Polaris

  • What are Variable Stars?

    What are Variable Stars?

    What if I told you that the “two” stars you see here are actually one and the same? This star, known as L Carinae after its location in the southern constellation Carina, is actually what we call a variable star.…

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  • Just How Big Are Stars?

    Just How Big Are Stars?

    Tell me about the stars you see in this image. They look like billions of little pinpricks of light, right? It’s hard to imagine that each one of these is probably the size of the sun…or much larger. And the…

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  • Improved Telescope Mounting

    Improved Telescope Mounting

    So, any idea what this handy-dandy thing is? Okay, so maybe I sort of gave it away in the post title… I know what you’re about to say next. Why are we looking at a mount? What’s so special about a…

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  • What is Precession?

    What is Precession?

    We have a bit of a shorter post today — I thought precession warranted its own post, before I go on to talking about the ecliptic. Precession refers to the way Earth wobbles around on its axis, a bit like a…

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