Picture this — 4.5 billion years ago, Earth wasn’t alone. A Mars-sized neighbor named Theia was sharing the same orbit, until fate — or physics — brought them together in a collision that nearly destroyed our planet... and created our Moon. In this episode, we’ll explore how that ancient impact shaped the skies we see tonight, from the tides and eclipses to the bright November supermoon. We’ll also look ahead to what’s happening overhead this month — the Beaver Moon, the Leonids, and even a glimpse of Uranus at its brightest.   #Astronomy #Space #STEM #STEMEducation Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains www.Manzanita-Insurance.com www.ManzanitaAccounting.com www.ManzanitaInsuranceAndAccounting.com www.BackyardAstroAZ.com

Lions and Comets and Bears... no we aren't in Kansas, nor Oz.  We are right here in Northern Arizona, and checking out what may be the best comet in decades!  Learn how comets are discovered, and how you can discover it with your own binoculars in October in this month's Backyard Astronomer Podcast. #Astronomy #Space #STEM #STEMEducation Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains www.Manzanita-Insurance.com www.ManzanitaAccounting.com www.ManzanitaInsuranceAndAccounting.com www.BackyardAstroAZ.com

The transit method allows astronomers to study distant worlds and discover exoplanets as their orbit traverses the disc of their stars.  We can make our own discovery this month when Titan transits Saturn.   #Astronomy #Space #STEM #STEMEducation Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains www.Manzanita-Insurance.com www.ManzanitaAccounting.com www.ManzanitaInsuranceAndAccounting.com www.BackyardAstroAZ.com

The moon is our guide this month as we follow her path along the sky and she points out celestial wonders in the early mornings of August.     #Astronomy #STEM #STEMEducation Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains www.Manzanita-Insurance.com www.ManzanitaAccounting.com www.ManzanitaInsuranceAndAccounting.com www.BackyardAstroAZ.com

The Delta Aquariids is a favorite amond metoer shower viewers, for the warmer summer months, and this year a new moon for ultra dark skies.  Learn where you can find this is in the sky and when to look on this month's episode of The Backyard Astronomer.   #Astronomy #STEM #STEMEducation Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains www.Manzanita-Insurance.com www.ManzanitaAccounting.com www.ManzanitaInsuranceAndAccounting.com www.BackyardAstroAZ.com

Stonehenge, Chichen Itza, Angkor Wat... These Monolithic sites were built  to celebrate the Solar calendar, but even right here in Northern Arizona ancient cultures were documenting the movement of the Sun and changing of the seasons!  Check out Solstice Mesa in this month's Backyard Astronomer. #solstice #Prescott #arizona #indigenous #astronomy #STEM Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains www.Manzanita-Insurance.com www.ManzanitaAccounting.com

Let's get Edgy!  This month we are talking about orbital collisions andsideways planets, and how they change the way we view the Solar System.   Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains www.Manzanita-Insurance.com www.ManzanitaAccounting.com

Once in 396 billion years!  Or click-bait?  Let’s talk planetary alignments - SYZYGY!

If we can only see 6 stars in the Pleiades, then why do so many ancient cultures reference the number 7 in relation to this star cluster?  Let's dig deeper into the 7 Sisters, 7 Boys, and all sorts of maids, brothers and princesses in this month's Backyard Astronomer Podcast.   Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains www.Manzanita-Insurance.com www.ManzanitaAccounting.com  

NASA, ISS, UFOs and UAPs - what is up with all the acronyms?  Let's talk about rockets, satellites, and some of the acronyms commonly used in the space industry. Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains www.manzanita-insurance.com www.manzanitaaccounting.com  

Sometimes constellations can be hard to imagine, but a simple asterism can guide you to all sorts of celestial wonders.  Let's talk about the Great Square of Pegasus!   Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains   #asterism #constellations #space #astronomy #STEM #STEMEducation 

Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan- ATLAS is hurtling through the inner solar system, gracing the Northern Hemisphere's early evening skies of mid-October.  Where do comets like this come from and where is it headed?  Why have we never seen it before, and why  is it moving opposite most comets?  Find the answers to these questions and more in this month's episode and article of the Backyard Astronomer Podcast.     Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ   Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro   Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro   Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains  or visit  www.manzanitainsuranceandaccounting.com  

Saturn has long been known as a planet, but the discovery of its rings and moons spans hundreds of years.  Join the great astronomers of yesteryear as we learn about The Ringed Planet at opposition this month.   Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains

Our new segment for kids of all ages, and what better topic to start with than ALIENS!     Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains

"The sky is falling!" exclaimed Chicken Little!  Is it a meteorite, or a piece of the International Space Station?  Let's find out! Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains

T Coronae Borealis or "The Blaze Star" has been documented for centuries with a recurrent period of about 78 years between brightening as a nova. What does that mean?  Listen in this month as we talk about how the ancients began documenting stellar phenomena thousands of years ago, and how that information plays an integral role in our understanding of the universe today.   Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains    

The Sombrero Galaxy is your backyard target this month.  Look for this edge-on galaxy yhroughout the spring. #astronomy #galaxy #telescope #constellations #science #STEM Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains    

Our Sun has spots? Sunspots, solar flares, and even CMEs are the highlights of this month's focus on the Sun and Solar Cycle.  Learn more about Coronal Mass Ejections and how they impact Earth. #CME #coronalmassejection #solarflare #solarcycle #sun #astronomy #eclipse Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains

The Spring Equinox and waxing gibbous moon will lead you to a hive of activity this month! Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains

The Monoceros constellation and Rosette Nebula shine bright this month!   Follow us at facebook.com/BackyardAstronomerAZ Check out the NAZ Astro mission of STEM education at facebook.com/NAZAstro Support STEM education patreon.com/NAZAstro Our awesome sponsors: facebook.com/manzanitains