Borrego Sun - Since 1949

Ghosts and goblins and ghouls, oh my! That's what many of us will be thinking this coming week as Halloween arrives, and trick-or-treaters pound excitedly at our doors. You will likely encounter monsters, super-heroes, politicians... — Updated 11/1/2021

After the drenching that parts of our nation have experienced recently, I almost hesitate to bring this up, but of the 88 constellations that fill our night sky, 15 are somehow associated with water. Of those 15, several appear in... — Updated 9/23/2021

After another sizzling summer in the southwestern desert, I'm happy to know that the seasons will soon be changing and cooler temperatures are not that far off. Before we know it, many of us will be whining about the cold and the... — Updated 9/21/2021

Stare at the stars long enough and you're bound to find some that trace familiar patterns. That's certainly what the ancients must have done so they could use the sky as a picture book for their stories. I always enjoy searching... — Updated 9/16/2021

Whenever I'm out under a dark summertime sky sharing the stars with the public, I always try to point out the largest and most beautiful constellations. I'm always amazed to learn that one of the crowd favorites is neither the brig... — Updated 9/16/2021

Anyone stepping outdoors at dusk this week will have a hard time missing the brilliant planet Venus glistening low in the western sky. It'll appear there for a few more months and, believe it or not, will become more than twice as... — Updated 9/2/2021

I always enjoy August. For one thing, I can finally see an end to the searing desert heat where I live. For another, the Milky Way appears stunning in the night sky. But my favorite reason for enjoying August is that I get to... — Updated 9/2/2021

Nothing in the heavens says "summer" to Northern Hemisphere sky watchers quite like the constellation of Sagittarius. On late July and early August evenings, we can find this prominent star grouping low in our south-southeastern... — Updated 8/23/2021

The man who flew a kite in a lightning storm so that we might one day have electricity and penned such poignant words as "in this world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes," the great 18th century philosopher,... — Updated 8/11/2021

Beginner stargazers may think it's tough to find our way around the night sky, with so many stars and constellations to try to identify. But during weeks like this when the moon is bright, only the brightest stars appear, and our t... — Updated 8/4/2021

Last week, I showed you how to spot the elusive planet Mercury, the nearest planet to the sun. This week, you can easily see the rest of the inner solar system, and you don't have to rise before dawn! If you've been out on these wa... — Updated 7/28/2021

With the hottest time of year now approaching us in the Earth's Northern Hemisphere, it's hard to imagine that cooler days will ever arrive. This is especially true, here, in the Desert Southwest, where I've been sweltering under... — Updated 7/26/2021

It's amazing how things from our childhood can stick with us throughout our lives. I was in fourth grade when I learned that Mercury is the nearest planet to the sun and that it orbits only 36 million miles from our star's... — Updated 7/13/2021

With the brilliant moon in our sky this week, stargazers must settle for viewing bright stars. And there are no brighter stars of the season than those of the summer triangle, now appearing low in the eastern sky after dark. The... — Updated 7/6/2021

"If you've seen one star, you've seen 'em all." That's a phrase I've heard many times over my long astronomy career. I suppose it's true to one who seldom peers at the nighttime sky. It's too bad, though, because we who spend more... — Updated 7/6/2021

Of all the stars in the heavens, one appears to stand firmly in place. It's not the brightest of stars, as many people believe. It's actually the 48th brightest star, and you will have trouble finding it from under the light... — Updated 6/24/2021

Have you noticed the remarkable jewel sparkling low in the western sky after sunset? That is the planet Venus, returning to the evening sky after being visible for many months only to pre-dawn risers. Some may have missed it... — Updated 6/14/2021

During the early morning hours of May 26, night owls and early risers will enjoy a beautiful eclipse of the moon. The celestial cover-up begins at 2:45 a.m. PDT (5:45 a.m. EDT) when the moon's eastern edge will enter the Earth's... — Updated 6/10/2021

Early on the evening of Tuesday, May 25, watch as the sun sets behind the western horizon; then, face the opposite direction and you'll soon spot the moon rising in the east. On that night, the moon's phase will be full, and... — Updated 6/7/2021

If you're out looking for the moon this week, you'll have a tough time finding it. On May 11, it lies nearly in the direction of the sun (its "new moon" phase), but by May 13, it will appear as a thin crescent low in the western... — Updated 5/21/2021

Halley's Comet hasn't appeared in our sky for a quarter-century, but during the pre-dawn hours of May 6, stargazers will have a chance to see pieces of this famous celestial visitor. On that morning, sky watchers far from city... — Updated 5/19/2021

Here we are, already at the end of April, and with this season comes some beautiful evening weather to help us enjoy our night sky viewing. This week, the full moon illuminates our sky on Monday, April 26, and as the full moon... — Updated 5/4/2021

By Dennis Mammana If you haven't been paying attention to the Perseverance spacecraft that landed on Mars on Feb. 18, you've been missing one of the great scientific achievements of our time. Check out the real-time video of its... — Updated 4/29/2021

I always know that springtime has arrived by the stars I see during the early evening hours. One of my favorites is the small but quite beautiful constellation Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown. The Northern Crown isn't one of th... — Updated 4/23/2021

Springtime in the Southern California deserts is when the snakes begin to appear. They're beautiful creatures, of course, but considering how much time I spend prowling around after dark, I'm always concerned that I might... — Updated 4/6/2021