March 2024

  • What is the JWST Looking At?

    The folks at BBC Sky at Night Magazine just posted a short article pointing out that we can now find out what the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is looking at. Now, it will not give you the great images we see in the news (and below), but it will show you what astronomers are…

  • Comet 12/P Pons-Brooks

    The “Devil Comet” is approaching! It is susceptible to flare-ups, which give it a “horned” shape and the nickname “Devil Comet.” 12/P is currently in the constellation Pisces and near Andromeda. It will move over to Aries in late March, and pass on to Taurus just after mid-April. Look low in the horizon to the…

  • Public observation at Stone Mountain on Saturday, March 30

    WEATHER UPDATE: This event will take place as scheduled. On Saturday, March 30, the Forsyth Astronomical Society will host a public astronomy observation at Stone Mountain State Park. It should be dark enough to observe by 9:00 PM. The planet Jupiter should be visible if conditions permit. This event is weather-dependent. This post and the…

  • You Don’t Need to Duck

    FAS Astronomers Blog, Volume 32, Number 3. Just recently, the folks at Live Science published a few articles about the risk of a dangerous asteroid hitting the Earth (see below). Is it time for us to start worrying? Have you heard of NEOs, PHAs, and PHOs? Well, these are Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), Potentially Hazardous Asteroids…

  • April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse (and Eclipse Safety)

    The last Solar Eclipse visible in the United States until August 2044 will cross the southern and eastern part of the country on Monday, April 8, 2024. Below is a handout with information about the eclipse and eclipse safety. You can also find information about eclipses, the April eclipse, and eclipse safety on our website.…

  • Happy Pi Day 2024

    Yes, it’s Pi Day! No not Pie Day – Pi Day. March 14, 3/14 or 3.14. Yes, Pi is the number 3.14… . It goes on forever. You can find the first million digits here: One Million Digits of Pi On One Page. Pi is defined as the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its…

  • Space Science: Introduction to Stars (Crash Course Kids)

    The folks from Crash Course Kids have a great series of videos about the stars and constellations. Check it out!

  • March 2024 Meeting – Wednesday, March 13 (at the NEW Kaleideum downtown)

    Please join us for the March meeting of the Forsyth Astronomical Society on March 13. The meeting will be held at the new Kaleideum at 120 West 3rd Street downtown in Winston-Salem, NC. Again, please note that this meeting will be at the New Kaleideum location downtown. Doors will open at 7:00 pm. On March…

  • A Black Hole in Sagittarius

    The folks at Astronomy Magazine published an article a short time ago reminding us that the black hole at the center of our galaxy (Sagittarius A*) was discovered 50 years ago this year. A Few Articles About Black Holes