The sixth brightest star in the night sky, Capella, is the brightest star in the Northern Hemisphere constellation Auriga the Charioteer. This star is also one of the points in the Winter Hexagon. Source: https://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/capella-is-the-stellar-beacon-of-auriga-the-charioteer…
Tag: goat
The ocean in the autumn sky
In Northern Hemisphere autumn (Southern Hemisphere spring), you can see a group of constellations that represented an “ocean” to the early stargazers. Source: https://earthsky.org/constellations/the-constellations-of-the-celestial-ocean…
2020 is your year to see Capricornus
Poor Capricornus. The early Greek stargazers labeled it as a Sea Goat, but no amount of squinting – or even imagining – can help you see a Goat in this part of the sky. In 2020, Jupiter and Saturn come to the rescue! Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/how-to-see-constellation-capricornus-jupiter-saturn…
400-year-old mummified goat found frozen in Alps by champion skier
This goat could help researchers practice how to conserve and analyze ancient DNA. Source: https://www.livescience.com/frozen-mummy-goat-found-in-alps.html
Sagittarius? Here’s your constellation
How to find Sagittarius on August evenings, plus the lore and science of this constellation. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/sagittarius-heres-your-constellation…
What is pareidolia?
Seeing a dog in a patch of clouds, or a face in the moon, are examples of what’s called pareidolia. Look here for photos to test your own ability to see things that aren’t there. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/seeing-things-that-arent-there…
Ötzi the Iceman’s final days
Scientists have identified ancient mosses in, on and around the 5,300-year-old glacier mummy that add to the story of the final 48 hours before his murder. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/otzi-the-iceman-mummy-ancient-mosses…
Chinese New Year 2020 falls on January 25
Chinese New Year 2020 falls on January 25 in Asia (January 24 in the west), beginning the Year of the Rat. China’s public holiday will be January 24-30. In Beijing this week, Chinese health officials expressed concerns about a coronavirus now spreading during this heavy travel season in Asia. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/chinese-new-year-lunar-new-year…
Can you see stars’ different colors?
December is the perfect time for noticing the colors of the stars. Never noticed them? Today’s sky chart can help guide your eye. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/can-you-see-the-different-colors-of-the-stars…
See a celestial Chariot in December
The constellation Auriga the Charioteer also has several easy-to-find and very famous star clusters that you can spot with binoculars. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/celestial-chariot-high-overhead-around-midnight…