‘Earth & Sky’ Archives
Earthsky Tonight – February 15, 2010: Young moon
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Our chart shows the western sky for about 30 minutes after sunset at middle latitudes in North American. If you are blessed with an absolutely level horizon and crystal-clear skies, you might – if you are extremely lucky – see the planets Venus and Jupiter by the horizon. At mid-northern latitudes, these planets set about 40 minutes after the sun. You will have a much better chance of spotting the ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight – February 14, 2010: The Double
Face the northwestern horizon this evening – above and to the right of the place where the sun set on the western horizon – but mid- to late evening. Here you can find the Double Cluster in the constellation Perseus. These are two open stars clusters, known as “H” and “Chi” Persei (also called NGC 884 and 869). How to find them? First, you need a dark sky. As you work your way up from the northwest horizon you’ll see the famous constellation Cassiopeia forming a ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight, February 13, 2010: Cassiopeia is
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Erick wrote, “Do you have any information on Cassiopeia’s Chair?” Erick, you have used the lovely old-fashioned name for this constellation. In the 1930s, the International Astronomical Union gave this constellation an official name of Cassiopeia the Queen, but skywatchers still see the chair, and speak of it. Cassiopeia was a queen in ancient Greek mythology. According to legend, she boasted she was ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight, February 12, 2010: Use Big
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org If you can find the Big Dipper in the northern sky in mid to late evening tonight, you can find the North Star, Polaris. The Big Dipper is not a constellation. Instead, it is an asterism, just a recognizable pattern of stars on the sky’s dome. It is part of the constellation Ursa Major, the Greater Bear. A well-known trick for finding the North Star, or Polaris, is that the two outermost stars in the bowl of ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight, February 11, 2010: For those at
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Here is a star that northern stargazers rarely see. It is Canopus, and it is the second-brightest star in the entire sky. You won’t see this star from the northern U.S. or similar latitudes. But northern skywatchers who travel south in winter – or people in latitudes like those in the southern U.S. – enjoy watching this star. You can always find Canopus by first locating Sirius, the sky’s brightest ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight, February 10, 2010: You need a dark
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Here is one of the sky’s most graceful and beautiful constellations, if you have access to a very dark sky. You won’t see this one from the city, or even the suburbs. Eridanus the River begins near the star Rigel in the constellation Orion. It wells up in a great loop before ambling back down toward the southern horizon. Eridanus is one of the longest and faintest constellations. It’s variously said ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight, February 9, 2010: The Hare and the
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org If you look southward around 8 p.m., you will easily notice a short, straight row of three medium bright stars. These stars represent the Belt of Orion the Hunter. Also, notice the star Sirius. On old sky maps, the mighty Hunter of the ancient myths is seen poised with an upraised club and shield, as though fending off the raging Bull, Taurus. Meanwhile, two meek animals seem to cower at the Hunter’s ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight, February 8, 2010: Zodiacal light is
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Moonless February and March evenings present the best time of year to see zodiacal light in the evening sky. The light appears when all traces of twilight have left the sky. It looks like a hazy pyramid of light in the west after true darkness falls. This light can be noticeable and easy to see from latitudes like those in the southern U.S. I’ve seen it many times from the latitude of southern Texas, sometimes ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight, February 7, 2010: Scorpion’s
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Will you see the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion’s stinger stars below the waning crescent moon in the cold dawn tomorrow? You’ll need a clear, unobstructed view to the southeast to spot the stinger stars – Shaula and Lesath – flickering by the horizon. If you can’t spot these stars tomorrow, try again later this month. The stars at the end of the Scorpion’s tail are also known as the Cat’s ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight, February 6, 2010 Moon and star
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org If you’re an early riser, you can see the waning crescent moon next to the star Antares during the dawn and predawn hours on Sunday, February 7. Look in the south to southeast sky for this shining couple an hour or so before sunrise. Antares is the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion. In our northern hemisphere, Antares is considered a summertime star, because it’s during the summer months that ... Full Story
