Observations for the Night Sky in January: Linking Celestial Patterns through Asterisms
In our notes about the night sky in December, we talked about how the Orion constellation looks like an hourglass and is easy to see. But guess what? It turns out that what we see as Orion is not the whole constellation; it’s actually just a part called an asterism.
An asterism is like a picture made by stars in the night sky, creating shapes that help us recognize constellations. People from different times and cultures made these star patterns to tell stories, show respect for ancestors, and track time. The hourglass in Orion is one such example. But here’s a fun fact: Orion’s brightest knee is part of another asterism that connects six constellations in the Winter night sky. Most asterisms have bright stars you can see without a telescope. Find these important stars, then connect them to see the shape they make.
Star Patterns Across the Seasons
Look for these star patterns during this season and in the future:
Winter Circle – This group of stars, also called the Winter Hexagon, forms a big shape in the winter sky. It includes stars like Rigel, Aldebaran, Capella, Pollux, Procyon, and Sirius.
Winter Triangle – Another pattern you can spot in winter uses Procyon, Sirius, and Betelgeuse as its points.
Orion’s Belt – The three stars in the middle of the Orion constellation are also an asterism.
Virgo’s Diamond – In the spring sky, you can spot this asterism formed by Arcturus in Boötes, Cor Caroli in Canes Venatici, Denebola in Leo, and Spica in Virgo. Shining in the middle of this diamond is the brilliant Coma Berenices cluster, also known as Bernice’s Hair – an old asterism now recognized as a constellation!
Triangle of Summer
With the arrival of warmer nights, the Summer Triangle takes center stage in the sky. Made up of the shining stars Vega in Lyra, Deneb in Cygnus, and Altair in Aquila, this noticeable star pattern is the source of inspiration for the cultural festival Tanabata. Additionally, you can identify Cygnus the Swan, which forms the asterism known as the Northern Cross.
Autumn’s Great Square of Pegasus
becomes visible during this season. This square-shaped star pattern occupies a significant part of the sky and is formed by the stars Scheat, Alpheratz, Markab, and Algenib.
Following these patterns can lead you to celestial objects such as galaxies and star clusters. An instance is the Hyades, an open star cluster located in the Taurus constellation, showcasing signs of rocky planetary remnants. In 2013, the Hubble Space Telescope’s Cosmic Origins Spectrograph played a key role in analyzing light, breaking it down into distinct components. This examination revealed minimal amounts of carbon and silicon, crucial elements for planetary bodies. The Hyades is situated just beyond the Winter Circle and remains a popular observation for both amateur and professional astronomers.
Read the Original Article: NASA
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