The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

If, after sundown this month, you were to look up in the northeastern sky, you would get a great view of Boötes, the Herdsman. Visible to observers in the Northern Hemisphere, this... — Updated 4/5/2022 Full story

If you look up into a cloudless sky after sundown this month, you will have a great view of Auriga, the Charioteer, located nearly overhead. Visible to observers in the Northern Hemisphere,... — Updated 2/8/2022 Full story

During late fall and early winter, observers in the northern hemisphere have an opportunity to see the 24th largest constellation by area: Perseus the Hero. To locate it, draw an imaginary... — Updated 12/8/2021 Full story

With autumn’s arrival, temperatures have begun to cool as the sun sinks ever lower in the sky as the season progresses. We’ve even had a touch of much-needed rain. The shortening days and... — Updated 9/28/2021 Full story

By late summer and early fall, a few of the “water” constellations begin to materialize in the southeast at nightfall. First to arrive on the scene are Capricornus the Sea Goat, Delphinus the... — Updated 8/31/2021 Full story

Gazing skyward on a dark, clear, warm summer evening in Central Oregon, observers will be rewarded by a multitude of celestial treasures. When it comes to peering into individual constellatio... — Updated 8/4/2021 Full story

There’s nothing more beautiful than a summer night sky in Sisters. While you’re soaking up the spectacular, starry canopy above, keep an eye out for the snake charmer, er… the snake ha... — Updated 6/22/2021 Full story

As the weather begins to warm, with spring just around the corner, March contains an abundance of astronomical offerings. Some of these include the zodiacal light, a four-bodied conjunction,... — Updated 2/23/2021 Full story

The late fall constellation of Aries is a particularly appropriate celestial feature to highlight in a month that takes us from autumn into the winter season. Though Aries (Latin for ram) is... — Updated 11/24/2020 Full story

Generally speaking, constellations in evening autumn skies tend to be dimmer than those on display during the winter, spring, and summer seasons. This rule of thumb does not apply, however,... — Updated 9/22/2020 Full story

September is a transition month when it comes to stargazing. The constellations of summer are slowly making their way westward, while those of autumn begin to appear in the eastern sky. And,... — Updated 8/25/2020 Full story

In July the warmer weather and increasingly longer nights combine to make stargazing a perfect activity with which to spend your time. Now, if we could only find a way to start observing... — Updated 6/30/2020 Full story

Though Auriga, The Charioteer, isn’t the most recognizable constellation in the sky, it is one of the bigger ones. It is the 21st largest constellation in the sky, occupying 657 square degree... — Updated 12/31/2019 Full story

After the Big Dipper, Orion is probably the most recognizable arrangement of star patterns. Its size, comprising 594 square degrees of the sky, and bright stars simply make this... — Updated 12/4/2019 Full story

With the arrival of summer just around the corner, it is not unreasonable to expect warmer temperatures and clearer skies to make viewing a parade of upcoming celestial events a pleasant... — Updated 6/4/2019 Full story

Throughout the months of January and February the sun has been slowly drifting northward in the sky. At 2:58 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, March 20, it will reach the celestial equator as the season... — Updated 2/26/2019 Full story