Posts Tagged ‘Sirius’
Earthsky Tonight—March 10: Is Sirius the most
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Look south at nightfall and early evening, and you can’t miss Sirius, the brightest star in the nighttime sky. Mia asks, “Isn’t there a brighter star in absolute magnitude which appears dimmer because of its distance?” Yes, Mia, you are right. Sirius looks extraordinarily bright in Earth’s sky because it is only 8.6 light-years away. Many stars on the sky’s dome are intrinsically more luminous ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight – Feb 23, 2010: Moon highlights
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org This evening, the waxing gibbous moon nearly aligns with the galactic anticenter – the direction opposite to the center of our home galaxy, the Milky Way. Tonight’s moon, moreover, resides inside the Winter Circle – an incredibly large star configuration made of six brilliant winter stars. The Winter Circle – sometimes called the Winter Hexagon – is not one of the 88 recognized constellations. Rather, ... 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 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, January 21, 2010: Identify the stars
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Tonight’s chart covers a wider area of sky than what we typically show. It’s in answer to a reader in Nashville, who wrote, I’ve heard mention of the Winter Circle of Stars. Could you list the stars in this circle? You will find these stars at this time of year by looking east-southeast in early-mid evening. Again, this is a large pattern and covers a wide area of sky, but as always it’s easiest to ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight, January 19, 2010: Monoceros is the
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Today’s chart shows something you’ll need a very dark sky to see. In fact, the view will probably be better after the waxing crescent moon sets around mid-evening tonight. Focus in on the stars Betelgeuse, Sirius and Procyon. They make a triangle, which is sometimes called the Winter Triangle. Within this triangle of stars, hidden in between the many bright and glittering stars and constellations visible at this ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight, January 11, 2010: Fuzzy object near
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org A reader wrote, On November 4, I went to study the constellation Orion, but first I had to see the star Sirius and there was a glimmer below Sirius and upon looking it seemed to be a very nice comet. Has anyone else seen this? I am a newby … (and) would like someone to verify if they see this. I am quite up and excited. It wasn’t a comet, but very likely was a lovely star cluster called ... Full Story
Earthsky Tonight – Dec 30 2009, Star Sirius is
Courtesy of EarthSky A Clear Voice for Science www.EarthSky.org Lots of celestial lights will adorn the nighttime as the clock ticks toward the midnight hour tomorrow, bringing in the New Year. For starters, there’s Orion, the gem of all constellations. And Sirius, the brightest star of nighttime, shining to the lower left of Orion’s Belt. No less a fixture than the tolling bells that ring in the New Year, Sirius is truly the New Year’s Day star. Sirius celebrates its ... Full Story
