Mike Lynch

3 weeks ago | twincities.com | Mike Lynch

If you’re a night owl, this is the perfect time of year for you, as stargazing has now become a late-night delight! Catch an afternoon nap, grab a lawn chair and the June star map. If you have an app like Sky Guide, all the better!The transition in the night sky is just about complete. The stars and constellations of winter are pretty much gone, setting well before the sun. In early June you can still see a few holdovers. Among them are Castor and Pollux, in the constellation Gemini the Twins.

1 month ago | twincities.com | Mike Lynch

A few winter constellations, most notably Gemini the Twins and Auriga the Charioteer, are still hanging out in the western evening sky, but for the most part, the spring constellations have taken over. They’re not as flashy as those of winter. There are still many celestial treasures to find, but you just need to visually dig for them a little deeper. That actually can be a lot of fun, especially if you can stargaze in the darker countryside skies.

1 month ago | twincities.com | Mike Lynch

Of all the constellations we see through the year, Virgo the Virgin is the second-largest. The only problem is that it’s also one of the faintest. With a lot of visual digging, Virgo can be found in the low southeast evening sky this time of year. Virgo does possess one bright star, though. It’s Spica, easy to see because it’s by far the brightest star in the low southeast. Even if you have to put up with light pollution you’ll have no trouble spotting Spica.

1 month ago | newsitem.com | Mike Lynch

Of all the constellations that we see through the year over Shamokin, Virgo the Virgin is the second largest. The only problem is that it’s also one of the faintest. With a lot of visual digging, Virgo can be found in the low southeast evening sky this time of year. Virgo does possess one bright star though. It’s Spica, very easy to see because it’s by far the brightest star in the low southeast. Even if you have to put up with light pollution you’ll have no trouble spotting Spica.

1 month ago | republicanherald.com | Mike Lynch

Life is full of trade-offs, and stargazing is no different. Nights are certainly warmer, but you have to stay up much later to set off on your astronomical adventures. I think it is worth the wait, although to be brutally honest, spring stargazing is not quite as thrilling as winter. Most of the exciting, bright winter constellations sink below the western horizon shortly after sunset, not to be seen again in the evening until late next autumn.