Alex Martin Hiking Astronomer

09/06/2026

After 37 days in Coeur d'Alene and Spokane followed by a week of stress from the dealership not fixing my van (after their repairs caused an issue) in any timely manner, I'm finally on the move again.

Thnak you for a wonderful second visit, CDA, and more so to you, Spokane. Kind of fell in love with the area and the people I met. I hope those of you who witnessed the Lunar Eclipse on August 28th left in awe of the cosmos.

Cue the Marvel end credits slide: "I will return."

08/29/2026

A red moon over Spokane

On August 27th, 284 people gathered in Spokane to witness a lunar eclipse, sharing the experience through telescopes. The event fostered community engagement in astronomy and highlighted the joy of shared celestial observations....

On August 27th, 284 people gathered in Spokane to witness a lunar eclipse, sharing the experience through telescopes. The event fostered community engagement in astronomy and highlighted the joy of…

08/26/2026

1 more phase of the Moon. 1 more turn of the Earth. 1 more sleep.

Make sure you watch this lunar eclipse and experience the motion of the Moon as it slides through Earth's shadow, turns black, and then a faint red right near the peak of 96% maximum at 9:12pm PDT.

Join me in Spokane just 500 feet back from the Howard Street Bridge from where I *normally* set up to view the eclipse in my telescope. Skies look perfectly clear up here for this cosmic wonder.

Bring binoculars, or borrow mine, and make sure to get the picture(s) I'll snap through the telescope by texting my Google number on the display board tomorrow.

08/26/2026

Clouds drift across the Moon on the evening of August 25, 2026 in Spokane, Washington. The moisture dragged in some smoke from wildfires to the southwest, causing the Moon to stay orange and yellow in color much higher than is typical, with it turning white closer to 30 degrees high, rather than about 10 degrees.

08/25/2026

Lunar Eclipse Thursday, August 27th!

Come find me at Spokane's Riverfront Park to witness Earth's shadow cover the Moon Thursday evening. All of North and South America will be able to see this event; time zone starts, peaks, and finishes included....

Come find me at Spokane’s Riverfront Park to witness Earth’s shadow cover the Moon Thursday evening. All of North and South America will be able to see this event; time zone starts, pea…

08/24/2026

On this day 20 years ago, August 24th 2006, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet following the discovery of other similar bodies that shared similar orbital and mass properties.

These days, we say a planet is classified via the following criteria:

1. The Sun is the center of its orbit ✅
2. Enough gravity to form a roughly spherical shape ✅
3. Enough gravity to clear its orbit of other objects ❌

While Pluto meets the first two criteria just fine, it does not have enough mass to collect the debris around it, or fling that debris elsewhere through the solar system.

Think of vacuum cleaners: the major 8 planets are Dysons, powerful suction grabbing every chunk of dirt and dust they gets close to on the first try. Pluto, on the other hand, is a handheld dirt devil that has to run over the same spot multiple times to clean the rug.

While I love Pluto (I mean come on, outside Saturn, I think it LOOKS the coolest), these criteria are valid and internationally agreed upon standards. It's still a planet, and always will be.

But it's a dwarf planet.

08/21/2026

My 131st sidewalk astronomy of 2026, and the 7th night straight at Riverfront Park in Spokane, Washington.

As always during this current season, showing off Venus and the Moon with my Celestron
9.25 Evolution motorized telescope!

I won't be there Friday August 21st or Saturday the 22nd due to clouds, but should be back Sunday.

08/20/2026

Astronomy in Spokane

Discover celestial wonders in Spokane with free sidewalk astronomy at Riverfront Park through August 31st, with a lunar eclipse on August 27th....

Discover celestial wonders in Spokane with free sidewalk astronomy at Riverfront Park through August 31st, with a lunar eclipse on August 27th.

08/20/2026

The First Quarter Moon hangs over Spokane's western horizon on Wednesday, August 19th.

In just 7 days (August 27th) the Moon will enter the shadow of the Earth in a lunar eclipse visible from both North and South America beginning at 1030pm EDT / 730pm PDT. On the East Coast, the Moon will already be high in the sky. West coasters will have to wait for Moonrise in the 745pm-830pm frame (location dependent).

The eclipse will last for 3 full hours, ending just after 150am August 28th for EDT, and 1050pm August 27th for PDT.