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More about Orion

2012-01-20T17:07:00.004-05:00

Orion is the constellation that conjures the deepest imagination and wonder with just one glance. Something about the placement of the stars ties the entire picture together. Not to mention his 3-star-studded belt. Almost every culture in the ancient world associated these stars with a hunter, giant, or all-around he-man.

He was called by the Irish, Caomai, the armed king.
The Hebrews pictured Orion as Jacob wrestling the angel or the general Joshua.

HINDU LEGEND:
Orion was called Praja-pati who took the form of a stag in pursuit of his own daughter (represented by the star Aldebaran in Taurus). The chase was slowed by the arrow stuck in Praja-pati’s midsection (Orion’s belt). This arrow was shot by the avenging hunter (the star Sirius).

Orion's Belt had its own myths:

In Greenland it was Three Seal Hunters Lost at Sea
Eskimos called it Three Steps Cut in a Snow Bank
To Australians these stars were Three Men Dancing
In Africa it was Three Pigs
And in the picture to the right, this is a picture of Orion as a blanket that I got in South America. Notice it's upside down!

And there are sometimes where I look at the stars above and picture a particular rock n' roll icon with a snazzy belt and sparkly rhinestones. Instead of a club, he's holding a microphone. Yes, to me Orion is the Great Elvis in the Sky! Look at that belt...

LUNAR ECLIPSE on DECEMBER 10

2012-01-09T16:56:00.002-05:00

“Biggest Little” Lunar Eclipse
Live From Reno, Nevada

On December 10, 2011 there was a total lunar eclipse – but nobody in Cincinnati could see it. It was only visible west of the Rocky Mountains so I decided to go to a city with a better angle on the eclipse: Reno, Nevada. As part of my work with the PBS show Star Gazers, the producers of the show (WPBT2 in Miami, Florida) wanted to try something unique. With the help of KNPB (Reno’s PBS station) we made a live webcast of the entire thing (at least until the Moon set).

I and fellow Star Gazer host, Marlene Hidalgo, gave a running commentary, answered questions from viewers and interviewed some special guests during the eclipse from 4:00-7:00am. The weather was perfect for viewing the eclipse from its start to totality when the Moon set behind the mountains west of Reno. I always love that first moment of the eclipse when the dark shadow of the Earth can first be seen on the Moon’s surface. But near before totality, it really turned orange fast. During totality the color wasn’t as dramatic. In fact I thought it to be a very gray eclipse. A lot of the redness increased as the Moon got lower in the sky. It was a great experience to chase this eclipse, and share it with so many people who couldn’t see it. You can find a sped up video of the eclipse at: http://video.wpbt2.org/video/217 6957576/

Next up, I plan on traveling out west twice more in 2012 - to observe the Annular Solar Eclipse on May 20 and the Transit of Venus on June 5. Astronomer: Have Telescope, Will Travel.
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Orion's Stars

2012-01-04T15:32:00.004-05:00

I was always fascinated by the names of the stars. Who named them and what were they thinking about? The most famous star in Orion is, of course, Betelgeuse. People pronounce it in many ways, but I prefer "Beetle-juice." The name is Arabic in origin and means the "Armpit of the Great Central One." Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star nearing the end of its lifetime. When it goes, it will make a huge blast. And it probably will be stinky.

Orion's other armpit (actually his left shoulder) is marked by the deep-blue star Bellatrix. From Greek and Roman origins, Bellatrix means, "Female Warrior" or "Amazon Star." Legends say that women born under this star will be strong and have a gift for language. Not quite like Bellatrix Lestrange...

Bellatrix Lestrange

Bellatrix "Le Star"

But why does Orion, the meanest, macho-est, man in the sky have a girlie star? He must be in touch with his feminine side...

The brightest star in Orion is actually his left foot, Rigel. Rigel is another Arab-named star meaning, you guessed it, left foot. One of the brightest blue giants, Rigel is a nice contrast to ruddy Betelgeuse.

The three stars in the belt also have Arabic names. From left to right they are Alnitak (the girdle), Alnilam (the string of pearls), and Mintaka (the belt). "Belt...belt...belt."

Click on the map/picture at the top right for a close up and try to find these stars in Orion this month.
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Pegasus the Flying Horse Part II

2011-12-16T12:09:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I like the names of stars and their origins just as much as the mythologies of entire constellations. So let's take a closer look at four stars in Pegasus the Flying Horse.

The main feature of Pegasus are four stars marking a Great Square in the almost overhead after sunset. This is Pegasus' body and the Arabic names of three of these stars relate to that. The fourth one... well just you wait.

The alpha star in Pegasus is called Markab which means "the saddle" but can be translated as "ship" or "vehicle" - anything to travel upon. Beta is named Scheat, "the horse's shoulder." And gamma is Algenib, "the side" or "the wing." Those seem pretty straightforward and actually correspond to Pegasus' imagined body parts. The Arabic peoples were very literal when it came to naming the stars. The fourth star in the Great Square is a little more complicated.

This star is known today as Alpheratz, "the horse's navel." Technically Alpheratz is located in another famous constellation: Andromeda the Maiden. Andromeda was the daughter of Queen Cassiopeia who was chained to a rock in the ocean as a sacrifice to the dreaded sea monster. So Alpheratz is not only Pegasus' belly but also Andromeda's head. When you see old star maps of the two constellations you can't help but feel sorry for Andromeda. Couldn't they find a little more room for her up there?

I can picture Andromeda discussing the matter with the gods. Zeus might say, "Well, it's getting pretty crowded up there in the sky - what with all the new constellations." After a thoughtful pause he continues, "The only empty space is up there by Pegasus' belly. We'll just have to squeeze you up in there..."

Pegasus the Flying Horse

2011-12-06T21:28:00.001-05:00

One of the great fall constellations is Pegasus the Flying horse. He's easy to find in the sky if you're prepared to imagine him flying upside-down. Look for a big square or diamond shape of dim stars almost straight overhead. As an added clue there are very few stars within the square. This is Pegasus' body. His head and mane are to the right from the square.

Pegasus has one of the grossest origin stories I've ever read. He was born during the epic battle between Perseus the Hero and the dreaded Sea Monster. Remember the Sea Monster had just risen from the briny deep to devour poor, helpless Princess Andromeda - when Perseus flew up. And luckily Perseus had just the weapon to fight the horrible beast. Earlier in the day Perseus decapitated Medusa - the snaky-haired gorgon whose look turned all living souls to stone. Perseus closed his eyes and took Medusa's bloody head out of a bag and showed it to the Sea Monster. At first glance the monster turned to stone, cracked of its own weight and fell to the bottom of the sea.

But where did Pegasus come from? I'm getting to it.

During the battle, Medusa's head was still a little juicy. I mean Perseus just killed her that morning after all. When Perseus held out Medusa's head to the Sea Monster some blood dripped out of her neck. When the blood hit the sea water below a magical thing happened. Through some sort of foamy, jello process the Gorgon's blood mixed with the water to form into... Pegasus the Flying Horse. This was a common theme in Greek mythology - when a monster or god bled, something always sprang from it. But it's hard to imagine a lovely winged horse coming from such a gruesome beginning. Those Greeks sure had imaginations!

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Cetus the Sea Monster

2011-11-25T15:56:00.000-05:00

Our hero Perseus (remember him), was flying through the air, borne on his winged sandals. He was feeling quite proud of himself since he just killed Medusa earlier in the day. Suddenly he hears a scream and looks down to see a young maiden chained to a rock about to be devoured by a sea monster. Perseus thinks, "Man, does it get any better than this?" Not only did he kill Medusa, but now he can save a maiden in distress.

Perseus yells down to Andromeda to close her eyes and he pulls out Medusa's bloody head. He shows the head to the sea monster who instantly turns to stone, cracks of his own monstrous weight, and falls to the bottom of the ocean never to be seen again. Perseus swoops down to unchain Andromeda, and they fly away to live happily ever after.

The constellation Cetus the sea monster can be found basking on the shores of Eridanus, the river constellation. Look for a group of stars that look like a recliner chair to the right of Perseus and below Pegasus. What about Pegasus? Tune in next week...

Andromeda the Chained Maiden

2011-11-16T11:53:00.004-05:00

Where we left off in our Fall Star Saga...

King Cepheus, as punishment for his wife Cassiopeia's vanity, just agreed to chain his only daughter Andromeda to a rock in the ocean in order to appease the sea god Poseidon (see posts below for the full story). Andromeda, quite a beauty in her own right, had no choice but to become a sea biscuit to Poseidon's lurking pet sea monster, Cetus, in order to save her nation from a giant tsunami. The king's men stoically sailed Andromeda to the rock and chained her securely. Minutes later the mighty sea monster emerged from the briny deep. Andromeda screamed! Who on Olympus could possibly save her?!?

Tune in next time for more on the fantastic fall saga.

The easiest way to characterize the constellation of Andromeda is as two long legs. Two stretches of four stars emerge from one corner of the Great Square of Pegasus. In the fall, the
legs jut out to the left of the Great Square and lie almost parallel to the horizon. Dimmer stars above and below the legs mark her arms, but these can only be seen under excellent conditions. The great Andromeda Galaxy can be spied with a pair of binoculars above her right hip.

Cepheus the King

2011-11-03T17:29:00.000-04:00

Cassiopeia's husband, Cepheus the King, was enjoying a quiet afternoon nap when the great god of the sea, Poseidon strode in to the castle. In a rage Poseidon said, "King Cepheus! Your wife's vanity has gone too far. She has offended the gods and must be punished."

The King, waking up quickly, begged for mercy and eventually moved the god to a compromise. "Being a fair and angry god," Poseidon said, "I will give you two choices for your punishment. Punishment A) I will send down a tremendous tidal wave on your land killing everyone and everything."

"Gulp," said Cepheus. "That's not much of a compromise..."

"Or," the god continued, "Punishment B) take your one and only daughter Andromeda, chain her to the big rock in the sea, and let my sea monster eat her."

Well, Cepheus didn't have much of choice. Either way his daughter was doomed and at least he could save his kingdom for total destruction. As much as it hurt him to do this, Cepheus agreed to Punishment B.

To be continued...

You can find Cepheus tonight high in the northern sky just to the left of Cassiopeia. His dimmer stars look like an upside-down house.

