When I began writing the Stargazer column it was on a “let’s see what one would look like” basis because a relative of one of my elementary students worked for the Brownsville Herald and the little girl had been telling him about the space missions and the star party we had that year and he was curious and visited my class to chat.
Always being ready to talk astronomy and NASA missions I yakked on and on and had the audacity to ask if the newspaper might be interested in a column related to the topics. With a “let’s see” reply, I asked “how long” and was told “about a paragraph,” so I wrote one paragraph. This was in 1998 before the internet took over and I hand delivered my carefully word-processed paragraph and anxiously waited to see if it would be printed. It was, and I grew bolder and kept adding paragraphs and they kept printing them.
Now it is 2023; I am amazed that the newspaper still keeps printing what I write, and that you keep reading and encouraging my random astronomy thoughts. Thank you. (I would put an exclamation point there, but learned from one editor those are “not quite the thing” for a newspaper writer to use.)
SO, what’s up this week? Want to have a challenge? Then go outside and locate Orion in the ESE about nine o’clock. Locate the bright white star, Rigel, which marks his left foot. Just above it and to the right is a fairly dim star named Cursa by the ancient Arabic astronomers, which means “footstool.”
Cursa is the first star in the constellation Eridanus, a river that drifts to the right, makes a huge ox-bow bend, and then travels on down to the horizon. This constellation is filled with interesting telescopic objects, such as a triple star system. This is also the location of the nearest known extrasolar planet, a Jupiter-like object moving in a looping, elliptical 7-year orbit of the star Epsilon Eridiani.
The star doesn’t have a name, just an alphabetic title. We are located so far south that we can see Archernar, aka Alpha Eridiani, the ninth-brightest star in the heavens, marking the river’s end. If you have access to a decent telescope you will be able to detect that this is actually a double star that was used to navigate the oceans in the 18th century. Imagine trying to sail across miles of open ocean depending on charts written by navigators who had no reliable compass or timepiece.
The constellation Orion harbors numerous astronomical features that have intrigued sky-watchers for centuries. If you received a Christmas telescope you might explore the Orion Nebulae unless light pollution has become overwhelming in your observing location. Even the skies surrounding the Christina Torres Memorial Observatory (CTMO) at the Resaca de la Palma state park are affected by lighting from new construction in the area
The current issue of Sky & Telescope magazine has several articles related to Orion and his hidden treasures waiting to be discovered by those folks with Christmas telescopes. If you need help with your telescope skills, check with the South Texas Astronomical Society <https://starsocietyrgv.org/> about when they are out at the observatory and get expert help understanding and getting the most use out of your telescope.
Last, but not least, in March, the comet ZTF was discovered by the Zwicky Transient Facility at the Palomar Observatory in California via its 48-inch telescope. The comet is expected to brighten over the coming weeks and it is possible with proper equipment to spot it as it passes between Boötes and Hercules during January. Take a chance and connect with the CTMO folks about possible viewing opportunities.
Until next week, Carol signing out and reminding you to KLU.
