(NASA) Black holes are the most fuel efficient engines in the universe, according to a new study using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. By making the first direct estimate of how efficient or "green" black holes are, this work gives insight into how black holes generate energy and affect their environment. The new Chandra finding shows [...]

The annual Lyrid Meteor Shower is upon us… with the peak taking place in the wee hours of Friday night / Saturday morning. Skywatchers ought to see a dramatic increase in meteor activity the next several nights. The Lyrids are the second major meteor shower of the year. Coming in mid April, viewers must dress [...]

As the sun rose on this clear, crisp spring morning in the Utah mountains of Park City, the waning gibbous moon - 67% illuminated and nearing last quarter - approached the high south-western horizon to set behind historic Ecker Hill. Expect the moon’s last quarter of this synodic cycle on the 21st of April and [...]

(PRNewswire/Slooh.com) - Comet 73P Schwassmann-Wachmann, which has broken up into 19 separate pieces and is heading for a rendezvous with Earth, will be broadcast live from Slooh.com’s Canary Island based telescopes every night this week starting at 9pm EST. The first of its kind, Slooh.com broadcasts live celestial events to the viewing public from its [...]

The brightest planet, Venus will cross paths with one of the faintest planets, Uranus before sunrise tomorrow morning. Events like these are known as conjunctions, and have long been thought to portend doom and gloom. Nowadays, we recoginze them for what they are, the comings and goings of Earths nearest celestial neighbors.Many early risers have [...]

The Moon chased Jupiter over the east-south-eastern horizon last night, waning gibbous in Libra. Jupiter is seen next to the brightest star in the constellation - Alpha Librae. Known also as Zubenelgenubi, the name is Arabic meaning “the southern claw”. Beta Librae or Zubeneschamali, seen north of Jupiter, is “the northern claw”. These ancient Arabic [...]

The northern lights appeared again last night with displays seen throughout Alaska and Canada. Conditions are ripe for another outbreak tonight. Skywatchers, especially those at higher latitudes, are encouraged to keep an eye on the northern horizon. Also, be sure to checkout the Spaceweather.com Aurora Gallery for some really incredible pictures. This gorgeous shot was [...]

Skywatchers are in for a treat tonight as the two brightest objects in the night sky are in conjunction. Look for the planet Jupiter to rise just east of an almost full Moon around 10:00pm this evening. You might want to make use of a moon filter for your lunar observations. These help to tone [...]

The full moon rose around 8:30pm this evening.. but didn’t peer over the mountain tops
until around 10:00pm this evening. The April Full Moon is known as the Pink Moon… though I didn’t see
any of that tonight.

Locals should try to take advantage of two free astronomy lectures being offered this week at The University of Utah. The first takes place tonight and is entitled ‘Discovering our Extraordinary Place in the Cosmos‘ while the second takes placed Friday night and is entitled ‘Spitzer Space Telescope: Exploring the Infrared Universe‘. Both events [...]