Thanks to Rick Tiffini for his picture of Cepheus.
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Cassiopeia the Queen

2011-10-28T15:19:00.008-04:00

While Perseus was busy chopping off the head of Medusa a beautiful Queen was getting herself and her nation in big, big trouble.

Cassiopeia was thought to be the Queen of Ethiopia (or the kingdom around North-east Africa). She had a bad habit of bragging about her beauty. She believed that she was the most beautiful woman in the whole world - the most beautiful woman who ever lived - and the most beautiful woman that would ever live. And she told people these views about every twenty seconds.

Well one day, the Queen went too far. She proclaimed that she was more beautiful than all of the mermaids in the sea. Now this is no big deal to you and me, but to the god of the seas, Poseidon, this was the ultimate outrage. "My mermaids are more beautiful than that ugly old hag," he said. So Poseidon went to the palace to confront this boastful Queen.

To be continued...

Cassiopeia can be found high in the north-northeastern sky after sunset. Just look for 5 stars in the shape of a squished letter "M". Who's more beautiful?

Who is prettier???

Perseus the Prince

2011-10-20T15:16:00.003-04:00

Let's begin the mighty fall saga with our hero, Perseus.

As the adopted son of a king, Perseus lived the pampered life of a prince. When he turned 18, his father told him, "Okay son, you need to go out and find a job." Well, Perseus thought about this - maybe he could be a banker or insurance salesman - and then it hit him. He wanted the best job in the ancient world... Professional Monster Hunter.

As a son of Zeus, Perseus was buds with the gods they gave him some gifts to help with his new career. From Hephaestus he got a sword that would cut through anything; from Athena, a shield tahat was shinier than any mirror; and from Hermes, winged sandals so he could fly through the air with the greatest of ease. (I think I'll put those on my birthday list this year!)

Anyway for his first monster hunting job he wanted a challenge. Instead of hunting a sassy scorpion or crabby crab, he went after the dreaded Medusa. She was the gorgon-woman who had snakes for hair and if you looked at her you would turn to stone. Whew! She was one tough monster.

Perseus had a plan. He would go to Medusa's cave and set up his shield in the sand. Medusa's reflection, although still ugly, wouldn't turn you to stone. When Medusa came looking for Perseus he watched her in the shield until she got closer... and closer... until she was right next to him. Perseus pulled out his sword and "THWACK!" chopped her head right off! He closed his eyes, picked up the head, and put it in a bag. You never know when it might come in handy. Then he put on his winged sandals and flew back home. But this is not even close to the end of the story.

You can find the constellation Perseus in the northeast sky after 9pm. He is shaped like a letter "K" and if you have a really good imagination you can still see the bloody, severed head of Medusa in his left hand.

Get Ready for the Huge, Fall Sky Saga

2011-10-13T17:12:00.001-04:00

Whenever I think of the fall sky, I think of one of the best myths ever. It involves so much of the sky and so many constellations that it is huger than huge. I mean this story includes a king, a queen, a prince, a princess, two monsters, and a flying horse! Are you old enough to remember the mythologically accurate movie - complete with the best clay-mation available in 1981: Clash of the Titans. I wanted a flying horse!

And the myth never died - they made a remake in 2010 without the clay-mation (that was a little less impressive, IMO).

So buckle up and get ready this month for the great fall sky saga...

O MARVELOUS MOON

2011-10-03T20:59:00.002-04:00

This Saturday is International Observe the Moon Night - that means amateur astronomers around the globe will be setting up telescopes in public places. If you're walking around in a busy place and you see a telescope on the street corner, don't be afraid. Amateur astronomers are gentle and friendly creatures who only want to share their love of astronomy with you. No need to approach with caution - just walk over and ask politely to see the Moon.

This is the perfect week to watch the Moon right after sunset. When people see the Moon in a telescope their eyes light up. My favorite reaction comes from a 4th grader who did a double-take while looking through the eyepiece. “Man,” he commented, “the Moon sure got beat up!”

Peak in Tycho's Crater

Scarred with millions of craters, the Moon displays a violent past of meteoric impacts. The most prominent crater, located on the southern half, is best seen at full Moon. The dynamic rays of crater Tycho radiate over 1,000 miles from its dark rim. Tycho is the newest, large impact with a diameter of 50 miles. The crater floor is almost 3 miles deep and features a central mountain peak over a mile high.

Most craters are best seen when they are located near the terminator – the line separating the illuminated from the dark surface. Just south of the center of the Moon you will find three dramatic craters named Ptolemaeus, Alphonsus, and Arzachel. With binoculars and telescopes, these crater walls can be seen with amazing contrast and clarity when the Moon is halfway lit up.

Cygnus the Swan

2011-09-26T16:57:00.001-04:00

Cygnus the Swan is also known as the Northern Cross since it resembles, well, a cross. It is mostly a summer constellation but does appear standing up on Christmas evenings (as a symbol for the season).

Deneb is one big star

The swan is located in a rich part of the Milky Way. In some cultures, they considered the Milky Way to be the river in the sky and the swan, a water bird, is naturally flying along it. The Milky Way appears to split near the brightest star Deneb which means “Tail” in Arabic. Deneb is the farthest star you can see with the naked eye - around 3,000 light years away!

One Greek legend says that the big cheese himself, Zeus, fell in love with a mortal woman named Leda (This was a regular thing for the romantic Zeus. In fact Leda was his third mortal crush that week!). Anyway Zeus decided that sending Leda flowers would be too boring. She deserved a more creative approach. After all she was the Queen of Sparta. So Zeus disguised himself as a swan to gain Leda’s love. This swan would appear at Leda’s window everyday and she thought, “My, there is something strange about that swan. He’s certainly not like the other swans. He seems more dynamic." Maybe it was the feathers or the way he threw thunderbolts, but as strange as it sounds, Leda fell in love with the swan. Much to her surprise the swan turned back into Zeus and they lived happily ever after - until Zeus met someone else that next week.

A Korean Star Myth with Aquila and Lyra

2011-09-15T16:46:00.001-04:00

Once upon a time a cowherd fell deeply in love with a woman weaver. They would see each other so often that the cows were neglected and the spinning wheel scarcely turned. The father of the weaver became so enraged by this slacking off (even in the name of love) that he banished the couple into the sky.

Their love was so strong that they fell into the sky hand in hand as if gravitationally attracted. It looked as if they would finally be together until a flock of magpies flew in between the two. Their hands separated and their bodies glided slowly but surely away from each other. The lovers struggled to reconnect but it was no use. When they stuck to the heavens, the weaver was on one side of the great river in the sky (The Milky Way) and the cowherd fell on the opposite shore. The cowherd turned into the stars Altair, Tarazed, and Alshain in the constellation Aquila - the weaver turned into Vega and stars in Lyra.

According to this Korean legend, the couple could meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month. Only then could they cross the river because of the magpies. Magpies in Korea flocked like crazy in July - and to atone for their role in separating the lovers, flew up to the stars to build a bridge across the river. Only then could the couple meet on the backs of the magpies. In Korea, children were taught to stone any magpies they saw not helping build that bridge.

When the meeting occurs on the seventh day of the seventh month, Altair and Vega shine in 5 colors to symbolize their happiness. Unfortunately, if it rains on July 7th, the couple fails to meet at all. Even though we're long past July, look for these two stars almost straight overhead after dark.

Aquila the Eagle

2011-09-09T15:51:00.001-04:00

Located high in the southern sky and in a rich part of the Milky Way, Aquila the Eagle was thought to be the companion of Zeus. Many Greek myths indicated that Aquila carried the thunderbolts Zeus frequently hurled at troublesome humans. In fact since eagles seemed to be the fastest creatures, the Greek associated them with lightning strikes. In other Greek myths Aquila swooped down to carry away a mortal named Ganymede who Zeus fancied. Zeus to his servants: “I’m so busy today. Send my eagle around to pick him up.”

Another gruesome Greek tale involved Prometheus and the Eagle. The gods punished Prometheus for stealing fire from Mt. Olympus and sharing this powerful gift with us lowly humans. As a punishment he was chained to a rock while a giant eagle came to feast on his liver. But having this happen only once wasn’t good enough. The gods magically restored his liver every day so that the eagle could return to torture Prometheus for eternity. Wow, that’s harsh. What was poor Prometheus thinking as he awoke in the morning, whole, only to hear the ominous flap, flap, flapping of the eagle’s wings coming ever closer? Prometheus was finally freed from the tortuous existence by Hercules who killed the eagle with an arrow. Fire anyone?

Aquila’s Main Star:

Rapidly Rotating Altair

ALTAIR - “Flying Eagle” in Arabic
One of our closest neighbors at 17 light years away
Part of the Summer Triangle with Deneb in the

constellation Cygnus and Vega in the constellation Lyra.

Easily identified for its brightness as well as two sentinel stars on each side of it, Alshain and Tarazed. These stars get their names from the Persian name for Aquila, Shahin Tara Zed, or the Star Striking Falcon.

“She (Altair) steals into the sky timidly and seems to tremble there as if half afraid and shyly reveals her beauty to us before we are scarcely aware of her presence.”
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Lyra the Harp

2011-08-28T18:42:00.000-04:00

This constellation represents the musical instrument invented by the messenger god Hermes. It has also been visualized as an Eagle or Vulture. Although small, Lyra holds many bright stars including the fifth brightest star in the sky, Vega.

VEGA

Vega is the brightest star in the Summer Triangle and is high overhead during the fall evenings. This blueish star is only 26 light years away and will replace Polaris as our Pole Star in about 12,000 years. Vega will be our distant ancestors' new North Star. Vega is also the place where an alien message originated in the fiction movie and book Contact.

Also called the “Queen of the Summer Skies”

“Falling Vulture” (Arab)

“Spinning Maiden” (Chinese/Korean)

“King Arthur’s Harp” (Britons)

“Fiddle in the Sky” (Bohemia)

Worshipped by ancient Egypt as early as 6000 BC

The Greek Myth of Orpheus and Eurydice

Orpheus was a tremendous harp player. He was the best that ever walked the Earth. His music was so sweet and pure that even the trees bent over to listen. The river ceased flowing, wild beasts became tame, even mountains listened with pleasure when Orpheus played his magical music.

