What's Up? (Ron's Historical Page)

Hello Star Gazers, Astronomers and other Astro-friends! Welcome to "What's Up in the Night Sky!", the astronomical almanac, brought to you by Astra's Star Gate.This almanac is based on the original creation of Ron Leeseberg, who wrote the monthly astronomy almanac written called "What's Up. Just like the original, this page favors astronomers in North America, eastern seaboard. Most of the information contained here can be extrapolated for observers in other areas. There will be some helps for us in the articles by some conversion factors that will be supplied in various articles.

This page also contains links to Ron's Astronomy. Lessons for Beginners that Ron has written to help the people who received his monthly almanac. Topics are listed at the bottom of this page. More topics will be added from the past issues that Ron has given us.

Here's a picture of the Stargeezer, himself, helping some neighbor friends obtain a view of the sun. In this image, Ron is attaching a solar filter to the 4" refractor he keeps in Florida. The small golden refractor piggybacked to the white instrument is a 40 mm hydrogen alpha telescope. With this combination, both the photosphere ("white light" showing sunspots on the sun's "surface") and the chromosphere ("red light" showing prominences, etc., in the sun's"atmosphere") are visible. Ron used this combination at Give Kids the World where he was the "Avenue Astronomer" during the winter and spring.

This picture was taken during an "Astronomy Day" program at Ron's winter home in Good Samaritan Village of Kissimmee, Florida.

Ron has been interested in astronomy since he was able to look at the pictures found in the 1939 edition of his parents "Child Craft" book set. Ron taught an aerospace class during his working years as a high school teacher and an adult education class in astronomy after his retirement. Ron also presented various astronomy programs both in Ohio where he had a "roll-roof" observatory, and in Florida where he and his wife, Nan, spend the winter. His specialty is solar observation both in "white" and hydrogen alpha "red" light.

Health issues caused Ron to give up writing the almanac, and unfortunately Ron passed in 2022.

Ron set the stage for the format of What's Up? in the Night Sky? Those features are outlined below. A summary of the monthly night sky, a daily calendar of events each month and a feature object.

View Ron Leeseburg's Farewell Issue or find out what resources are used to create the What's Up almanac.