Hot tub astronomy in summer
Hot tub astronomy in summer
The western horizon from my Middlemarch place has improved markedly of late.
Science
Up close and mesmerised
Up close and mesmerised
The Shanghai Archaeological Forum is held biannually and I have been fortunate to have attended all six.
Up to their new tricks
Up to their new tricks
Over the past week, the media have been reporting on a new discovery — that 450,000 years ago, Neanderthals were generating fire, far earlier than previously known.
Marvels captured moment to moment
Marvels captured moment to moment
As this is the final Skywatch column for the year, it feels like the right moment to look back rather than up — though, of course, I’ve done plenty of both.
Cosy stargazing from home
Cosy stargazing from home
Occasionally, astronomy presents you with a piece of technology that changes your life.
Exploring the digital tomb of Tutankhamun
Exploring the digital tomb of Tutankhamun
Inevitably almost, I have to write about Tutankhamun.
A great year in archaeology back in 1922
A great year in archaeology back in 1922
Several readers have asked me about Pu-Abi, mentioned in last week’s column — 1922 was a memorable year for archaeology.
Poetry of coronal auroras
Poetry of coronal auroras
On the evening of November 12, I found myself repeating a familiar ritual of this remarkable solar cycle.
Lighting just the way ahead
Lighting just the way ahead
I’ve been spending a lot of evenings lately at my new observatory near Middlemarch.
Lessons from beyond the veil
Lessons from beyond the veil
One item of a proposed new curriculum for schools attracted my attention.
Neanderthals emerge from slithers of the past
Neanderthals emerge from slithers of the past
I first visited the Crimea 20 years ago.
Mountain graves frozen in time
Mountain graves frozen in time
It is exactly a year since the discovery of Sandy Irvine’s boot on Mt Everest.
Braiding a story from day’s-end parade
Braiding a story from day’s-end parade
Look west this week just after the sun drops and you’ll find Scorpius leaning into the dusk, its sting almost vertical, and Antares beating time where the scorpion’s heart would be.
Tomb of Chu king a ‘revelation’ dig
Tomb of Chu king a ‘revelation’ dig
The warring states period in Chinese history lasted from 475-221 BC.
Third whole conference just for Steve
Third whole conference just for Steve
From Dunedin to Fairbanks, Alaska, is a long way — roughly 12,000km, or one very long Air New Zealand flight featuring a toilet seat clearly designed by a sadist
Fleeting sprites in the night
Fleeting sprites in the night
Last Saturday night, I headed out into my Middlemarch paddock to photograph what I thought would be a modest aurora.
Pisces’ quiet connections
Pisces’ quiet connections
On Monday evening, when twilight softens and the first stars begin to appear, the moon will wander into the constellation Pisces, the Fishes.
Neighbours’ fight for site runs deep
Neighbours’ fight for site runs deep
We are a territorial species, and wars are usually fought over land.
Analemma proof science works
Analemma proof science works
The equinox slipped past us this week.
Breakthrough research identifies ‘Dragon Man’
Breakthrough research identifies ‘Dragon Man’
I recently wrote about the discovery of a new human species following the recovery of DNA from a fragment of bone from Denisova Cave in Siberia.