This week marks the end of June and we are heading rapidly around the sun. Because our planet has that interesting tilt to it, the northern hemisphere is collecting many hours of daylight, heating the surface area and the air above it so that we are experiencing typical summer days. It’s a comfort to know it doesn’t fluctuate! Sure would be strange to have a blue norther in July, “and that lucky ol’ Sun… just rolls around heaven all day!”
Since our home planet twirls on its axis and rolls around the sun, we will eventually be at a point where both the northern and southern hemispheres are receiving equal amounts of sunlight. That is the autumnal equinox which occurs in late September. All the while, Earth’s north pole points towards the north star, which is why that star appears to be in the same spot night after night and the other stars in the northern sky appear to rotate about it. Did you know the degrees of location on our planet affect the rate at which you are rotating on the axis? There is so much math involved in everything; to know it all would not be possible.
The circumpolar constellations are fun to watch. Gazing north from a clear dark site, at the present time, right after it is good and dark, Ursa Major/Big Dipper is towards the western edge of north. The bowl is down, and the handle stretches towards the zenith and that bright yellow star almost directly overhead is Arcturus. It is said that this star was the first one to be observed with a telescope during the day. Galileo is credited with making the observations in 1635. Do not attempt to do star gazing with a telescope in the daytime unless you are an experienced telescope user. Serious permanent damage happens with those rays concentrated through the mirrors of the telescope. Remember setting paper on fire with the magnifying glass when you were a kid? You’ll do more than “put yer eye out!”
If you stand facing south, look for the red glow of Antares in the Scorpion. Above the S of Scorpius is a large open group of stars that looks a bit like an old camp coffeepot. This is Ophiuchus, the Physician. He is holding a long serpent outlined by stars in either hand because he had cut it in half. Eventually the snake’s mate brought a restorative herb to the dead serpent and they slithered off to live happily ever after. The myth related to Ophiuchus is a perfect example of a good idea gone wrong that had serious consequences for those involved in the story.
If you have a good safe observing site, locating Scorpius is fairly easy. The scorpion really does look like a scorpion, with stinger stars at the tail of the S and claws at the head of it. The glowering red star Antares symbolizes the angry heart of the enemy of Orion, our winter sky hero. Jealousy is never pretty in myth or real life.
Have you made the effort to see the seldom-happening lineup of the planets before dawn? The fact that they are APPEARING to be in a line has made for some interesting speculation in the “popular” media sites. I don’t understand why hype seems to be the order of the day. Enjoy the beauty of the skies, and don’t fear a lineup of planets…they really are not in a line, they just appear to be …because of math and our point of view.
Until next week, KLU.
