These next few nights – January 29 and 30, 2021 – use the moon to find Regulus, the Heart of the Lion in the constellation Leo. After the moon drops out of the evening sky, use the Big Dipper to star-hop to Regulus and Leo. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-regulus-at-mid-evening-in-january…
Tag: polaris
Look for Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper
Watch the celestial clock and its 2 great big hour hands – Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper – as they swing around the North Star every night! Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/cassiopeia-and-big-dipper…
What are degrees, arc minutes and arc seconds?
How do skywatchers measure distances in the night sky? Here’s how to understand it when they speak of objects as being several degrees (or several arc minutes or arc seconds) apart. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/sky-measurements-degrees-arc-minutes-arc-seconds…
Moon passes through Leo the Lion Dec 5-7
Let the waning gibbous moon show you Regulus, Leo’s brightest star, as the moon parades through the constellation Leo the Lion these next several days! Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-passes-through-leo-the-lion…
What is the Common Era?
If you encounter a date in the CE (Common Era) or BCE (Before Common Era) format, don’t fret. They mean exactly the same thing as AD (anno Domini) and BC (before Christ). Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/definition-common-era-bce-ce-bc-ad…
Gamma Cephei: A future Pole Star
About two thousand years from now, Gamma Cephei, an inconspicuous star in the constellation Cepheus, will become our North Star. Source: https://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/star-errai-future-north-star…
Can you see the Big Dipper in autumn?
Sure, it’s easy to recognize, but sometimes the Big Dipper is low in the northern sky, or not visible at all. That’s the case now, in the evening. How to spot it. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/can-you-see-the-big-dipper-in-autumn…
Use the Big Dipper to find Polaris
Draw a line through the Big Dipper pointer stars to find Polaris, Earth’s northern pole star. If your sky is dark, also look for a former pole star, Thuban. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/big-dipper-points-to-polaris-aids-in-finding-thuban-2…
Moon sweeps through Leo July 25 and 26
Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion. The moon can help you find it at nigtfall June 24 and 25, 2020. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-pairs-up-with-royal-star-regulus…
What’s a constellation? What’s an asterism?
Both constellations and asterisms are patterns of stars. What’s the difference? Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/definition-what-is-a-constellation-asterism…