One day he met a beautiful nymph named Eurydice. She too was mesmerized by Orpheus’ music and they fell in love and got married. Unfortunately, soon after the marriage, Eurydice was bit on the heel by a serpent and died. Orpheus was deeply saddened by her death and vowed to never play music again.

Well, no one was happy by this. Not even the gods. So the gods came to Orpheus and told him how he could cross over through the gates of death and retrieve his love Eurydice. Orpheus jumped at the idea and made the journey to the Underworld.

But first he had to deal with Hades, god of departed spirits. Hadeswas never anxious to let anyone leave his realm. But Orpheus began to play his harp, and Hades was so moved by the music that he agreed to release Eurydice to him on one condition (there’s always a condition). Orpheus had to walk in front of Eurydice all the way back to the land of the living. He was not allowed to turn around and look at her until they crossed through the gates of death.

Of course, Orpheus, being so much in love with this woman, could barely contain himself. They walked out of the Underworld in single file, Orpheus constantly listening for his beloved's soft fottsteps. Upward and upward he marched never sure if Eurydice was there behind him. And he saw the end of the tunnel ahead - he had almost reached the light of day. But then doubt entered his head. Eurydice’s footsteps fell silent. Was she really there? Was he tricked by Hades? And if he went outside could he ever come back? Orpheus finally couldn't take it any longer and turned to look at his beloved. There she was, as radiant as he remembered her. And in another moment, her smile faded, faded, and she vanished forever.

Lyra, Orpheus’ harp remains in the sky as a reminder of true love, love lost, and why death is so hard to cheat.

SUMMER TRIANGLE

2011-08-17T16:33:00.000-04:00

During the heart of summer three bright stars make a large, noticeable triangle in the sky (Vega, Deneb, and Altair). This Summer Triangle can be seen even from the most light polluted skies. Although it makes a nice urban constellation, each star is really part of its own heavenly picture.

High up in the sky is bright, blue Vega. Vega is where the aliens from the movie Contact were calling from. Not too far away (only 25 light years), Vega is part of the constellation called Lyra the Harp. Lyra looks like a small parallelogram.

Down and to the left is dimmer star called Deneb. Deneb is a whopping 3,000 light years away - making it the farther bright star you can see. This is the tail of the swan, the constellation Cygnus. Cygnus is also called the North Cross because, well, it looks like a cross jutting into the center of the Summer Triangle. These stars actually look like a swan.

To the right is bright, white Altair. Altair is the head of the constellation Aquila, the Eagle. Although the Eagle might be tough to imagine from the stars, Altair is easy to find because it has two dimmer stars bracketing it. And it's so bright because it's only 17 light years away.

Over the next few weeks we'll take a closer look at each constellation in the Summer Triangle and the many myths behind them.

BEHIND THE SCENES AT STAR GAZER

2011-08-09T17:48:00.000-04:00

Click for a "Supergiant"

Hey there Star Gazers...

I just finished filming the last classic Jack Horkheimer, Star Gazer episode. This will air on the last Monday in September. It's been a lot of fun filming down in Miami, Florida, standing and sitting on Jack's "light beam" and pointing out the stars and constellations. So far I've filmed six months of shows. But the best is when I'm sitting above red supergiant stars like Antares. Keeps my feet warm! You can watch my episode about the Milky Way on youtube. Just right click and open this link in a new window: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JalTY9D0gs

Star Gazers

I'm happy to say that Star Gazer will continue - just in a new format. It'll be called Star Gazers featuring me and James Albury from the Kika Silva Pla Planetarium. We'll be filming these shows in three weeks and they'll start airing at the same time, same channel, new website, on October 3. We'll also be joined by Marlene Hidalgo who will be doing some of the online programs. I got a preview of the new opening for Star Gazers and IT IS AWESOME.

A huge thanks go to Jack and everyone at WPBT2 in Miami for continuing the tradition. Can't wait to begin the next generation of Star Gazers. Keep looking up!
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Hercules Part II

2011-08-02T15:41:00.000-04:00

The ancient Sumerians who began studying and charting the heavens thousands of years ago thought this kneeling figure represented Gilgamesh, their version of Superman. The epic of Gilgamesh the warriror is one of the oldest surviving texts.

The Greeks had a Superman of their own named Hercules. Hercules started early. At only eight months of age, he strangled two serpents that tried to mess with his teddy bear. He was taught by the greatest teacher in Greece, Chiron the centaur. Chiron can be seen in the constellation Sagittarius.

Hercules (or Heracles in Greek) was the son of Zeus and a mortal woman, Alcmene. His name was a slap in the face to Zeus' wife Hera (Heracles means, "Glory of Hera"... ouch), and she did everything she could to make young Herc pay. Hera drove him stark raving mad - mad enough to kill his wife and kids. As punishment Hercules was forced to do twleve labors for king Eurystheus. At the completion of these labors, Hercules would achieve immortality. But these labors were not like taking out the garbage and mowing the lawn. Hera made sure they were the most impossible things imaginable.

Hercules’ first job was to slay the terrible Neamean Lion represented by the constellation Leo (see Leo). Another labor involved the slaying of the fierce and deadly Hydra. Hercules was rewarded for his valor and obedience by the god Zeus and was taken up to heaven where he lived happily ever after shining down on us.

Adding to his legend, Hercules was also married four times (once after death).
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BOXHENGE AT THE CINCINNATI OBSERVATORY

2011-07-26T16:18:00.001-04:00

A enigmatic structure appeared suddenly yesterday at the Cincinnati Observatory. It appears to be a recreation of the famous Stonehenge monument except made entirely out of... boxes. Was it made by a race of Celtic giants? Is it Alien in origin? What civilization could've produced such a thing? And for what purpose?

Experts believe that the structure is ceremonial in nature and would draw crowds to witness celestial events. A "Heel-box" was also erected at the precise place where the Sun would rise from the site on the summer solstice. This display of astronomical knowledge demonstrates an advanced understanding of the heavens, but beyond a calendar what other mysterious uses does Boxhenge serve? Cincinnati Observatory staff will continue to examine the site for more clues...

Hercules Isn't Too Bright

2011-07-21T15:03:00.001-04:00

This month is all about the guys in the sky. First we'll talk about Hercules and later in the month we'll explore Ophiuchus the Serpent Wrestler.
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As strong as Hercules was, he sure has some dim stars in the sky. Hercules is not an easy guy to find up there - his brightest stars being only of third magnitude. The best way to find Hercules is to look for the keystone, or four sided figure that makes up his body. Hercules is said to be kneeling. Unfortunately for him (and our imagination), he is kneeling upside-down. Look for the brighter constellations around Hercules - Draco is above, Lyra to the left, Corona Borealis to the right, and Ophiuchus the Serpent Charmer below him.

The brightest star in Hercules is Ras Algethi which means, in ancient Arabic, "Head of the Kneeler." This must be some acrobatic kneeler standing on his head! The star is a red supergiant 600 times the diameter of our sun. that varies in brightness. Aim a small telescope at Ras Algethi and you will discover that it is really two stars in one.

The most interesting feature in the figure of Hercules is fuzzy area in the sky called M 13. M 13 is a globular cluster - a cluster of around 300,000 stars - the brightest of its kind in the northern skies. M stands for Messier object, and these are nebulae and galaxies charted by the French astronomer Charles Messier. This cluster is number 13. You can see M 13 with the naked eye but try viewing it through some binoculars to achieve a sparkling effect.
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Corona Bowl-ealis - The Northern Bowl

2011-07-14T22:51:00.000-04:00

Ancient Greeks believed Corona Borealis to be the beautifully jeweled crown given to Ariadne after she was dumped by Theseus. But the formation of stars is so distinct that many other cultures saw different images in this region of the sky. For example the Australian Aborigines thought this constellation was a boomerang flying through the heavens. In a Native American legend it is the cave where the great bear lives. And at different seasons it looks like either a smile or a frown.

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The Shawnee Indians saw the seven stars of the crown as seven beautiful maidens. One story tells of a brave hunter named White Hawk who was resting in a clearing one warm summer day. He was jolted awake by a giant silver basket descending by a silver cord from the clouds. Upon closer inspection, White Hawk noticed that the basket was occupied by seven stunning young women. When the basket touched the ground, the maidens stepped out of the basket and danced wildly in a ring. White Hawk watched from a good distance but crept closer. He was so enthralled that he wanted to ask the most beautiful maiden to be his bride. But when he approached, the women jumped into the basket, pulled the silver cord and flew back into the sky once more.

The next day, White Hawk returned to the same clearing at the same time. This time he disguised himself as a rabbit in the hopes of getting closer to the babes. Sure enough, the basket with the women descended again to the ground. They danced. He hopped closer (as a bunny)... but the disguise didn't work. The women jumped back into the basket, pulled the cord, and flew skyward. "Drat," White Hawk said.

So he tried it again the next day - this time disguised as a mouse. And for some strange reason, maybe his costume was better, maybe he was mousy already, the disguise worked. He scurried up to the seven maidens and grabbed the fairest of them all, and carried her away. White Hawk is represented by the bright star Arcturus, while the fairest of the maidens is brightest star in the Northern Crown, Alphecca.

The name Alphecca comes from an Arabic word meaning, "Bright one of the Dish." This refers to the Arab vision of this as a dish or bowl. Thus I call it "Corona Bowl-ealis." It's all a matter of perspective.

NEW STAR GAZER EPISODES

2011-07-05T18:21:00.023-04:00

Great news! I have been selected to be the permanent co-host of the new Star Gazers TV show! The Star Gazers will feature me and astronomer James Albury from the Kika Silva Pla Planetarium in Gainesville, Florida on your PBS stations and online. We will continue the tradition of Jack Horkheimer's Star Gazer and let you know "What's Up" in the night sky as well as demo new graphics and effects that will take you the edge of the universe, explain the workings of the heavens, and have you back in time to step outside and see it all for yourself. Star Gazers will debut on October 4, 2011.

In the meantime, I filmed classic Star Gazer episodes for July and will be back on in September as well. To see the one-minute and five-minute shows for this week entitled "Planets, Planets Everywhere," right click on the links below and select, "Open in New Window"

5-minute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx73eZ3Y7Nw

1-minute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUIa1YDxF7E

For the archive of past shows, please do the same for Jack Horkheimer's page: http://www.jackstargazer.com/JHSG_DNLD.html

Keep looking up!

