting has become all the rage, and rightfully so! Are we alone in the Universe? That is a powerful question, possibly one of the most game changing questions of our existence. It is the question that drives so m... more