Articles About Stars (8)
Astronomical Glossary - Terms & Definitions
What do astronomers really mean when they use those technical terms?
Altitude & Azimuth: The Horizontal Coordinate System
Learn how to use altitude (elevation) and azimuth angles to locate any object in the sky, such as stars, planets, satellites, the Sun, or the Moon.
Timekeeping by Stars
Out and about at night without a watch or a smartphone readily available? If you are in the Northern Hemisphere use the Big Dipper and the North Star to tell the time.
How to measure the sky
Measure the sky and find out distances between celestial objects using your hands and fingers.
What Is a Conjunction?
A conjunction is when planets like Mars, Jupiter, or Saturn, or other bodies like stars or the Moon, meet in the sky. Why and when do conjunctions happen?
What Is the Ecliptic?
The ecliptic is the name given to the path the Sun follows through the stars and constellations over the course of a year.
Great Conjunction 2020
In December 2020, Jupiter and Saturn met in the sky in a rare Great Conjunction.
The Sun: Our Home Star
Energy from the Sun reaches Earth in the form of solar radiation, or sunlight.