A Flying Horse... Oh My!

One of the really spectacular sights of the fall night sky is now visible in the early evening eastern sky. The constellations of Pegesus and Andromeda are rising above the northeastern horizon immediately after dark. They'll be visible all through the Fall and into Winter, so enjoy.

The body of Pegasus is also one of the more easily recognized asterisms, and is known as the Great Square. You can see why in the picture. After locating the Great Square, look to the southernmost star of the square and you are at the beginning of Pegasus's neck. Just picture a horse's neck and head, and you will see stars on the curve of the neck, the top of the head, and the nose. The northernmost star of the square is shared with the Constellation of Andromeda. I can't help but think that Andromeda looks more like the hind legs of the horse, but I've always had horses on the brain.

Pegasus was the winged horse ridden by Perseus to rescue the Princess Andromeda from the sea monster after her mother, Cassiopea, mouthed off about being the most beautiful woman in the world. It just goes to show that one should never brag in front of a god or goddess. They just might be paying attention and take offense. Why the Greek gods picked on poor Andromeda, I've never been able to figure out; but, even the ancient Greeks never claimed that their gods were fair.

If you happen to have a good set of binoculars, now is the time to get them out. Look in the pictures above. Follow the stars of Andromeda (the hind legs of Pegasus) and half way to the heels (girl or horse), look just a little upwards toward the zenith. There you will see a blurry spot. That is the Andromeda Galaxy. It is the fartherest object that we can see with the naked human eye. It's two million light years away, and it's coming to get us. *EG* No, it really is coming this way... in several billing years, so you don't have to worry tonight. It's breathtakingly beautiful, and about twice the size of your Milky Way. Just go out and enjoy the view.

Pegasus and Andromeda are two of five constellations related by the same Greek myth. I will be writing in other posts about them, so come back for another visit. You're always welcome.

Happy viewing,

Frances

Writing Science Fiction Romance
Real Love in a Real Future

Annd Heeereee's Sagittarius!!!

I think that I'm beginning to sound like Ed McMahon.

With the waning of the Moon, now is an excellent time for star gazing... that is, if you can see past the summertime haze, and city lights! Let's hope so.

This month, Sagittarius takes over center stage for the evening hours right after sunset.

Last month, I showed you how to find Scorpius. It has now progressed into the due South position, and will serve to show us the location of Sagittarius. After finding the great fish hook of Scorpius, look a little to the East. The next really bright object that you see is Jupiter. It is presently within the constellation of Sagittarius. Immediately to the West of Jupiter you will see a formation of stars that look like a 'teapot' (remember asterisms?). That is Sagittarius... well not all, but enough to know that you have found it.

To the ancient Greeks, Sagittarius was not just the Archer. He was the Centaur - who shot the Scorpion - who killed Orion - who... oh, never mind. Simply follow the top edge of the 'teapot's spout' (the arrow), and you will see that it points directly at Scorpius. There really is justice. The gods didn't allow Orion to go unavenged. *G*

However, myth is not the best thing about Sagittarius. When we look at Sagittarius, we are looking into the center of the Milky Way. The only reason that there is not an overwhelming glow from there is because there is so much dust between it and us. There is also a great, big, Black Hole there... eating, and eating... Cheery thought, huh? But, let your heart not be troubled. It is more than thirty thousand light years away. Even your grandchildren don't have to worry.

Happy viewing

Frances

Writing Science Fiction Romance

Real Love in a Real Future

The Summer Triangle...

Asterism: No, an asterism isn’t something vulgar. An asterism is a distinctive group of stars, but not a recognized constellation. The Big Dipper is an asterism within the Ursa Major constellation. In my experience, it’s often easier to spot the asterism and then puzzle out the constellation/s.

