Backyard Astronomer - Delta College Public Radio
Michigan PR
Mike Murray from the Delta College Planetarium takes a look at what's up in the night sky. Things are happening all the time in the backyard universe, and many of them don't require a telescope to see and enjoy.
Location:
Bay City, MI
Genres:
Science Podcasts
Networks:
Michigan PR
Description:
Mike Murray from the Delta College Planetarium takes a look at what's up in the night sky. Things are happening all the time in the backyard universe, and many of them don't require a telescope to see and enjoy.
Language:
English
Episodes
9/8/25 - The Summer Milky Way
9/8/2025
Away from city lights and bright moonlight, this is the time of year to see the faint band of the Milky Way stretching right over the top of the sky.
Duration:00:02:00
9/1/25 - The Moon’s Southern Seas
9/2/2025
All this week, the phase of the moon grows larger and brighter as it advances from first quarter toward full. This is a good time to see the dark round plains called “maria,” and bright splashes of lighter material called “rays.”
Duration:00:02:00
8/25/25 - An Interstellar Visitor
8/25/2025
By now you may have heard the buzz about an object entering our solar system from interstellar space. The newly discovered object 3I/ATLAS – found on July 1st – is likely the oldest comet we’ve ever seen.
Duration:00:02:00
8/18/25 - Sagittarius the Archer
8/18/2025
From late August through September, Sagittarius the Archer will appear low in the south at evening twilight as a "teapot" shape of stars.
Duration:00:02:00
8/11/25 - Scorpius the Scorpion
8/11/2025
From late July to late August, the zodiacal constellation of Scorpius the Scorpion scrapes the southern horizon at the end of dusk.
Duration:00:02:00
8/4/25 - Venus Meets Jupiter
8/4/2025
About 90 minutes before sunrise, look low in the east-northeast for two brilliant stars above the horizon. But they're not stars at all. They're Venus and Jupiter!
Duration:00:02:00
7/28/25 - The Moon’s Eastern Seas
7/28/2025
This week is a good time to watch the dark round plains called “maria” become lit with sunlight in the eastern section of the moon.
Duration:00:02:00
7/21/25 - See the Space Station
7/21/2025
Of all the things that move among the stars, earth orbiting satellites can be quite common to see. During the few hours after sunset or before sunrise, literally dozens of satellites can be seen as faint, slowly-moving dots.
Duration:00:02:00
7/14/25 - Cygnus the Swan
7/14/2025
The northernmost star in the Summer Triangle is Deneb, which marks the tail of Cygnus the Swan.
Duration:00:02:00
7/7/25 - The Man in the Moon
7/7/2025
Why do people see faces in the Moon? And what actually causes these lunar features?
Duration:00:02:00
6/30/25 - A Feast of Morning Objects
6/30/2025
About 90 minutes before sunrise, look low in the east for the brightest point in the pre-dawn sky. It’s the planet Venus, and there’s a feast of celestial wonders nearby to look for this week!
Duration:00:02:00
6/23/25 - The Colors of Stars
6/23/2025
There’s a whole spectrum of star colors glittering up there, from cool red stars to middle-range yellow stars to hot blue-white stars.
Duration:00:02:00
6/16/25 - The Northern Crown
6/16/2025
During the month of June, about 90 minutes after sunset, look high in the east, almost overhead for a faint semi-circular pattern of stars. This is the constellation of Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown.
Duration:00:02:00
6/9/25 - The Strawberry Moon
6/11/2025
The June full moon or "Strawberry Moon" marks the lowest path the full moon takes across the sky during the year.
Duration:00:02:00
6/2/25 - Does The Moon Rotate?
6/2/2025
Since one side of the moon always faces the earth, it's often assumed that means the moon doesn't rotate. But that's not really the case.
Duration:00:02:00
5/26/25 - Spike to Spica
5/27/2025
If you follow the arc to Arcturus and keep the curve going even farther down into the south, you’ll come to the faint bluish star, Spica.
Duration:00:02:00
5/19/25 - Coma Star Cluster
5/19/2025
Now that we’re past full moon, the early evening sky remains dark for longer periods as the moon rises later each night. This reveals a really nice target for binoculars called the Coma star cluster.
Duration:00:02:00
5/12/25 - Leo the Lion
5/12/2025
In spring, many stargazers use the zodiacal constellation of Leo the Lion as a signpost to the sky.
Duration:00:02:00
5/5/25 - Waxing Gibbous Moon
5/6/2025
All this week, the phase of the moon grows larger and brighter as it moves from first quarter toward full. We call this period the “waxing gibbous moon” as the oval shape becomes wider and more rounded.
Duration:00:02:00
4/28/25 - Meteors from Halley’s Comet
4/28/2025
Twice each year the Earth crosses the orbit of Halley’s Comet. Each time we do, a meteor shower is created from the tiny flecks of ice and dust the comet leaves behind in its orbit.
Duration:00:02:00