More About Virgo

2011-06-21T14:51:00.001-04:00

Spica

Spica is the real star of Virgo. Her rising marked to official beginning of Spring and the planting season. She has been called the "Queen Star of the Spring," and the "Star of Prosperity," but literally means "Ear of Wheat" which Virgo is holding in her left hand. The Egyptians built many temples to Spica's movement. At key times in the year, the light of Spica would penetrate deep shafts in these temples like in that Indiana Jones movie. The star is a brilliant blue-white in color and lies 260 light years away - or 1,508,000,000,000,000 miles! It is a binary star - meaning it is really two stars revolving around each other.

Vindemiatrix is the second brightest star lying north of Spica. Vindemiatrix means, "Grape Gatherer" because it rises in the morning before the time of the vintage. The star lies 100 light years away and is a yellow giant.

Near Vindemiatrix rest many galaxies. Look a little to the right of Vindemiatrix with a large telescope and see what you can find. One of the largest galaxies around is called M87 and is located in Virgo. The Hubble Telescope caught this picture of it with a jet of material streaming out. To many astronomers this indicated the presence of a super-massive black hole in the center of M87

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Virgo the Maiden

2011-06-14T15:14:00.002-04:00

As Spring turns to Summer, the constellation Virgo reclines in the south after sunset. Virgo is lying on her back holding an ear of wheat in one hand and a dove of peace in the other. It's difficult to make out her silhouette in the sky - many of the stars are dim, and really don’t look much like a maiden. But her brightest star, Spica (pronounced SPY-ka), makes up for this obscurity. Spica is one of the most beautiful blue stars and easy to locate.

First find the Big Dipper in the northern sky. Trace down the arc of the handle and continue that curved line out in the sky. This should take you to a very bright, vaguely orange star called Arcturus. Now straighten out the line a little more and continue it until you hit Spica farther in the south. And there is Virgo. There is a catchy saying to remember all this. "Follow the arc to Arcturus then hit a spike to Spica." All right, it’s not that catchy...

The majority of the cultural myths - from Greece to India - describe Virgo as a maiden, virgin, or symbol of purity, innocence, and justice. The ancient Greeks likened her to the daughter of Zeus and the goddess of justice. She lays in the sky next to another zodiac sign, Libra the scales to mark her association with the scales of justice.

The ancient Egyptians thought Virgo represented the great goddess Isis. Isis had an ear of corn in her hand instead of wheat. Isis was the creator of the Milky Way, the band of fuzzy stars that form the heart of our galaxy, when she was up in the sky. One day, Isis was chased by a monster just as she was about to eat some corn. In the chase, she dropped the corn which scattered around the dome of heaven making the Milky Way - or should I say, "The Corny Way."

The Milky Way - Rightclick to open in new window

The Arabs initially included Virgo in a giant Lion constellation and some called it the Barking Dogs, but many groups seem to have changed it to conform with the Greek myths. Virgo is "Al Adhra al Nathifah," the Innocent Maiden.

And in India, the Hindus believe Virgo to be Kanya, the maiden and mother of the great Krishna.
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Finding Direction - Your North Star

2011-06-06T21:01:00.000-04:00

Found

Let's say you're lost (on a mysterious island or in the city). What do you do? The stars can guide you my friends...

Although the Little Dipper is faint, and the Little Bear is dim, this constellation holds the most famous star in the sky. Polaris, also known as the North Star, is the guide of travelers, stargazers, and all-around lovers of the night. Polaris is the star on the end of the Little Dipper's handle or the Little Bear outrageously long, stretched-out tail.

Contrary to popular opinion, the North Star is NOT the brightest star in the sky. In fact it ranks about 48th in brightness. Through the city haze, it is just barely visible.

The best way to find the North Star is to use the brighter stars of the Big Dipper to guide you. Follow the two stars at the end of the Big Dipper's spoon (named Merak and Dubhe) and they will point you to Polaris. This is called the "Pointer Star Method" and can help you find your way around many parts of the sky - even over to Cassiopeia.

Around Cincinnati the North Star is always about halfway up in the sky. Now that you can find the North Star, you'll never be lost again!

Ursa Minor - The Baby Bear

2011-05-31T16:46:00.006-04:00

Part II: The Bear Strikes Back!

(See May 16 blog for Part I)

"What happened next? What happened next?" the kids asked the ancient shaman.

The storyteller stared up from the fire, stroked his beard, sat up straight, and said, "After the hunter threw the momma bear up into the sky (becoming the constellation Ursa Major), he continued on down the path. Soon he passed some bushes on the edge of a great forest. The hunter heard a strange noise coming from the bushes that caused him to stop. The bushes were making a pathetic whimpering noise (insert whimpering here). Now normally bushes don't make whimpering noises so his curiosity made him part the branches to see... the saddest, most pathetic-looking Baby Bear.

"The Baby Bear had lost his mommy. 'Oh boy,' thought the hunter. 'I think I know where mommy might be...' After all, he just threw her up in the sky 10 minutes ago and there she was shining down on everyone. The hunter could not climb up to the sky to bring momma back so he decided the only thing to do was to... Throw the Baby Bear up in the Sky!

"So the hunter grabbed the Baby Bear by his short stubby tail and swung him around over his head. And soon the Baby Bear's tail began stretching and stretching until the hunter let go ----- whoosh! The baby bear flew up and stuck - SPLAT! - to the sky not far from his momma."

And that is how the Big and Little Bear got into the sky.

Look for the Big and Little Bear in the northern sky tonight.

KITT PEAK and SOME NEEDED DOME WORK

2011-05-25T16:18:00.001-04:00

Dean with the 4-meter

Last week I visited Tucson, Arizona for an astronomy conference called Project Astro. As part of the conference I had the pleasure of visiting the National Optical Astronomy Observatory on Kitt Peak. But there is not just one dome and one telescope atop this mountain - there are 19 optical telescopes and 2 radio telescopes which dot the top of the ridge over 6500 feet above sea level.

As part of the tour I saw their largest scope, the Mayall 4 meter. The researchers were getting ready for a night of observing but were nice enough to show how the roof opened and rotated and even moved the telescope down to where we could see the huge mirror. It was a little eerie how quiet everything moved. Seeing a hundred ton object moving silently toward you was like watching a building lean over.

Looking up the solar tunnel

I also got to see inside their great solar observatory, the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope. This odd-shaped building was designed to capture and analyze sunlight and I was able to peer down the tunnel that continues into the mountain itself.

Reaching new heights

Finally when I returned to Cincinnati, we needed to do some maintenance to our dome. It seemed so much smaller than the domes at Kitt Peak so I volunteered to climb up. I'll tell you, it was a real rush sitting atop a dome with 1/16 of an inch of steel holding me above the old telescope (and the hard flood below). The life of an astronomer - travel, adventure, and a little danger too...

Ursa Major - The Big Bear

2011-05-16T18:02:00.001-04:00

The ancient Greeks and some Native American groups both called these stars a big bear. The Big Dipper is only the rear end and tail of the bear. But have you ever seen a bear with a tail like that? It looks more like a raccoon or an angry cat to me. Well, imagine you're sitting around the campfire thousands of years ago and an old shaman begins to tell you the tale of the Big Bear...

"Once upon a time, a long long time ago there was a young hunter. It had been a cold and dark winter and the village was on the brink of starvation. So they sent their best hunter out in search of food. He collected his bow and arrows and hiked off down the path. He hiked and hiked and hiked and hiked until he came to a dangerous section of the path along the ridge of a mountain - cliffs on each side. As he looked ahead there was a humongous momma bear laying in his path taking a nap (insert snoring noises please). The hunter couldn't go around the bear, over the bear, or under the bear. And he couldn't turn back home foodless as he was. What to do?

The hunter decided that action needed to be taken. Since desperate times call for desperate measures he snuck up on that momma bear and grabbed her by her short, stubby tail and began swinging him around over his head (he was a strong guy!). And as the bear was twirling around and around a funny thing began to happen. The bear's tail started stretching and stretching until finally the hunter let go - whoosh! The bear flew up, up, up so high that she stuck - splat! - into the sky where she slowly turned into the stars we see today. And that is how the Big Bear got her long tail."

People loved this story so much that they wanted to hear more - a sequel. See the May 31 blog for Part II, the Bear Strikes Back!

The Big Dipper - Rutila Major

2011-05-09T17:24:00.001-04:00

For the next few weeks we will be focusing on the northern sky and the stars that are up most of the year. This is a great time to find the Big Dipper. The seven unmistakable stars hang high in the northwest after sunset (upside-down). If you locate a dipper which one is it? Big or Little? If you live in or near a city - no need to fear. You can only see the Big Dipper. Four of the seven stars of the Little Dipper are too faint to see in a light polluted sky.

Different cultures imagined quite different pictures in these stars. In medieval Europe it was a death cart or wagon. Some Native American groups called it the "Thigh of an Ox" while others used it as a eye test (see if you can see an extra star hovering just above one of the seven). Egyptians called it a coffin. African Americans called it the "Drinking Gourd". In England they still call it The Plow.

Here is a very famous painting by Vincent van Gogh called "Starry Night over the Rhone". It's pretty obvious where the Big Dipper is. Van Gogh included stars in several of his paintings including Starry Night and Cafe Terrace at Night.
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If you have trouble seeing any of those things in the Big Dipper, try to modernize it. Maybe to you it will look like a lawn mower, shopping cart, or question mark. Don't ask me why that shopping cart is in a jacuzzi...

Coma Berenices - Berenice's Hair

2011-05-02T14:31:00.001-04:00

So what is the deal with the Mop of Hair that was in the picture next to Bootes (see post from April 26)??? That's Berenice's Hair, a small, faint constellation visible in the spring and summer skies.

In Greek mythology Berenice was the beautiful Queen of Egypt known for her flowing tresses. When her husband went off to war, Berenice asked Aphrodite to protect her beloved in battle. In return, if he returned to her safely, she would cut off her long hair as a gift to the goddess. When the king returned unharmed to her side, Berenice stayed true to her word and lopped it all off. The hair was placed in the temple where it mysteriously disappeared. What cur took the Queen's beautiful hair? Who dared?