Tonight, through the magic of digital exaggeration, err...I mean manipulation, and the courtesy of Starry Night, I bring you one of the great asterisms of the summer sky – The Summer Triangle!
Soon after dark, look into the eastern sky. You will see one very bright star, Vega, and two more stars, lower down, that are not quite so bright. They are Deneb, to the North, and Altair, to the South. They form a huge right triangle, with Vega at the top right angle. This grouping of stars dominates the Northern Hemisphere’s summer sky and spans the Milky Way. Those of you in the Southern Hemisphere will see it rise in the extreme North East.

As the evening progresses, and more stars appear, you should be able to see the three constellations that make up the Summer Triangle asterism. Vega is the anchor star of the Lyra (Lyre) Constellation. To the ancient Greeks, this was Orpheus’s magic harp, you know, the grandmother of J.K Rowling’s Hogwarts’ harp. Deneb is the tail feathers of Cygnus (the Swan) flying down the middle of the Milky Way. Follow the line of stars south from Deneb, which looks like a cross within the Summer Triangle, and you and you have all of Cygnus, who was either Orpheus, trying to get his harp back, or Zeus, out for an illicit tryst with Leda. It all depended upon who you listen to.

The last bright star of the Summer Triangle is Altair. It is the north point of a diamond shaped constellation named Aquila (the Eagle), which is flying up the side of the Milky Way toward Cygnus. Altair is the head or beak of Aquila as Zeus, again out for an illicit tryst, but this time with Ganymede, a Trojan boy. Looks to me like he dropped the poor kid, but what can you expect from a pervert. Zeus was a randy old goat, and not especially particular about where he randied. He was one of our original shape shifters, and I don’t think that it’s any wonder that his wife, Hera, was always in a murderous mood. You’ve really got to have sympathy for the woman even if she was a goddess.

Have fun, and happy viewing,

Frances

Writing Science Fiction Romance

Real Love in a Real Future

My Journey to the Stars Begins

Once upon a time, long before the dinosaurs roamed the earth, there was a little girl who wanted to know about the stars. But, even before there was that little girl, there was a little boy who ran away to sea to become a ship’s officer. He was my father, and he had wonderful stories to tell about traveling the world, and navigating by the stars. I liked the idea that you could know where you are, anywhere on Earth, simply by looking at the stars.

“Which stars did you use, Daddy?”
“Why, we used Polaris, and Arcturus, and Betelgeuse, and others.”
“I want to see?”
“Arcturus is that star right up there. See it?”
“Where Daddy? I can’t see it.”

It never occurred to anyone that I needed glasses. I got my glasses; yet, I could never quite get the stars. However, I didn't forget how very much I wanted to know them. I did learn to recognize the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia. Because I had found the Big Dipper, I found Polaris, but that was about it. The rest of the sky was beyond me. I read everything that the Encyclopedia Britannica and the National Geographic offered, but I just couldn’t seem to make sense of those star charts. For years, my secret desire languished. But, my time was coming. I was writing a book! Science Fiction Romance Writer was on the case.

Spring Star Note:

Just after dark, get the darkest location that you can find. Look North by Northwest (Thank you, Mr. Hitchcock), and depending upon your latitude, you will see the Big Dipper. It's a ladle or plough shaped group of stars. In England, it is called the Plough. If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, it will be high in the sky. If you are in the Southern Hemisphere, it will be low, or partially below the horizon.

The Big Dipper is supremely important to navigators, not only because the two stars on the end of the bowl, or of the plow, point directly to Polaris, the North Star, but also because the stars in its handle point to Arcturus. Follow the arc of the handle, and the next bright star is Arcturus. It will be just to the East of the highest point in the sky for those in the mid northern latitudes, or high in the northern sky for those of you south of the equator.

Every civilization in the history of the world has used Polaris and Arcturus to navigate the seas. Our modern astronauts, space station, and telescopes are irrevocably tied to the Argonauts of ancient Greece, as well as the voyagers of ancient Polynesia. Cool, huh?

Happy viewing and writing,

Frances

Writing Science Fiction Romance

Real Love in a Real Future