Dr. Larry Krumenaker, Author, Journalist, Educator

04/09/2026

Again, nothing new in Strange New Worlds though some highly speculative physics is used. If you only need a little bit of time. chronitons will be your thing!

But regarding this week’s Trek Star Culmination…here’s Mudd in your eye! And a mysterious one at that. One of these two stars named Omega Cygni was the site of a Harcourt Fenton Mudd scam, but which one?

Subscribe to Federation Space - The Astronomy in Star Trek at https://federationspace.substack.com !

28/08/2026

Federation Space - The Astronomy of Star Trek newsletter this week explores the Strong Nuclear Force that wasn’t strong enough to dissuade the Trek Science Advisors to nix its usage in the episode this week. Additionally, the star Altair has had a lot of usage in the Star Trek franchises—six planets, three of which get mentions in a movie and two franchises, and a host of food and beverages exported from the system to Federation Worlds. A very different star in the real universe from the one in Star Trek! Subscribe to this weekly look at astronomy in Star Trek at FederationSpace.substack.com .

22/08/2026

The August monthly issue of The Classroom Astronomer Newsletter on Substack covers two sky events you can use to educate-- observing variable stars without a telescope or numbers for brightness, and a reminder of the upcoming partial lunar eclipse this week—using it to measure the Moon’s distance and diameter!

We also compare the UK and US Girl Scouting space science badge programs, and include instructions for some very interesting activities you can use in the classroom or for outreach efforts, too!

20/08/2026

In this week’s posting of “Federation Space” on Substack, we move far from the Galactic Center and even well off the Galactic Plane (Galactic Equator) to two Trek stars culminating this week, Sigma Draconis and Theta Cygni. Both are near to the Sun in space and are known for being fast movers in the constellations. Sigma has an interesting place in the sky, one that unlike most stars, doesn’t change much. So these two stars will illustrate the three Equators of the sky.

17/08/2026

Issue 117 of The Galactic Times on Substack starts with an unusual photo of the partial eclipse of the Sun on August 11th then guides you through the changing planetary panorama, where planets disappear in the dawn or dusk twilights but others come to take their place. There is a nearly total eclipse of the Moon on the 27-28th, where 93% of the Moon is covered in Earth’s shadow, not 100%, but you can use this eclipse to do, for fun or educational activity—measure the Moon’s distance and size!

A look at what you have missed astronomically in the last two issues of the new Federation Space - The Astronomy in Star Trek newsletter.

Subscribe….to BOTH!.

In This Issue:
Cover Photo — Eclipse in the Clouds
Welcome to The Galactic Times Inbox Magazine Issue #117
Sky-Lites — Planets Replace Planets in Dawn and Dusk
Measuring the Moon During A Nearly-Total Eclipse, August 27-28
Federation Space - The Astronomy in Star Trek - Learning Astronomy With Science Fiction - Tables of Contents for the Past Two Issues.

LK

14/08/2026

Do you like to travel alone? Stars don’t. If they haven’t got any stellar companions, they often have planetary fellow travelers. In this issue of Federation Space #4, two real stars mentioned in the Star Trek Universe are in prime view right now, the interesting star system Beta Lyrae (and we’ll show you how to monitor its variable brightness without being an expert astronomer!) and the recently discovered Kepler-22 system. Along the way we will show you how companion stars and planets get their designations.

Subscribe to Federation Space - The Astronomy in Star Trek, on Substack.

08/08/2026

In Federation Space Issue #3, we dive into the three most important factors in stars that we see with our human eyes—location information, color and brightness. Then we use that information for looking at a Star Trek object in our own universe and compare the two universes. That star is Vega, a bright nearby white star. Is that all that the two universes’ stars have in common? Subscribe at Federationspace.substack.com and find out!

31/07/2026

The Latest Issue of The Galactic Times, August 1st, covers details on the upcoming August 12th Solar Eclipse and Moon-Free Perseid Meteor Shower! Also, proof that the Universe is really sweet, and you can learn astronomy with science fiction. Enjoy!

In This Issue:

Cover Photo — The Sagittarius Star Cloud M24

Welcome to The Galactic Times Inbox Magazine Issue #116

Sky-Lites — Planet Ins and Outs in Both Twilight Periods

The Total Eclipse of the Sun August 12th

A Moon-Free Perseid Meteor Shower, August 11-12th, Too!

Astronomy in Everyday Life — It’s A Candy Universe

Federation Space - The Astronomy in Star Trek - Learning Astronomy With Science Fiction

Subscribe at https://thegalactictimes.substack.com !

31/07/2026

This week in Federation Space—The Astronomy of Star Trek: What stars were mentioned in Strange New Words “The Griffin Incident”; the Astronomy of Star Names; the Trek star/object that culminates into best view this week—M24 Alpha. Or at least the star cluster named M24….. FederationSpace.substack.com .

29/07/2026

Bad link in yesterday's Federation Space announcement. Here is the good link: https://federationspace.substack.com .

Where IS the United Federation of Planets? Or anybody else? In this Substack we explore all the REAL stars and objects in the Star Trek Universe....that exist in our real universe! We'll look in the sky to see these real stars, and learn astronomy. Click to read Federation Space - The Astronomy in S...