Heads were going to roll (not to mention hair), if the culprit was found. Luckily a court astronomer came to the rescue - he found the missing locks. The hair was such a pleasing sacrifice to Aphrodite that SHE took it and placed it in the sky for all to see. So now the glory a Berenice's hair has reached new heights and lives on in the stars.

You can best find this constellations in a very dark sky. Binoculars help too. Scan the sky to the right of the bright star Arcturus and you should see a mass of stars. Lots of locks!

Bootes and the Plow

2011-04-26T14:13:00.000-04:00

You may have noticed a lone bright star in the east after sunset. This is Arcturus, the brightest star in the constellation Boötes. This kite-shaped constellation first appears in the spring sky looking like a wide tie hanging from the invisible neck of an invisible businessman. Boötes is no yuppie bustling through traffic but a Herdsman, Bear-Driver, or Inventor of the Plow.

First let's talk about how to pronounce this constellation. It is a 3-syllable name; "Bo-oh-teez," not "Boots," and please never call him, "Booties."

One myth portrays Boötes as an inventive man who overcomes adversity. Once upon a time Bootes was walking through the woods - on his way to grandma’s house - when he was robbed by his brother. Not only that, when he returned home, he discovered that his good-for-nothing, thief-brother had taken possession of everything he owned. House. Land. Wife. Everything. Undaunted, Bootes finds a new place to live but is dead broke. He can’t rub one nickel together. As a poor farmer, he invents a plow that can be pulled by oxen. His invention spreads around the globe, and after patenting it, Bootes can afford anything. This story fits in extremely well with the old English view of the Big Dipper as a Big Plow. Boötes can be seen right behind the plow pushing it around the pole.

The easiest way to find Boötes is to find his brightest star, Arcturus. Nothing could be easier. First, find the handle of the Big Dipper and use it as a pointer. Follow the arc of the handle and continue this arc until you run into Arcturus. Remember the catchy saying, "Follow the arc to Arcturus," and you'll find Boötes.

This is Boötes as a Herdsman with his dogs. Next time I may tell you about the mop of hair under the dogs in this picture.
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Gemini Twins - Greek Version

2011-04-18T16:41:00.000-04:00

Have you found the stars Pollux and Castor yet? The ancient Greek myth about these twin brothers might motivate you to discover the twins.

Pollux and Castor shared the same mother, but one was mortal (Castor) and the other was the son of Zeus (Pollux) - talk about confusing genealogy! They grew up and developed the greatest bond of friendship - one as a master pugilist the other master horseman.

One evening the brothers attended the double wedding of their twin, male cousins who were marrying, you guessed it, twin girls! So many twins. Before the ceremony began, Pollux and Castor accidentally went into the wrong tent – where the twin girls were readying themselves. Well, their eight eyes met and the twins fell helplessly in love with the twin brides-to-be. The foursome were about to make a quick and romantic getaway from the wedding when the two grooms discovered their plans and stopped them. A terrible fight ensued in which Castor was killed. In Pollux’s rage, he killed the two cousins in revenge. Question: why pick a fight with an immortal anyway?

Pollux was so saddened that he wished he were dead (no need for a wife now, I guess). He pleaded with the gods to kill him so that he could be with his brother forever in the afterlife. The gods were so moved by Pollux’s feelings that they granted his request and immortalized the twins together in the sky to be a sign of fraternal love. You can find them high in the west after sunset - two bright, twin stars.

Gemini Twins

2011-04-11T14:10:00.001-04:00

This week try to find the Gemini twins in the sky. After it gets dark, look high in the southwestern sky - almost straight overhead. There you will find two stars of nearly equal brightness. If you look a little closer you will see that one is orange-yellow and the other is blue-white. Those are the heads of the twins named Pollux and Castor. Their bodies and feet are tougher to see (just look down and to the left for more stars).

Watch out for the Kangaroo!

AUSTRALIAN MYTH

An old Australian myth ties in the two bright stars of Gemini with the star Capella in the constellation Auriga. Castor and Pollux are two huntsmen named Yurree and Wanjil. They are hunting the elusive kangaroo named Purra (Capella). During the summer when these stars are below the horizon, it is said that the two hunters finally catch the kangaroo and kill it. They then cook his meat over a fire and cause waves of heat to rise above the ground like a shimmering haze.

In African Mythology the brightest stars are The Wise and Foolish Antelope.

Others call them “Two Peacocks,” the “Two Kids,” or the “Giant’s Eyes.”

Canis Minor, The Little Dog

2011-04-04T19:14:00.000-04:00

Canis Minor is, perhaps, the lamest constellation in the sky (although Antila the Air Pump is pretty bad too). This little constellation is supposed to be the little hunting dog Orion brought with him into the sky. But this stellar canine is pretty hard to pick out of the stars... maybe because it consists of only TWO stars. The only dog this resembles is a hot dog!
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One of the Little Dog's stars, Procyon, is incredibly bright. Procyon ranks as the eighth brightest star in the sky for one important reason: it is among the closest stars to us. At about 11 light years away, this white sub-giant star has a white dwarf star orbiting it. You can easily find Procyon in the southwestern sky this month about 25 degrees above the brighter nose of the Big Dog (Canis Major) - the star named Sirius.

The other star visible in Canis Minor has the name Gomeisa. Gomeisa is actually a much bigger, brighter, hotter, and more interesting star than Procyon. Astronomers have detected a large cloud enshrouding this star (see picture to the right). The name Gomeisa is a shortened version of a longer Arabic word meaning "The Little Bleary-eyed One" (or "Bleary-eyed Woman" depending on your translation). Another myth said this was the star left behind by Sirius and Canopus (a bright star below the southern horizon) and still cries in the sky. Okay, I think I'm more likely to see a little dog in this constellation than a single, solitary, crying star. But maybe that explains the cloud!

Sirius Mysteries

2011-03-28T13:31:00.001-04:00

No Dog Days Yet

Sirius the Dog Star is the brightest star in the nighttime sky. It has fascinated people around the globe and plays a prominent role in cultural myths. To the Egyptians it was worshipped as the "King of Suns," who based their calendars on its movements. The rising and setting of Sirius told the Egyptians when to plant, when to harvest, and when the Nile typically flooded. The phrase "Dog Days of Summer" originates in the ancient Egypt. During the hottest part of summer, the Sun stands high in the sky. And even though they could not see it, the Egyptians knew that Sirius was also nearby the Sun during the day. They claimed that the presence and brilliance of Sirius added to the intensity of the Sun's heat.

In Hindu mythology, Sirius was a hunter. This hunter was the father of 27 daughters represented in the 27 phases of the moon.

The Finnish poet Topelius wrote a poem hypothesizing that two stars fell in love and became one - he turned out to be correct Sirius has a small white dwarf companion circling it, Sirius B
which orbits Sirius every 50 years.

Two controversies surround Sirius. Ancient Greek texts claim that Sirius is a bright red star. In actuality Sirius is shimmering white. Did Sirius change colors over the years? Did the Greeks get this wrong? Was Sirius lower in the sky and therefore appear more red? We may never know.

The second controversy involves the mythology that the Dogon people of West Africa had about Sirius. According to French anthropologists who first met this tribe, the Dogon had a special reverence for Sirius and developed many unique rituals around this bright star. The Dogon legends say that aliens from Sirius visited their people 5,000 years ago. They perform a celebration every 50 years in honor of their alien visitors. Why every 50 years? The aliens told them that where they come from they have 2 suns, a smaller one that orbits the larger one every 50 years. It turns out that modern astronomy proved the existence of a smaller companion star (Sirius B) that orbits the main star (Sirius A) every... wait for it... 50 years! So the question still remains, were the Dogon really visited by aliens from Sirius or were they just given inside information from aliens from France?

Look for Sirius in the southwestern sky this March and April.

Sirius Aliens?

Leo the Lion

2011-03-21T19:37:00.000-04:00

Spring has sprung in Cincinnati and we can finally focus on the constellations of spring.

The first of the major spring constellations, Leo is recognizable by the six stars which form his head shaped like a backwards question mark - also called the sickle or fishhook. The bright star Regulus is the dot in the question mark and designates this King of the Beasts. The back end of Leo is marked by a triangle of stars - the farthest east being his tail, Denebola.

In Greek mythology, Leo may represent the Nemean Lion which ravaged the Mediterranean countryside long ago. The boldest, bravest hunters were sent out to kill Leo but faced a nearly immortal enemy. Leo had an impenetrable hide. When the hunters shot arrows at the lion, they just bounced off. When they tried stabbing him with the sharpest swords, no cuts could be made.

Hercules comes on the scene to kill the lion as the first of his twelve labors. This is where he shows that he has some brains (unlike the dimmer Orion). Hercules stalks after the killer beast and, at the most opportune moment, leaps onto Leo’s back wrestling him about the neck. Using his mighty muscles, Hercules squeezes and squeezes until Leo the Lion is strangled to death.

But Hercules isn’t all muscles. If you ever see pictures drawn of Hercules, you may notice his un-stylish clothing. After killing the lion, Hercules decided to keep Leo’s hide as a bullet proof jacket. Now he could walk down the street - and people would be shooting arrows at him or throwing knives - without fear. It was grrrrrr-reat.

Question from a smart second grader in the planetarium: “If Leo’s hide could not be cut, how did Hercules make it into a suit?”

Canis Major, the Big Dog

2011-03-14T12:58:00.001-04:00

Orion's hunting companion in the sky, Canis Major or the Big Dog, follows along to the left of the great hunter. Canis Major's brightest star, Sirius, is also the brightest star we can see from Earth. The constellation is extremely easy to find. If you connect the dots of the three stars in Orion's belt and continue that line to the left, you will run into Sirius, the Dog Star.

When Orion was placed up in the sky only to be trampled by the Bull each night (with Seven Sister's on its back), he asked the gods if he could bring his favorite hunting dogs with him to fend off the bull. Unfortunately for him, the dogs don't seem to be helping. The Little Dog (Canis Minor) is chasing after a Unicorn (the constellation Monoceros), while the Big Dog is barking after a little bunny rabbit (the constellation Lepus the Hare) at Orion's feet.

Canis Major's others stars include Mirzam, Wezen, Aludra, Adhara, and Furud - all Arabic names. Mirzam is "The Announcer" since it rises before Sirius crests the evening horizon. But I like Wezen which means "Weight". An old Arab legend says that this star seems heavy in that it rises from the horizon with great difficulty.

