February 2024

  • Cosmic Microwave Background

    FAS Astronomers Blog, Volume 32, Number 2. Just recently, it was reported in the news that Arno Penzias had passed away at the age of 90. Penzias, along with his colleague Robert Wilson, discovered the birth of the universe.  In the 1940s, There wasn’t any direct evidence of the so-called Big Bang that many astronomers…

  • A Quick Introduction to the Night Sky

    One of the challenges for beginning astronomers is learning how to navigate the night sky. Before buying your first telescope, you should familiarize yourself with the stars and constellations. To start, try to become familiar with just a few constellations that are visible to the south over the course of a year. To the north…

  • Moon Features from The Planetary Society

    There are many maps of the Moon showing the features we can see from the Earth. Most have the names in Latin. However, if you’d like an English translation, Jason Davis of The Planetary Society published some nice maps back in 2022 (see https://www.planetary.org/articles/moon-features-you-can-see-from-earth). For more about finding your way around the night sky, see…

  • February 2024 Meeting – Wednesday, February 14 (at Kaleideum North)

    Please join us for the February meeting of the Forsyth Astronomical Society on Wednesday, February 14. The meeting will be held Kaleideum North (400 West Hanes Mill Road in Winston-Salem, NC). Again, please note that this meeting will be at Kaleideum North and NOT the new downtown location. FAS Members Steve Childers, Joe Haberthier, and…

  • The Universe (plus one)

    Do you often sit around, look up at the night sky, and wish that you knew just a little more about the Universe? After all, it only stretches out 46 billion light years in each direction. Well, the FAS Astronomers Blog now has a five-part series on all aspects of the Universe; from what we…

  • CANCELED – Public observation at Pilot Mountain on Friday, February 9

    WEATHER UPDATE: This event is canceled due to forecasted clouds and rain. On Friday, February 9, the Forsyth Astronomical Society and the rangers of Pilot Mountain State Park will host a free public astronomy observation at Pilot Mountain State Park. The event will begin at 7:00 PM and conclude at 10:00 PM. If conditions permit,…