Today the Sun reaches its most southerly declination along the ecliptic in western Sagittarius to begin the winter season.  More specifically, this occurs at 11:47am, CST at my location, but in more ways than one!  It was all cloudy yesterday, and it...

The waxing “smile” Moon resided in western Capricorn this evening a full 18 degrees from planet Jupiter, and it set very close to 7:55pm CST.  When I examined it briefly through the Quantum-4 telescope at 6:30pm, it was 3 days and 12 1/2 hrs into new...

No solar or lunar observing today, Dec. 18, as the sky was gray.  Clouds formed and thickened in the early 5:00am hr CST, and some frost from a freezing fog was on the trees this morning.  I took the day off blogging here yesterday, as that was what...

Complicated sunspot region #1035 as of this morning is approaching the sun’s central meridian.  It’s high latitude alone confirms it to be of the new solar cycle (#24).  However, today there is penumbra associated with many of its umbral...

I told you I was right.  The cluster of pores following the tiny two black dots that WAS sunspot area #1034 yesterday has become more complex and is rightly dubbed area #1035.  Nothing more seen of #1034, as the leading dots / pores are gone, but...