STAR GAZER Programs for March

2011-03-10T14:38:00.002-05:00

I’m back from Miami Florida where I filmed another eight episodes for the iconic astronomy program – STAR GAZER. This is the show you see late at night on PBS where a guy stands on a light beam and tells you, “What’s Up,” in the sky. Well, for the third month, that guy has been me! I can hardly believe it - but now I’m able to share my passion for the night sky on 1-minute and 5-minute segments aired on over 90 TV stations around the globe. If you’d like to watch them, they’re on YouTube. I wrote Finding Direction in the Night Sky – where I get to tell my classic myth jokes. Check them out, “Like” them, and post comments please:

March 7-13 The Biggest Full Moon in 18 Years
5-minute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eycsw-DZ9wg
1-minute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ng2wT3Azdw

March 14-20 Finding Direction in the Night Sky
5-minute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7-bTOKeCUE
1-minute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6AQAJ-pt9M

March 21-27 Venus and the Moon at Dawn
5-minute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsZAg7VnPh4
1-minute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n7lIM2ptro

March 28-April 3 Arcturus and Saturn Join the Moon and Pleiades
5-minute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnqBioC7Fh4
1-minute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgHwMujAY2Q

You can download all of your favorite Star Gazer programs at: http://www.jackstargazer.com/JHSG_DNLD.html

If you don’t get Star Gazer on local your PBS station – let them know about it. The program is free for anyone to broadcast. Spread the word!

Lepus the Hare and Columba the Dove

2011-02-28T11:58:00.003-05:00

Below Orion's Feet

This week I'll focus on two fainter constellations that creep low across the southern sky in winter. The easier one to see is Lepus the Hare who scampers from southeast to southwest below Orion's feet. Although there is almost no mythology behind this constellation, it dates back to the original 48 star shapes documented by Ptolemy in 150A.D. It's easy to make out the body of the rabbit - four fairly bright stars mark his body - and with a little imagination you might be able to visualize his front paws jutting out to the right with his ears streaming back to the left.

The Bunny Rabbit

Lepus' position (below the much brighter Orion) led the Arabs to call this the "Throne of the Central One" (meaning Orion's platform. Another legend calls the four brightest stars four camels drinking from the nearby river (the constellation Eridanus). And to the Egyptians it was the boat of their main god/dude Osiris.

Moses' Dove

Below Lepus is a fainter constellation: Columba the Dove. From Cincinnati, you really can only see Columba in the winter evenings since it barely clears the southern horizon. If you live farther south (like in Florida), you'll have a better view. Legend has it that Columba is the starry representation of the dove Moses sent out in search of land during the great flood. It came back to the ark bearing an olive branch - a sure sign that dry land wasn't far. Columba first appeared on star charts around 1600 to fill in the space below Orion and below the Hare.

Try to find these small constellations low in the southern sky before they move out for Spring.

International Space Station Passes

2011-02-24T14:00:00.005-05:00

Space Shuttle Discovery launched on its last mission on Thursday February 24 and rendezvoused with the International Space Station (ISS). In Cincinnati we will have some great chances to see the ISS fly overhead. Maybe we'll even be able to see Discovery detach from the ISS. It'll look like a bright, unblinking star moving slowly across the sky. Below are the dates, times and locations to look for the ISS above the Cincinnati area. To find out when it passes over your town, please visit: http://www.heavens-above.com/

5 Mar    7:38pm-7:41pm moving NW to NE
6 Mar    8:03pm-8:06pm moving NW to NE
7 Mar   6:54pm-6:59pm moving NW to NE
7 Mar    8:29pm-8:32pm low in the NW
*8 Mar    7:20pm-7:26pm moving NW to E **Brightest pass of the week**
*9 Mar    7:46pm-7:51pm from WNW to SSE *Another good one* It will go right past the Moon!
10 Mar    8:15pm-8:18pm from W to S
11 Mar    7:05pm-7:10pm from WNW to SSE

*Check back later this week - times may change slightly due to the Space Shuttle docking and undocking
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Bull's Eye!

2011-02-22T16:43:00.000-05:00

Taurus the Bull is easy to identify even in light polluted skies. Orion's belt stars make good pointers. Connect the three dots and continue the line of sight up and to the right and you will arrive at a small "V" shape of stars. That is Taurus' face. The brightest star in the "V" is the Bull's Eye, a red giant called Aldebaran. Aldebaran means "the follower," but what is it following? If you continue the line from Orion's belt through the "V" you will see. The Seven Sisters (or Pleiades) is just to the west. As the night goes on Aldebaran follows the Sisters through the sky.
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Inside the "V" are a lot of stars. This is called the Hyades star cluster (in Greek mythology five of these were the half-sisters to the Pleiades) ((wait a second... seven plus five... that's a lot of kids for the god Atlas to raise!). The Hyades are the closest open cluster to Earth at only 150 light years distant. You can observe dozens to hundreds of these stars with a good pair of binoculars. Aldebaran is not a Hyade, though. It is much closer to the Earth and just appears in the same neighborhood.
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Off the top of the "V", the horns of the bull radiate out to the stars Elnath and Zeta Tauri. Next to Zeta Tauri is one of the most interesting objects in space. Named M1 or the Crab Nebula, this is the remnant of one of the brightest stellar explosions ever witnessed by humans. M1 is the leftover of a supernova explosion that erupted in 1054 AD. The blast was so bright that it was visible during the daytime along with the Sun. Since then we've had two other bright supernovas (1572 and 1604). I think we're due. And maybe, fingers crossed, we'll see Betelgeuse go "KABLOOEY!"

Taurus the Bull

2011-02-14T13:44:00.000-05:00

Taurus is arguably the oldest constellation invented. Most astronomers and historians agree that the constellation of the Bull is depicted in one of the oldest works of human art - found deep down in a French cave.

Four teenagers and their dog discovered the Lascaux Cave paintings in 1940. There are some 2,000 images (animals, humans, and symbols) painted on the walls of this underground cavern 17,000 years ago. One room called, "The Great Hall of the Bulls," is the one that fascinates astronomers the most. Several large bulls are painted in great detail along with horses and stags. One bull has an interesting orientation. There are spots on the face with the long horns pointing to the left. Just above the bull's shoulder are seven dots... Soooooo?

This picture looks suspiciously like the stars in the constellation Taurus the Bull. Taurus has long horns pointing to the left. The spots in the face correspond to the Hyades star cluster (in the face of Taurus - easily seen with the naked eye). And the seven dots are in the right place and even shaped similar to the Seven Sisters star cluster.

Now I realize that this is just a theory. The artist did not sign his work, "My name is Ug. I paint bull on cave. Bull supposed be Taurus Bull in sky..." But is is an interesting coincidence. Plus there are stars looking like Orion's belt in the proper place too. Our ancient ancestors were definitely into stargazing and Taurus would've made a great place to observe.

Canis Major and Canis Minor, Orion's Sky Dogs

2011-02-04T16:52:00.003-05:00

Sirius A and B

The winter southern sky is ablaze with the brightest stars in the sky. 8 of the top 20 brightest stars can be found there awaiting your wishes. The brightest of them all is Sirius, the nose of Orion's bigger hunting dog, Canis Major. Sirius is about 23 times brighter than the North Star and scorches the winter sky with a stark white light. Sirius definitely isn't the biggest star up there - it's just one of the closest. At about 8.6 light years away, it's really two stars - a faint white dwarf star called Sirius B orbits the main star every 50 years.

Creepy Lookin' Dogs

Up higher and not quite as bright is the little dog star, Procyon. Procyon weighs in as the eighth brightest star in the sky becuase it's a close one too. In fact Procyon bears a lot of similarities with Sirius. At about 11 light years away, this white sub-giant star has a white dwarf star orbiting it as well.

Canis Major, is easy to find. Use Orion’s belt as a guide. Connect the dots of the three belt stars and continue the line down and to the left and you will run smack into Sirius. With a little imagination you can use the semi-bright stars around Sirius to picture the big dog, but with the little dog… it only has two stars in it. That’s right, it’s a real hot dog!
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Another Week, Another Crazy Astronomy Story

2011-01-25T15:35:00.002-05:00

No, we're not going to have a Second Sun in 2012.

Sorry Luke...

Last week it was the new zodiac, this week it's about Betelgeuse. Have you heard about this? A Senior Lecturer of Physics at the University of Southern Queensland, Dr. Brad Carter unleashed another media frenzy when he talked to a reporter about this star's impending destruction. The article, picked up by everyone across the globe claims wrongly that the supernova of Betelgeuse (Orion's red-giant armpit star) will give us two Suns, a la the fictional planet from Star Wars, Tatooine. My reaction, "Balderdash... pure balderdash".

What they got wrong:

1) Betelgeuse is the second largest known star in the universe. Wrong - it ranks around 10th in our galaxy.

2) It could go supernova as early as 2012. Wrong - it go go any day, but there is no new evidence saying it will go by 2012. This infamous date was added for effect (bravo reporter, sarcastic clap clap). We will have no warning about it. It could go today or 1,000 years from now.

3) When Betelgeuse explodes it will be as bright as the Sun and there will be no night for days. Wrong - astronomers estimate that it will be no brighter than a full moon and won't appear that large. From past accounts of supernovas, it should be bright enough to be visible in the day time - like a really, really bright star, and not bright enough to vanquish nighttime.

4) This will affect the Earth. Wrong - Betelgeuse is so far away (over 600 light years) that the radiation, gamma rays, and other nasty stuff won't reach the Earth.

Tycho's Supernova

The eventual exploding of Betelgeuse is not news. I'm hopeful that it will explode in my lifetime, but I'm not holding my breath. We're definitely due for a bright supernova. The last two bright enough to be visible day and night were in 1572 and 1604. (Those guys in the Renaissance had all the luck!). The Supernova of 1572 was described in great detail by Tycho Brahe, Danish astronomer and loser of a nose in a mathematics-themed sword fight. It shows up on old stars charts in the constellation Cassiopeia. The Supernova of 1604 is often called Kepler's Supernova from the German astronomer Johannes Kepler, who came out of Brahe's shadow to become the leading astronomer of the 1600s. Both of these supernovas blazed for weeks. I can't wait to see one... any day now ;)

"Two Suns?" what poppycock!
Signed,
The Crabby Astronomer
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Astronomy or Astrology

2011-01-14T16:03:00.001-05:00

A science news story has been making the rounds regarding the zodiac. When Parke Kunkle, a board member of the Minnesota Planetarium Society commented on the true dates of the zodiac, the firestorm erupted (okay maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit here).

