Why are some stars always visible while others come and go with the seasons?

From Earth spinning on its axis and orbiting the Sun to it precessing like a top, lots of factors affect which stars you can see in the sky.

By: Vahe Peroomian, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: March 5, 2026

Words: 1,249

Last Updated: 4 days, 12 hours ago

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By Vahe Peroomian, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

As a space scientist, every time I go outside with my family, I tell my children to look up at the sky. The front door of our home looks southeast, and on winter nights the constellation Orion hangs majestically just above the horizon as soon as it grows dark enough to see stars.

One summer night, my son came running in and …

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