Posts Tagged ‘Merak’
Sky Tonight—February 8, Use Big Dipper’s Pointers
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science Visit EarthSky at 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. Big and Little Dippers: Noticeable in northern sky A well-known trick for finding the North Star, or Polaris, ... Full Story
EarthSky Tonight—Tonight Oct. 27, Where is the Big
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Where is the Big Dipper at nightfall and early evening? At this time of year, the most famous star pattern visible from this hemisphere – the Big Dipper – lurks low in the north during the evening hours. It is tough to spot the Dipper in the evening at this time of year, especially in the southern states, although you will see it before dawn around now, ascending in the northeast. Bright object in southeast on October ... Full Story
EarthSky Tonight—September 7, Use Big Dipper to
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Tonight’s chart shows the Polaris, the Big and Little Dippers for a September evening. Notice that a line from the two outermost stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper point to Polaris, the North Star. Also notice that Polaris marks the tip of the handle of the Little Dipper. Bright star in east? Might be planet Jupiter, nearly at its closest since 1951. The Big Dipper swings full circle (360 degrees) around Polaris in about 23 ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight—August 3, Dipper points to Polaris,
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org The two outer stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper – Dubhe and Merak – always point to Polaris, the North Star. To find this Dipper at this time of year, look toward the northwest in the evening. Once you have found it – after locating Polaris – look more carefully at the second star from the end of the Big Dipper’s handle. If your sky is dark enough, and your eyesight is good, you will see that this star, Mizar, has a ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight—July 1: Big Dipper points to
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Today our star-hopping adventure begins at the Big Dipper in the constellation Ursa Major. Draw a line through the Big Dipper’s pointer stars – Duhbe and Merak – to locate Polaris the North Star. Polaris isn’t the brightest star in the sky, as is commonly supposed. It is only the 50th brightest or so. Still, Polaris is bright enough to be seen with relative ease on a dark, clear night. This star is famous not for its ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight — April 6, 2010: Use Big Dipper to
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Here is the view northward on April evenings. Now the Big Dipper is high in the north. Notice the two outer stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper. These two stars – called Duhbe and Merak – always point to Polaris, the North Star. Polaris is special because it always stays in the same spot in the northern sky. It is the star around which the entire northern sky appears to turn. That is because Polaris is located more or less ... Full Story