Kunkle correctly pointed out that the traditional astrological dates for our zodiac signs do not match up to what is happening in the sky. Since the zodiac was created by the Babylonians over 2000 years ago, the Earth's perspective on the stars has shifted slightly. This has shifted the dates of your Sun Sign (the location in the sky when you were born). In short, 88% of people aren't the sign they think they are. Below are the traditional dates next to the actual dates. If you don't want to know the truth, turn away now!

For larger view, right-click pic and open in new window

I understand that it is difficult to learn that your whole astrological life has been a lie. But don't panic. Astrologers use the Tropical Zodiac (where the constellations were in 150AD). They seem to be stuck on that because it is "more accurate." But to me (and the Babylonian creators of the zodiac) a Virgo is a Virgo because the Sun stood in front of the constellation Virgo when you were born. It wasn't sitting in front of Leo. The reality of the zodiac is very simple - anyone can see it. Using the outdated dates cheapen the original Babylonian idea of the zodiac. If you told the Babylonian king that the Sun was going to be in Leo and he went outside to check and it wasn't, that astrologer would be in big trouble :) They were measuring the relationship of the Sun, Moon, and planets with the ancient star patterns that they pass through. You can't take the stars out of the equation. Don't call me a Sagittarius when the Sun was really in front of Scorpio when I was born...

*Oh by the way, the 13th zodiac sign included in the chart above (Ophiuchus) is a guy holding a giant snake. Have fun with that one...
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Orion Myth Part II...

2011-01-11T13:54:00.003-05:00

We left off our myth as the Pleiades, now doves, flew into the sky to escape Orion and turned into stars. Orion's love was scorned but he was not humbled. Orion was a great boaster which angered some of the gods. They thought it would be ironic for a tiny creature to slay the great hunter so they sent a scorpion, Scorpius, which dealt Orion a fatal bite on his heel.

For his greatness, Orion was allowed a place in the sky. He asked the gods to placed as far away from the Scorpion that killed him. So the Scorpion is best seen in the summer while Orion reigns over the winter near the Pleiades. This way, Orion never sees Scorpius (plus he can hit on the Sisters a little more).

The Sisters hated this so the gods placed a protector in between the two. That's where you can find Taurus the Bull. Now the Seven Sisters are riding safely on the bull's back while Taurus tramples poor Orion every night. That's what you get for asking Seven Sisters to marry you!

Visit: http://www.jackstargazer.com/

But wait, there's more! Not only is there a giant hunter being trampled by a bull with 7 women on its back... there are also two hunting dogs chasing after a unicorn and a bunny rabbit down by the river! For the entire Orion Saga which includes all of the constellations in the winter sky, please visit the video I did for the Star Gazer program at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITLZapt2BDc

"Keep Looking Up!"

Orion Myth Part I

2011-01-01T12:51:00.000-05:00

Orion the Mighty Hunter is one of the most beloved and easiest to recognize constellations in the night sky. Cold, crisp winter nights are the best time to observe the "belted one" in the southern sky. Over the course of the next few weeks we will learn that Orion does not stand alone in the winter sky but is surrounded by a bull with seven women on its back, while two hunting dogs chase unicorn and a bunny rabbit down by the river.

Let's start with Orion. According to Greek myths he was a big, strong, tough guy. One day he was out hunting. When he took a break on this hilltop, he beheld a sight that took his breath away. There were seven women dancing in a clearing while a huge crowd cheered them on. These were the Seven Sisters, or the Pleiades. Orion fell in love... with all of them.

Now Orion was very brave in battle but not very courageous when it came to talking to women. So he needed to work up all his courage just to even speak to the sisters. One day he finally met them and asked for their 14 hands in marriage. The sisters were so outraged that they rejected him and strode away. Orion didn't know much about dating, but he heard somewhere that women like persistence. So he kept meeting the sisters and asking them again and again to marry him. After a week of this the sister couldn't take it anymore. They asked for divine intervention. The gods listened and promptly turned the Pleiades into doves. They flew away from Orion as fast as they could heading higher and higher into the sky. Eventually they decided to stay in the heavens and became stars.

You can find the Pleiades high in the south after sunset. We'll learn more the rest of the story in Part II. So tune in!

IT'S LUNAR ECLIPSE TIME!

2010-12-16T12:16:00.003-05:00

A rare astronomical event will happen Tuesday December 21 in the early hours of the morning. The Sun, Earth, and Moon will be in perfect alignment and the Earth's shadow will cha-cha across the face of the Moon. This is the TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE! The action begins at 1:32 AM (Eastern Standard Time) when the first visible part of the shadow eats away the left side of the Moon. I especially love to watch this part because of the precision - it happens exactly, to the second, when astronomer predict it. That's the time to hoot a holler at the Moon like a real "Luna-tic".

The Moon will continue to move into the darkest part of the Earth's shadow (the umbra) and turns an eerie shade of orange. This will occur from 2:40-3:53am. Why orange? You're seeing the sunlight bend off of the the atmosphere of the Earth and still getting to the Moon with a slightly different hue. You can think of it as the reflected light of all the sunrises and sunsets of the Earth giving the Moon a similar glow.

Then the Moon will slide out of the shadow and return to a normal full Moon at 5:01am. And then that's it. We won't have another one in the United States until 2014. So don't miss it! Either set an alarm to wake up to the eclipse or stay out all night!

For more on the eclipse you can check out my videos for the program Jack Horkheimer's Star Gazer. I'm privileged to be the guest host of this program that is on PBS across the country. Look for me on your TV late at night or watch the eclipse videos at:
1 Minute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSwxfzFsDUA
5 Minute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp4EpGFxHJY
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Know Your Seven Sisters

2010-12-11T12:01:00.000-05:00

This is a great time to view the Seven Sisters open star cluster in the night sky. Look high in the west for a small cloud the size of the full moon. Upon closer examination your eye can catch the individual stars in the cloud and you can start counting. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... and maybe 7 stars (if you have really good eyesight) in the cluster.

These are the Seven Sisters, or Pleiades (their family name). They are the children of a Titan named Atlas (the guy that holds up the world) and a sea-nymph named Pleione. The names of the Seven Sisters are: Alcyone, Maia, Taygeta, Celaeno, Merope, Sterope, and Electra. On a clear night you can see Alcyone, Maia, Taygeta, Merope, and Electra along with one or both of their parents.

Most people with 20/20 vision can only make out 6 stars in the cluster. What happened to the 7th? One legend says that in the ancient Greek days (2500 years ago) they could see all seven. But one star suddenly got dimmer. To explain this phenomenon, the Greeks believed that one of the sisters (Electra in some stories, Merope in others) was sad and covered her face with her hands - thus shielding her beautiful light from the world.

With any binoculars you can see much more than 7 stars in the cluster. In total the cluster contains over 1,000 members resting about 440 light years away that were all formed from the same nebula. Click on the pictures for close-up views. Try to find them tonight and see how many you can catch.

The Pleiades - Myths from around the World

2010-12-01T11:45:00.003-05:00

The Pleiades are the brightest open cluster in the northern sky and have fascinated people since the beginning of time. They are represented in ancient mythology of many cultures. Most myths relate the Seven (or Six) Sisters to young maidens or boys playing, dancing or just being young and wild, “Like a swarm of fireflies tangled in a silver braid.”

Let's look at what other people called these stars:

China - The Seven Sisters of Industry
Japan - Subaru (look closely at the logo of these cars)

South America - Cajupal, the Six Stars

Australian - Young girls playing music for the dancing young men (in Orion’s belt)

India - The Flame

Native American - Seven young men guarding the holy seed of agriculture/Or seven dancing children
Eskimo - The Bear

Hottentots - wives who kicked their husbands out because they were poor hunters

Borneo - mother and six chicks

The Pleiades are also featured heavily in All Hallow’s Eve celebrations - when they are highest at midnight. Aztecs, Mayan, Peruvians, Japanese, and Hindus all had festivals for the dead near November 1 in honor of the Seven Sisters.

You can find them very easily. Look east after sunset and you should see a little cloud hovering above the ground. When you take a closer look you should be able to make out 5 or 6 of the stars. A sharp-eyed second grader called it the "Dinky Dipper." What do you think?

Cepheus the King

2010-11-23T15:28:00.001-05:00

Whereas the stars for Queen Cassiopeia are bright and beautiful, her husband’s constellation is dim and dull. Cepheus the King is a tough constellation to find if you live in a city, but you just may discover these royal stars.

You can find Cepheus tonight high in the northern sky just to t

he left of Cassiopeia. His dimmer stars look like an upside-down house.

Once upon a time in ancient Ethiopia… Cepheus the King was enjoying a quiet afternoon nap when the great god of the sea, Poseidon strode in to the castle. In a rage Poseidon said, "King Cepheus! Your wife's vanity has gone too far. She has offended the gods and must be punished."

The King, waking up quickly, stammered, “Wha… what did she do?”

“What did she do?” great Poseidon exclaimed. “Get this. Queen Cassiopeia said, in front of everyone, that she was more beautiful than all the mermaids in the ocean. My mermaids! Hah, don’t make me laugh.” Cepheus laughed nervously. “That old hag can’t hold a candle to my mermaids,” Poseidon continued. “She must be punished.”

Cepheus begged for mercy and even declared that he wouldn’t know what to do with himself if anything happened to Cassiopeia. “I would miss her sweet voice,” the King said. This was a total lie since the Queen, although beautiful, had a voice like a ban-saw.

"Being a fair and angry god," Poseidon considered, "I will have you share in her misery. I banish you both to the skies where you will endlessly circle the pole star. And there you will forever hear her, um, sweet voice. Ha ha ha ha! (menacing god-like laugh).”

And there the couple spins. High in the sky the King is not far from his Queen and he forever hears her sweet voice say, “Oh no, I’m going upside down again. Aaaaah, Cepheus, you stupid, little stickin’…!”

