From the completion of the epic voyage of the Hokule‘a to the naming of an asteroid detected from Hawaii, and the latest findings of gravitational waves in space, 2017 has been an exciting year for astronomical explorations on Earth and in space. Read more
Mastering any skill takes passion and a commitment of time. Once achieved, a skill can last a lifetime of practice, but it is accessible only to the master unless it is passed on to others. Read more
The beauty of the Star Compass is its natural symmetry and reflective quality, allowing the navigator to use nature’s clues to determine direction. Read more
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The recent completion of the three-year Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage by the voyaging canoe Hokule‘a underscores the timeless relevance of this indigenous system of celestial navigation. Read more
Aloha everybody! This will be my final Skywatch article. I am delighted, and a little wistful, to announce that I have accepted a position at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, N.J., across from lower Manhattan. Read more
For the United States, the biggest astronomy story for 2017 is the total eclipse of the sun that occurs over much of the continental U.S. on Aug. 21. Read more
While we lose the Southern Cross from the Hawaiian Islands by the time July starts, the month does provide a last chance to catch the brilliant stars Alpha and Beta Centauri, the best summertime stars we see in Hawaii and which are not visible from most of the United States. Read more
This June provides a great chance to see the solar system’s biggest planets, Jupiter and Saturn, throughout most of the evening. Read more
In the tropics, the sun passes overhead twice during the year. On these two days, the sun will be exactly overhead at midday and an upright object such as a flagpole will have no shadow. Read more
April is always a good time to spot most of the famous constellations in one night in the islands. April has the added bonus of being able to catch all five of the naked-eye planets for at least part of the month. Read more
All five naked-eye planets are visible in March, and there is at least one planet visible at any time through the night. Read more
The planets continue to put on a good show this February. The Big Dipper returns to our evening skies, as it does every winter, and the Southern Cross brightens the predawn sky. Read more
The Quadrantid meteor shower, the first meteor shower of 2017, happens in the hours before dawn on Jan. 3. Read more
The “super” full moon of Nov. 13-14 was in fact the closest full moon since 1948. While the full moon of Dec. 13 is still referred to as a supermoon, it’s barely in the club. Read more
This August features a gathering of planets just above the sun at dusk, and the return of the most famous meteor shower. Read more
Sky watching will be very good in the islands in June. A trio of bright planets is visible in the evening sky, including Mars, which remains unusually bright throughout the month. Jupiter and Saturn are clearly visible from the midevening sky as well. Read more
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