Astro Bob's Astronomy for Everyone

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Moon hangs with Fang / Aurora alert Weds. night, Sept 16-17Tonight look to the southwest for the moon. Just above the cr...
09/16/2026

Moon hangs with Fang / Aurora alert Weds. night, Sept 16-17

Tonight look to the southwest for the moon. Just above the crescent you'll see a small star named Fang. I wish it meant "fang" like tooth, but it's the Chinese word for "room" and refers to the fourth lunar mansion in the sky. The ancient Chinese divided the moon's path around the sky into 28 rooms or mansions, similar to the 12 constellations of the zodiac.

In ancient times Fang was located in the Blue Dragon, which was part of our Scorpius the scorpion. Not far from the moon and Fang is the bright red supergiant star Antares. We call it the Scorpion's Heart but the ancient Chinese knew it as Huo, the fire star.

Last night's aurora stuck low in the sky but was brighter than many. There was an obvious arc and occasional rays. Tonight, Sept. 16-17, we expect a bigger, brighter display, at least for the northern states, with a G1 minor storm in the forecast. The photo of the fang-like aurora is from last night around 9:30 p.m.

Aurora out in Duluth! Low in north (about a fist high) but we have a fairly bright arc and nice rays moving around. Best...
09/16/2026

Aurora out in Duluth! Low in north (about a fist high) but we have a fairly bright arc and nice rays moving around. Best from the countryside. 9:30 p.m. Central Time Tuesday, Sept. 15, when I took this photo.

Aurora alert! G1 storm possible Monday night, Sept. 14-15 We had another small aurora last night (pictured), but tonight...
09/15/2026

Aurora alert! G1 storm possible Monday night, Sept. 14-15

We had another small aurora last night (pictured), but tonight's prediction is for a G1 minor storm. If it occurs, observers in the upper Midwest and other northern U.S. states could see an arc or rays in the lower half of the northern sky. Keep an eye!

Zodiacal light shines a ghostly spotlight just before dawn Through Sept. 23, before the moon interferes, you can see a m...
09/14/2026

Zodiacal light shines a ghostly spotlight just before dawn

Through Sept. 23, before the moon interferes, you can see a most wonderful phenomenon in the eastern sky shortly before and at the start of dawn — the zodiacal light. It gets its name from the zodiac, the group of 12 constellations that traveled by the sun, moon and planets. Like them, it's centered on the zodiac.

The zodiacal light stands highest in the eastern sky about 2 hours to 90 minutes before sunrise, around 5 a.m. for the Duluth, Minn. region. Look for a large, tapered, milky glow towering in the east that angles to the right like you see in the photo. It's shaped like a cone or pyramid.

Similar in brightness to the Milky Way, it’s made of dust shed by comets, asteroids and Mars that gathers in the plane of the solar system. Sunlight sets it aglow. I took the photo last September when Jupiter (top) and Venus (bottom) happened to be in the same part of the sky. This year, Jupiter will shine near the middle of the cone with Mars up near the "tip". To see it, a dark eastern sky (minimal light pollution) is required. Your best bet is a drive to the countryside.

They say we're made of dust, and it's true. When you look at the zodiacal light you're seeing yet another aspect of the beauty that this ubiquitous raw material, ultimately created by stars, has fashioned.

Forest of trees and stars Here's the Milky Way from Long Lake Conservation Center near McGregor, Minnesota during the No...
09/12/2026

Forest of trees and stars
Here's the Milky Way from Long Lake Conservation Center near McGregor, Minnesota during the Northern Nights Star Festival. The sky was so clear and dark! I've also had a wonderful time with astronomy friends.

At the annual Northern Nights Star Fest put on by the Minnesota Astronomical Society today. Sky looks clear for tonight!...
09/10/2026

At the annual Northern Nights Star Fest put on by the Minnesota Astronomical Society today. Sky looks clear for tonight! Look at this antique 1910 Gaertner 6-inch refractor beatifully restored by Valts Treibergs (demonstrating the eyepiece position). Can’t wait to look through it tonight.

Like a catAurora is out in Duluth low in the northern sky Weds. night, Sept. 9 in Duluth. We've had a couple brightish g...
09/10/2026

Like a cat

Aurora is out in Duluth low in the northern sky Weds. night, Sept. 9 in Duluth. We've had a couple brightish green arcs with sporadic rays, first at 9:45-10 p.m. and again around 10:30. While the aurora wasn't "bright" it was easy to see. The all-green aurora below looks just like a cantilever bridge. The light are still active as of 11 p.m.

Jewels of the eastern autumnal skyLast night's aurora was pretty wimpy. At best I saw a pink, diffuse glow low in the no...
09/09/2026

Jewels of the eastern autumnal sky

Last night's aurora was pretty wimpy. At best I saw a pink, diffuse glow low in the north and the faint dapple of a few rays. That was around midnight. But being outside in the fresh breeze under a spotless sky made for great stargazing.

Around 11 p.m. I watched one of my favorite stars, Capella, rise in tandem with one of my favorite star clusters, the Pleiades. They looked extra pretty framed by nearby spruce and white pines. Part of the joy of skywatching is seeing how stars are framed by our local landscapes. By itself, a starry sky is a thing of wonder, but cupped by the nearby and familiar it becomes even more enchanting.

We may see northern lights again Wednesday night (Sept. 9), but I wouldn't get my hopes up. Of course, that could change given the quicksilver nature of the aurora!

Aurora alert! G2 storm possible Tuesday night, Sept. 8Last night observers with clear skies in the northern U.S. saw a n...
09/08/2026

Aurora alert! G2 storm possible Tuesday night, Sept. 8

Last night observers with clear skies in the northern U.S. saw a nice aurora. Tonight, prospects look good again, even a little better, with a moderate G2 storm possible.

We had clouds here yesterday and today, but it will be clear tonight. I'll post an update and photo later this evening. No moon will bother. This is the time of year, along with spring, when the chances of seeing the northern lights is excellent. Keep looking north! The photo is from last September.

Aurora alert, Monday night Sept. 7 Space weather forecasters predict a minor G1 storm tonight from the combined effects ...
09/08/2026

Aurora alert, Monday night Sept. 7

Space weather forecasters predict a minor G1 storm tonight from the combined effects of a high-speed solar wind stream and multiple CMEs (coronal mass ejections) over the past few days.
The moon is a thin crescent at dawn and won't interfere.

We have clouds in Duluth overnight. If you live in the northern third of the U.S. (and Canada, of course!) you may see a red glow (at the horizon), green arc and maybe even a few dancing rays overnight.

The one photo shows the sun today getting busy again with sunspots and hopefully brewing up more aurora opportunities. The other is the NOAA forecast for the northern auroral oval for around 10 p.m. Central Time. It's already in expansion phase pushing south.

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