Almanack Contributor Mike Rector


Although he now lives in Clinton County, amateur astronomer Michael Rector has fond memories of spending time at Great Sacandaga and West Canada Lake where the skies are dark and the Milky Way is bright.

Michael writes about astronomy on his own blog Adirondack Astronomy and is interested in getting together with other star-gazers around the region. If you are interested in getting together for an occasional star party feel free to contact him at adirondackastronomer@gmail.com.





Saturday, April 20, 2013

Adirondack Night Sky: The Lyrid Meteor Shower

Lyrid_meteor_shower_radiant_pointIf you have spent any time on Facebook, or other social media sites, you may have come across an image that states:

“During the night On April 22 2013, people on Earth will have a chance to see one of the rarest meteor shower. During the night you will be able to see thousands of these falling stars until April 23, 2013, these meteors will have best visibility during the night of April 22, 2013. There is a predicted number of about 20 meteors an hour with possible surges of 100 per hour.”

I’m all about spreading the news of meteor showers and getting people to go out and look up. » Continue Reading.


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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Adirondack Astronomy: Cassiopeia Constellation

High in the northeastern sky after sunset is the constellation Cassiopeia. On a clear night during the fall and winter you can watch as it makes its way across the sky. Cassiopeia can be seen a few different ways depending on it’s location in the sky; as it rises it can look like the number three, and as it reaches the meridian – straight overhead – it looks like the letter ‘M’, and the letter ‘E’ as it sets to the northwest later in the season.

There are five stars that make up the letters and numbers I mention in the main constellation of Cassiopeia; Segin, Ksora, Cih, Schedir, and Caph. These five stars » Continue Reading.


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Sunday, September 9, 2012

Astronomy: The September Night Sky

Here are some objects for the unaided eye for the month of September. All of these objects, although small, should be visible without the help of binoculars or a telescope, so long as you have clear dark skies. If you do have a pair of binoculars, or a small telescope you can enhance many of these views.

Light pollution is a killer for seeing these objects with your unaided eye. To find out how dark your location is, use the Google Map Overlay of light pollution. If you are in a blue, gray or black area then you should have dark enough skies. You may still be able to see some » Continue Reading.


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Monday, August 6, 2012

The Night Sky in August: Featuring A Blue Moon

Here are some objects for the unaided eye for the month of August. All of these objects, although small, should be visible without the help of binoculars or a telescope, so long as you have clear dark skies.

Light pollution is a killer for seeing these objects with your unaided eye. To find out how dark your location is, use the Google Map Overlay of light pollution. If you are in a blue, gray or black area then you should have dark enough skies. You may still be able to see some of these objects in a green location. If you aren’t in a dark sky location you may still be » Continue Reading.


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Thursday, July 12, 2012

Adirondack Astronomy: The Night Sky in July

Here are some objects for the unaided eye for the month of July. All of these objects, although small, should be visible without the help of binoculars or a telescope, so long as you have clear dark skies.

Light pollution is a killer for seeing these objects with your unaided eye. To find out how dark your location is, use the Google Map Overlay of light pollution. If you are in a blue, gray or black area then you should have dark enough skies. You may still be able to see some of these objects in a green location. If you aren’t in a dark sky location you may still be » Continue Reading.


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Thursday, May 31, 2012

Astronomy: The June Adirondack Night Sky

Here are some objects for the unaided eye for the month of June. All of these objects, although small, should be visible without the help of binoculars or a telescope, so long as you have clear dark skies.

Light pollution is a killer for seeing these objects with your unaided eye. To find out how dark your location is, use the Google Map Overlay of light pollution. If you are in a blue, gray or black area then you should have dark enough skies. Planets and the moon can be seen in red, and orange zones.

You can find help locating the night sky objects listed below by using one of the » Continue Reading.


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Monday, May 21, 2012

Adirondack Astronomy: Transit of Venus Events Planned

Coming up in the month of June is a rare astronomical event. The second planet to the sun, Venus, will pass between us, and the sun. Venus transits have a strange pattern of 121.5, 8, 105.5, 8 years, and the one prior to the transit in June of 2004 was 121.5 years ago in 1882. The next pair of transits wont happen again for another 105.5 years, so this will be the last chance any currently living human get’s to witness this event.

The reason transits don’t happen more frequently is due to the orbits of Venus and Earth not being on the same plane. Venus’ orbit is slightly inclined to the orbit of Earth, so » Continue Reading.


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Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Astronomy: The May Adirondack Night Sky

Here are some objects for the unaided eye for the month of May. All of these objects, although small, should be visible without the help of binoculars or a telescope, so long as you have clear dark skies.

Light pollution is a killer for seeing these objects with your unaided eye. To find out how dark your location is, use the Google Map Overlay of light pollution. If you are in a blue, gray or black area then you should have dark enough skies. You may still be able to see some of these objects in a green location. Snow will add more light pollution due to light reflecting off of it.


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Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Astronomy: The April Adirondack Night Sky

Skymaps.com (scroll down to Northern Hemisphere Edition and click on the PDF for April 2012). The map shows what is in the sky in April at 10 pm for early April; 9 pm for late April.

If you are not familiar with what you see in the night sky, this is a great opportunity to step outside, look up, and begin learning the constellations. The sky is beautiful and filled with many treasures just waiting for you to discover them. Once you have looked for these objects go through the list again if you have a pair of binoculars handy, the views get better!


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Thursday, March 1, 2012

Astronomy: The March Adirondack Night Sky

Here are some objects for the unaided eye for the month of March. All of these objects, although small, should be visible without the help of binoculars or a telescope, so long as you have clear dark skies.

Light pollution is a killer for seeing these objects with your unaided eye. To find out how dark your location is, use the Google Map Overlay of light pollution. If you are in a blue, gray or black area then you should have dark enough skies. You may still be able to see some of these objects in a green location. If you aren’t in a dark sky location » Continue Reading.


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