Winnipeg residents have been reporting some unusual sightings in the night sky over the past few days. Bright star-like objects have been seen moving across the sky, following each other in a train. Sometimes half a dozen or more of them are visible at the same time. What are these? Unfortunately, they won’t be “unusual” for very long. These are the StarLink satellites, launched by Elon Musk’s Space-X to deliver…
Category Archives: Science Gallery & Planetarium
Satellites in a train
Also posted in Astronomy, Blogs, Planetarium, Space News Tagged Astronomy, Manitoba, planetarium Comments closed
A total eclipse… of Mars?
This month brings skywatchers a rare sight: a total eclipse of the red planet Mars by our Moon. The event is visible across much of North America, and is the only event of its kind all year. As the Moon orbits our planet, it gets in the way of all sorts of other celestial objects that are farther away. When the moon blocks out the sun, we call it a…
Also posted in Astronomy, Blogs, News, Planetarium, Space News Tagged Astronomy, mars, occultation Comments closed
Manitoba Skies for January 2020
This winter hasn’t been as cold as usual for Manitoba, so it’s a great time to get out and see what the January sky has to offer. Check out our Current Night Sky page for information on celestial events visible in the Manitoba skies. You can read the full article here. If you’d like some in-depth help on becoming a backyard astronomer, there’s still space in our Introduction to Skywatching…
Also posted in Astronomy, Blogs, Planetarium, Space News Comments closed
Possible meteor outburst – November 21, 2019
Thursday, November 20, 2019 may provide a rare meteor outburst – but only for a few minutes. The annual Monocerotid meteor shower normally produces about 1 or 2 meteors per hour – and that’s if the sky is dark with no moon. It’s not something some skywatchers would even bother to put on the calendar. In the last couple of decades, however, astronomers have begun to understand meteor showers in…
Also posted in Astronomy, News, Planetarium, Space News Tagged Astronomy, Manitoba, planetarium Comments closed
What’s Up in November’s Sky
November brings several minor meteor showers and a chance to see all five planets visible to the unaided eye. There’s also a rare transit of Mercury and a spectacular conjunction of the two brightest planets. Discover it all in the Manitoba Museum’s Manitoba Skies update for November 2019, contributed by Science Communicator Leigh McKinnon.
September Skies
September is a great month for stargazing. The nights are long enough that it gets dark at a reasonable time, and yet we can still see the summer constellations and Milky Way in the early evening. See what celestial sights are in store this September at the Manitoba Museum’s Manitoba Skies sky update.
Also posted in Astronomy, Planetarium, Space News Comments closed
August 2019 Sky Update available
The Sky Update for August 2019 is posted. You can find it at the Planetarium’s current night sky page. You’ll learn about pioneering astronomer Maria Mitchell, find out how to see the planets, and learn how and when t see the annual Perseid meteor shower!
Also posted in Astronomy, Blogs, News, Planetarium, Space News Comments closed
Star-Crossed Lovers in the Summer Triangle
by Claire Woodbury, Science Communicator “Once upon a time there was a beautiful and talented weaver, the daughter of the Sky King. She met and fell in love with a handsome and skilled herdsman. They were so devoted to each other that they neglected all else. The weaver stopped weaving and the herdsmen let his animals wander all over the place. The Sky King didn’t approve of this behaviour and…
Also posted in Astronomy, Planetarium Comments closed
The Perseid Meteor Shower for 2018
The Perseid Meteor Shower for 2018 by Claire Woodbury, Science Communicator The highlight of August sky observing is the Perseid meteor shower. A meteor shower is a high occurrence of shooting stars over several days. Of course, “shooting stars” aren’t really stars at all, but dust-sized bits of rock or metal (meteoroids) that collide with the earth and burn up in our atmosphere. As they vaporize, they cause a brief streak…
Also posted in Astronomy, Planetarium, Space News Comments closed
August’s Solar Eclipse, Part 1
As many people have heard, there is a solar eclipse occurring on Monday, August 21st, 2017. On that day, the moon will pass in front of the sun from our point of view here on earth, slowly covering it and then uncovering it over the course of a few hours. Where you are on the planet will determine what you will see, but no matter where you are, this is a…
Posted in Science Gallery & Planetarium Comments closed
