Mon Mar 16, 2026 ROBERT GODDARD’S ROCKET
One hundred years ago today, the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket was launched, in Auburn, Massachusetts. The man who launched it was its inventor - Robert Goddard. Rockets had been around for a long time, hundreds of years in fact. But all rockets up to March 16, 1926, were solid-fuel, using a kind of gunpowder as the propellant. The problem with those rockets was that once ignited, the rocket fuel continued to burn until it was used up – no off switch. With liquid fuel it was possible to start, stop, restart, and throttle the engine up or down - in other words, they were safer and easier to control. But the New York Times back then said Goddard was wrong, because rockets wouldn’t work in space. Evidently they were mistaken, because, thanks to Robert Goddard, we’ve sent rockets outward to the moon, to the planets, and to the stars.
Tue Mar 17, 2025 SAINT PATRICK ASTRONOMY
On this Saint Patrick’s Day, let’s talk about the astronomy of medieval Ireland. In the fifth century the Irish used stone circles that, like the famous Stonehenge of England, could predict sunrise and sunset positions and the beginnings of seasons. The early Church relied on Irish astronomers to help establish the dates of Easter and other religious feasts, as witnessed by the sixth century Irish monks. The 7th century monk Aibhistin suggested a connection between the tides and the phases of the moon. And then there are the Celtic constellations: Leo the Lion which appears in the east after sunset, was An Corran, a sickle or reaping hook. The Irish saw Orion the Hunter as the hero Caomai, the Armed King. And Polaris, the North Star, was called An Gaelin, the light that brings you home.
Wed Mar 18, 2026 SEASONS MYTH
The 23 and half degree tilt of the earth as it rotates and revolves about the sun causes the sun’s daily path to slowly change through the year. In Greek myth, Persephone, the daughter of the earth goddess Demeter, was stolen by the underworld god Hades. In her sorrow, Demeter neglected the earth - the crops died, the air grew cold, and winter came to the land. When Persephone was rescued, Demeter caused the earth to bloom, and spring returned. But Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds while she was with Hades, so she had to return to the underworld for six months of the year; then autumn and winter start again. The constellation Virgo the maiden represents Demeter, and the bright star Spica that shines in the southeast after sunset, is a spike of wheat she holds in her hand.
Thu Mar 19, 2026 SPRING BEGINS
Tomorrow, Friday March 20th, marks the vernal equinox – that’s the fancy term for the beginning of spring. At 10:46 a.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time, the sun appeared at the top of the sky as seen from the Atlantic Ocean at the earth’s equator . Astronomers plot the sun's position in the sky as it drifts past the background of distant stars due to earth’s revolution. When it reaches the spot where the sun's direct rays touch upon the earth's equator, spring begins. Now the sun rises due east and sets due west; this is also one of the two times in the year when people pretty much all around the world have roughly equal amounts of daylight and darkness – about twelve hours each. The term equinox, from the Latin meaning "equal night", reflects this phenomenon.
Fri Mar 20, 2026 NAME THAT CONSTELLATION – MARCH
Can you identify the thirty-ninth largest constellation? It is bordered on the north by Triangulum and Perseus, on the south by Pisces, Cetus the Whale and Taurus, on the west by Pisces again, and on the east by Taurus again. Three middling-bright stars – Hamal, Sheratan and Mesarthim, form its head, however the rest of this constellation is in one of the darkest regions of the night sky, and there are no famous nebulas or star clusters within its borders. But a handful of its stars are known to have planets orbiting them. In mythology, this animal represents the golden fleece, sought by Jason and his Argonauts. Tonight, the crescent moon, along with the planets Venus and Saturn, can be found within its borders. Can you name this, the first constellation of the Zodiac? The answer is Aries the Ram, in the southwestern sky after sunset.
