{"id":148640,"date":"2025-04-23T17:44:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-23T22:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/?p=148640"},"modified":"2025-04-23T16:48:28","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T21:48:28","slug":"news-you-can-use-how-to-see-the-stars-like-an-astronomer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/news-you-can-use-how-to-see-the-stars-like-an-astronomer\/","title":{"rendered":"News You Can Use: How to See the Stars Like an Astronomer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ole Miss astronomer shares tips for stargazing, celestial sights and resources for exploring the night sky<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Jordan Karnbach<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mother Nature has been putting on a celestial light show lately, including a lunar eclipse, meteor showers, and a rare multi-planet alignment. Stargazers in Mississippi<\/strong> are in a good spot to enjoy the show, a University of Mississippi<\/strong> astronomer advises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much of the state is rural, meaning less light pollution and lots of open spaces to get a good view of the sky, said Nicholas MacDonald<\/strong>, assistant professor of physics and astronomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I have two daughters, and we love looking up at the night sky and hosting star parties in our backyard,” MacDonald said. “If you’re in the heart of Oxford, there’s only so much you can do, but just 10 to 15 minutes outside the city, you’ll find breathtakingly dark skies perfect for stargazing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MacDonald has been an astronomer for eight years, but he’s been “looking up” at the sky for nearly 20, studying outflows from supermassive black holes and other galaxies \u2013 specifically, objects known as blazars. Before joining the Ole Miss faculty, he was as a postdoctoral researcher and staff scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy<\/strong> in Bonn, Germany<\/strong>, in 2017\u201321.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’ve missed the celestial events of the past few months, don’t worry, MacDonald said. The night sky is constantly changing, making stargazing a continuous adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coming weeks bring several celestial sights worth seeking out the next time you step outside to gaze at the stars, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Jupiter is truly a sight to behold,” MacDonald said. “With a small telescope, you can see its cloud bands and even the Galilean moons \u2013 those moons were first observed by Galileo, making it a great way to connect with the history of astronomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n