Cloudy night no hindrance for dunes stargazing enthusiasts

CHESTERTON | When admiring the heavens, you can’t let a few clouds get in your way.

Cloudy night no hindrance for dunes stargazing enthusiasts

Calumet Astronomical Society member Larry Maka speaks Saturday during a presentation about astronomy in the Indiana Dunes State Park Nature Center.

Scouts reach for the stars at Challenger Learning Center

HAMMOND | Webelos Cub Scouts of Pack 773, which meets at Annunciata Parish on the East Side, spent their afternoon learning and completing their Astronomy Merit Badge at the Challenger Learning Center on the Purdue University Calumet campus in Hammond led by Flight Director Ann Vassar.

Scouts reach for the stars at Challenger Learning Center

Scouts from the East Side recently visited the Challenger Learning Center in Hammond to earn their Astronomy Merit Badge. From left, Jacob Kusar, John Garcia, Jaime Avila, Eric Godinez, Andres Gomez, Liam Bermejo, Manuel Perez and Girl Scout Abby Bermejo learned how to identify the parts of …

Scouts reach for the stars at Challenger Learning Center

Webelos I Scout Liam Bermejo tries out the telescope under the direction of Flight Director Ann Vassar while Webelos I Scout Manuel Perez waits for his turn.

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See the stars as Van Gogh painted them

The Merrillville Community Planetarium presents "Van Gogh Sees the Stars," a public program beginning on today and continuing through Jan. 26.

Right at Home: stylish items with a spacey vibe

Stars, moons and planets have long been inspiration for designers. For aficionados and anyone who appreciates the artistry to be found in astronomy, there is a galaxy of beautiful items for the home.

Home observatories make star-gazing easier

Regardless of their interest in astronomy, visitors to Chris Krstanovic's home want to look through his telescope.

Photos illustrate Mars rover's precise landing

PASADENA, Calif. | The robotic explorer Curiosity's daring plunge through the pink skies of Mars was more than perfect. It landed with spectacular style, said a NASA scientist, describing the first images of its mechanical gymnastics.

Photos illustrate Mars rover's precise landing

Brian Schratz hugs a colleague as he celebrates a successful landing Sunday inside the Spaceflight Operations Facility for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

Photos illustrate Mars rover's precise landing

This photo provided by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory shows the gravel on the surface of Mars' Gale Crater where the Curiosity rover landed late Sunday. On the horizon is the rim of the crater. Part of the spring that released the lens' dust cover can be seen at the bottom right, near the …

Photos illustrate Mars rover's precise landing

This late Sunday photo made available by NASA shows the Curiosity rover, bottom, and its parachute descending to the surface from the vantage point of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Dozens watch Venus transit

Dozens of people lined up at the Valparaiso University Observatory to view the transit of Venus between the Earth and the Sun. Image provided by the Associated Press

There was a little black spot on the sun Tuesday

VALPARAISO | Nationally known astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson called the six-hour passing of Venus across the upper corner of the sun "long and boring ... but rare." It was the latter that brought out large crowds Tuesday to Valparaiso University.

Movie review: 'Transformers' is another loud bruiser

To his credit, Michael Bay does try to put more human touch into "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," aiming to make up for the clattering mess of overgrown kitchen appliances that duked it out in the franchise's last installment.

Calumet Astronomical Soceity meets Monday at Lake Central

ST. JOHN | The Calumet Astronomical Society will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the auditorium of Lake Central High School, 8400 U.S. 41.

Calumet Astronomical Society offers star viewing at observatory

LOWELL | Calumet Astronomical Society will host an open house from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Friday at the Thomas Conway Observatory, 191st and Chase streets in Lowell, southeast of the Buckley Homestead farm area.

Star wars: Astrologers address 'revelation' of horoscope shift

The last time astrologer and syndicated horoscope newspaper columnist Jacqueline Bigar faced a firestorm of reader and client questions about a "sudden change" in the celestial heavens was August 2006.

GUEST EDITORIALS: Tough sell for grand mass transit plan

Central Indiana has waited far too long for a regional mass transit system worthy of a major metropolitan area. If the breakthrough is going to happen any time soon, Indy Connect had better step it up.