Ophiuchus: The Forgotten Zodiac Constellation
You probably thought there were only twelve zodiac signs, right? Wrong. There are actually thirteen, and the forgotten constellation is named Ophiuchus, which means serpent-bearer. Ophiuchus, also known as Imhotep in Ancient Egypt and Asclepius in Greece, was made to...
The Kidnapping of Persephone
In Greek mythology, Persephone was the daughter of Zeus, the god of gods, and Demeter, goddess of the harvest. Persephone was so pretty that not only did her parents adore her, but everyone loved her. But there was one problem with that: the evil Hades wanted her...
Paradox in the Sky: The Myth of the Teumessian Fox and Laelaps
Once upon a time in the days of the Greek gods there was a dog named Laelaps. Now Laelaps was a special dog. He was so special because the Greek gods created Laelaps giving him a special power. They gave Laelaps the ability to always be able to catch its prey. Laelaps...
Hercules Faces the Dreaded Lion
A roar went out like a big wave crashing through the woods. Everyone looked up; the birds stopped singing and the air prickled. All within the land knew that Leo the Lion was on the hunt! His mane was a vibrant orange, like the golden sun in the desert. His eyes were...
Perseus and the Birth of Pegasus
So, you want to know how the constellation Pegasus came to be? Well, for you to know that, I’ll have to tell you one of my stories. When I, Perseus, was a young lad living in the realm of King Polydectes, the King sent word to me and my Mother Danae that I was to...
Telescopes and Binoculars For Stargazing
When new students register for our online astronomy courses, one of the first questions they ask me is if I can recommend a good telescope. Our courses do not require use of a telescope—as that could make them cost-prohibitive for many families—but some students and...
The Peak of Eternal Light: Where the Sun Never Sets on the Moon
It might sound crazy, but if you lived right at the north pole of the Earth, you would only see one sunrise and one sunset every year. Since the Earth is tilted in space in respect to the sun, between mid-March and mid-September, the northern half of the Earth is...
Dao Look Kai: A Taiwanese Folk Tale
Hello, I am a farmer in Thailand. You might have heard of a group of stars in the night sky where you live—we call it the Dao Look Kai. I have heard there are a lot of different stories about this cluster, but if I told you all the different stories, we would be here...
The Astronomy Behind the Japanese Holiday Tanabata
If you’re ever in Japan on July 7th, you might see many people laughing, dancing, shooting off fireworks, and tying wishes to bamboo trees—but most importantly, looking up into the heavens. This joyful event is called Tanabata, created to commemorate the two lovers in...
Hercules: The Myth of His 12 Labors
Zeus, the most powerful of all gods, had a son named Hercules. Hercules was the strongest man on earth and considered himself equal to many of the gods. Because his mother was mortal, and his father was the king of gods, he was half-god, half-mortal. Hercules was...
How Orion the Hunter Became Orion the Hunted
He caught a whiff of it, and instantly it was gone. Quickly, he walked in circles trying to find it and smelled it again, but this time it was stronger. As he followed the scent, it kept getting stronger and stronger, so he drew an arrow from his quiver, strung it...
The Astronomy Behind Groundhog Day
When I was serving as a campus minister at the University of Toledo, one of my students said she grew up in Woodstock, Illinois. Among other things, this town is famous for being the place where the movie Groundhog Day was filmed—though the movie is said to take place...
