Mon Nov 9, 2026 EDMUND HALLEY’S BIRTHDAY 375 anniversary in 2031
Edmund Halley, whose name is attached to a very famous comet, was born on November 8th, 1656 near London. Halley saw his comet in 1682, and although millions of people had seen it before him, going back to BC times, he was the first person to predict its return, in 1758. Halley had asked Isaac Newton to write the equations he needed to solve the comet’s orbit, (Newton had to invent calculus to do it,) and using Newton’s work, Halley figured out it would return in 76 years, saying that he hoped that posterity would record that an Englishman had made the prediction. Now if you missed seeing the last appearance of Halley’s Comet in 1986, then you’ll want to hang around for its next apparition in the year 2061. I’ll be 108, and I’m looking forward to seeing it again.
Tue Nov 10, 2026 SOUNDS IN OUTER SPACE
I remember my 8th grade science teacher telling us that Star Trek was unrealistic because every time the starship Enterprise sailed by during the opening credits, it would go, “whoosh!” And that was wrong, because there is no air in space to make any kind of sound at all. Now it’s true that sound waves need a transmitting medium to be heard. But what if outer space did have a transmitting medium? When robotic spacecraft passed Jupiter and Saturn, the emissions from their magnetospheres were converted into sound, making a very eerie kind of “music.” NASA calls this, “data sonification.” Likewise, if a spacecraft flies through a particle field, like Saturn’s ring system, or through the dust tail of a comet, the sounds of those mini collisions are “heard,” and transmitted back to earth. This is the true, “music of the spheres!”
Wed Nov 11, 2026 SELENOLOGY
The moon has come back into our evening sky, a thin crescent in the west after sunset. It’s about a fourth of the diameter of the Earth. Technically, it doesn’t revolve about us, but about a common center of gravity knowns as a barycenter, that happens to lie about a thousand miles below the surface of the Earth. The Earth and the moon have a lot of common characteristics, but also quite a few differences. The Earth is somewhat denser, containing more metals for instance. The composition of earth rocks and moon rocks is similar, but the mineral content is slightly different and moon rocks are amazingly dry! The study of the moon and its geology and landforms is called selenology – Selene is a very old name for the moon; in Greek mythology she was the sister of the old sun god Helios.
Thu Nov 12, 2026 NAME THAT CONSTELLATION - NOVEMBER
Can you identify the 15th largest constellation? It is bordered on the north by Scutum, Aquila and Serpens Cauda, on the south by Telescopium and the Southern Crown, on the west by Scorpius and Ophiuchus, and on the east by Microscopium and Capricornus. The center of the galaxy lies in the direction of its western border, and it contains many star clusters as well as the Trifid and the Lagoon Nebulae. This constellation has no first magnitude stars, but a handful of 2nd magnitude stars trace out the crude shape of a teapot and this evening the new crescent moon shines just above the teapot’s handle. In Greek myth it represents Chiron, a centaur who guards other constellations by keeping Scorpius at bay with his bow and arrow. Can you name this star figure, the ninth constellation of the zodiac? The answer is Sagittarius the Archer.
Fri Nov 13, 2026 LASER FREEDOM
Today’s Skywatch was written by planetarium assistant Vela De la Mare. If you haven’t seen the lasers yet at the Indian River State College Hallstrom Planetarium, this weekend is your last chance for the season! These cosmic concerts offer a musical experience with mesmerizing visuals that are truly out of this world. Celebrate Veteran’s Day with Laser Freedom, a pumped-up patriotic mix honoring the 250th anniversary of our country. Don’t miss our custom Awesome Mix, which includes some of our favorite songs from artists like Genesis, Queen, Michael Jackson, and even some video game hits! And of course, rock out to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, all playing this Friday and Saturday only. For showtimes and tickets, you can visit us online at irsc.edu/planetarium, or call the box office at 772-462-4750.