Cassiopeia the Queen

2010-11-15T11:01:00.001-05:00

(This is the short version of the Greek legend. For the longer version, see Get Ready for the Huge, Fall Sky Saga posted in 2008 on this blog)

Cassiopeia was thought to be the Queen of Ethiopia (or the kingdom around Northeast Africa). She had a bad habit of bragging about her beauty. She believed that she was the most beautiful woman in the whole world - the most beautiful woman who ever lived - and the most beautiful woman that would ever live. And she told people these views about every twenty seconds. Like if you visited the palace and rung the doorbell, Cassiopeia would answer and sing-song, “Come on in, I’m so beautiful. Come in, I’m beautiful…” And if you’re with her at the dinner table she’d ask politely, “Can you please pass the salt? I’m beautiful over here.” Her subjects grew weary of this but what could they do? After all, she was the Queen.

One day, the Queen went too far. She proclaimed that she was more beautiful than all the mermaids in the sea, put together... Now this is no big deal to you and me, but to the god of the seas, Poseidon, this was the ultimate outrage. "My mermaids are more beautiful than that ugly old hag," his trident cleaner overheard him say. So Poseidon punished this boastful Queen by placing her up in the sky to sit on her throne.

Wait a second, that sounds like a great honor!

The trick Poseidon played was that he placed her near the Pole Star. As the night rolls on, the stars move slowly around Polaris. Poor Cassiopeia makes this circle too and spends half the night upside-down, clinging to that throne for dear life. And so here is the punishment - her ultimate hell - can you be upside-down and beautiful at the same time?

Cassiopeia is one of the easiest constellations to recognize in the sky. You can find her 5 moderately-bright stars making an "M" shape in the northern sky after sunset. I know this looks nothing like a Queen sitting on her throne, but I usually think of these 5 stars as her crown. Since one of the stars is a little off line, I always think her crown must be bent from when she hits her head on the ground every time she circles Polaris.
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Piscis Australis - The Southern Fish

2010-11-08T19:03:00.000-05:00

A cute, little fall constellation seemingly swims alone on the southern sky this month. Piscis Australis (or Piscis Austrinus) is the southern fish, big daddy to the two fish tied together in the zodiac constellation Pisces. The mythology on these stars is sketchy at best. One account says that a goddess fell into a lake near the Euphrates River and was saved by this fish. In most drawings of Piscis Australis the waters dumped by the constellation Aquarius flow right into his big mouth. Does a fish really need to drink?

Piscis Australis is easy to find because it has one really bright star called Fomalhaut (pronounced foam-a-low) which means, "fish's mouth." Look to the south right after sunset and you'll see one lonely bright star just a 1/4 the way up in the sky. That's Fomalhaut. The other stars are faint but look a little like a line-drawing of a goldfish. Fomalhaut is a great indication for fall and it has the most unique color of all bright stars. Most astronomers will say that stars cannot be green, but if you look closely you might see it flicker blue, white, and GREEN. Most recently a planet was seen in orbit around Fomalhaut (see picture) so could this be a place for alien fish to thrive?
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Deanspace on YouTube

2010-10-06T16:24:00.000-04:00

To meet the ever-growing demand for answers to the question, "Will the world really end on December 21, 2012?" I recently made a video that I hope will put everyone's mind at ease. Please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPv1S706mao

Enjoy and spread the word. It is NOT the end of the world.
Thanks,
Dean
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Tiamat the Dragon

2010-09-08T10:59:00.000-04:00

One of the most ancient stories that survives to the present comes from the Babylonian creation myth, the Enuma Elish. This tells the tale of Tiamat the Dragon and Marduk the Hero.

"In the beginning there was nothing. Total blackness. Creatures emerged from the ether and roamed the dark universe. There existed a huge she-dragon named Tiamat who was 7 miles long from head to tail and ruled the darkness. She had a mob of other monsters who carried out her bidding and kept everyone in constant terror.

"There was a god named Marduk who decided to stand up to Tiamat and the monsters. Marduk had a giant net, a bow, and arrows. He was said to be able to control the seven winds and feared no monster. Marduk made it his quest to defeat Tiamat and free the fledgling world from her tyranny. When Marduk approached Tiamat, the mighty dragon towered over him. 'You dare to challenge me, little man,' she croaked. With barely a thought Tiamat snatched Marduk up in her right claw and brought him close to her fire-breathing snout. Marduk was not afraid. In fact, everything was going according to plan. He threw out the net which was carried by the seven winds to encircle the dragon's body. This slightly impressed Tiamat but all she said was, 'You'll make a nice appetizer after all.'

"She then opened up her mile-wide jaws and was about to devour Marduk when he sent the seven winds right down her throat. The winds puffed her up like a balloon while the net held her down. Then Marduk notched an arrow to his bow and let one fly down her open mouth, past her sharp fangs, through her long esophagus, and 'Thunk!' smack dab into her heart.

"Tiamat was dead. Marduk took her body and cut it in two parts. One half he threw upward to become the heavens, the other half became the Earth. He rounded up the monsters and threw them into the sky to become the stars around the once-mighty Tiamat who you can still see today in the constellation Draco."

Draco the Dragon

2010-09-01T16:31:00.001-04:00

In the northern sky in summer, we come across Draco the Dragon. Draco, along with Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are CIRCUMPOLAR constellations - meaning they circle the pole star and never set throughout the year.

Draco's place in the heavens is easy to locate even if it's stars are difficult to find. Look for the coiling curve of faint stars that runs between the much brighter stars of the Big and Little Dipper. The Dragon looks more like a coiled snake and the four stars marking her head are the most pronounced. The brightest of the head stars, Eltannin, points near Vega and is the farthest point away from the Big Dipper.

Draco played a much more central role in the earliest astronomy than it does today. Even though it has few bright stars, it had one that beared many names:

Thuban - "Judge of Heaven," "High Horned One," "Proclaimer of Light," "The
Favorable Judge," "Crown of Heaven."

Why so many exalted names for a mediocre star? Because of the Earth's wobble - also called precession - Thuban was Pole Star around 2800 BC. It was the only star that didn't move and was always there to guide the ancients as the North Star does today. Egyptians built pyramids to Thuban, so that its light penetrated huge shafts at key dates and times.

Draco's brightest star is Eltannin- "Dragon's Head" (Arabic) "Isis" (Egyptian). In 3500 BC, the temple of Hathor in Greece was dedicated to Eltannin. The adjoining town was named the city of the dragon.

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Scutum the Shield

2010-08-15T14:47:00.000-04:00

Not all of the constellations are ancient. In fact many of them were named in the 1600s for scientific instruments or newly discovered, exotic animals. One of the strangest ones is called Scutum the Shield. The Shield is not very bright but can found between Ophiuchus and Aquila and above Sagittarius.

Scutum was originally named "Sobieski's Shield" by the astronomer Johannes Hevelius. Hevelius loved charting the faintest of stars and created 7 constellations overlooked by the ancient Greeks. He was also known for having a 145 foot long telescope - one of the longest telescopes ever made. After Hevelius' observatory burned down, the King of Poland, John Sobieski, financed the rebuilding of a new observatory. Hevelius was so moved that he honored his patron by naming a bit of sky (though mostly empty of stars) after him.

Upon closer examination (with the aid of a telescope), there are tons of stars in Scutum. The Shield lies in a particularly think swath of the Milky Way. Just beyond 20/20 vision these stars are near the heart of our galaxy.

Not all of Hevelius' constellations made it to modern star charts. He named one group of stars after Cerberus, the Three-Headed Hound of the Underworld. How could the astronomers leave "Fluffy" out of the sky!?!

Ophiuchus the Seprent Bearer

2010-08-08T13:50:00.006-04:00

Ophiuchus looks like a long stretched out pentagon in the southwestern sky. Connect a line from Deneb through Vega and you will run into Ras Alhague, the brightest star in Ophiuchus.

Ras Alhague is an Arabic word meaning “Head of the Serpent Charmer”. Just to the right is another star in the constellation Hercules called Ras Algethi, or “Head of the Giant”. So we have two men bumping heads in the heavens! Ophiuchus is lucky. He gets to stand right-side up, while Hercules flies through the sky upside-down.

Many legends say that this group of stars forms a man holding a huge snake. You really have to use your imagination to see that. The Greeks believed this wrestler was named Asklepios. He was the god and inventor of medicine and was so gifted that he could even restore the dead to life.

Asklepios learned this trick from snakes. Once when he was making a house call to a sick patient, a serpent slithered into the room and coiled around his walking stick. Asklepios, slightly scared of snakes, quickly killed it. A few minutes later a second serpent crawled under the door carrying an odd herb in its fanged mouth. The second serpent went over to the dead one, applied the herb, and restored the snake to life. What was the magical herb? Who knows? But from that moment on Asklepios always carried a staff with a serpent wrapped around it. It became the symbol for the medical arts still in use today.

Asklepios quickly learned to make his own resurrection juice to bring back any lost patients. And later that month he even came to his buddy Orion's aid. As described in the Orion myth, the gods sent a scorpion to humble Orion's boasting - by killing him. Well, that sure showed him! But in another version of the myth, Asklepios was called to the scene of the crime to work his doctorly deeds. Not only did Asklepios raise Orion to life but he even dispatched the scorpion by squishing it under his sandaled foot.

Notice from the picture at the top that Ophiuchus is standing on the Scorpion. And he doesn't seem scared of that large serpent coiled around him. We'll learn his fate next week...
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Sagittarius the Archer

2010-07-30T15:49:00.001-04:00

If you can find Scorpius, you can find Sagittarius. Look for him to the left of Scorpius’ stinger.
There you should see a very dim little dipper, and the four stars that make his bow and arrow.

Sagittarius represents Chiron the Centaur, who is half man, half horse. Chiron was a great teacher of just about everyone in ancient Greece including Hercules.

The constellation can be broken up into two smaller sections. The four stars that make up the very tiny dipper are also called the Milk Dipper because they lie in a thick patch of the Milky Way. Unfortunately, we have to go way out in the country to see this dipper scooping up milk. When you peer at Sagittarius, you are looking at the center of our galaxy. Imagine being in the center of the Milky Way - there would be so many stars nearby that night might be as bright as day!

The other part of Sagittarius is his bow and arrow. Three stars curve to form the bow and one sticks out to the right forming the arrow. Look at what he’s aiming that arrow at! It is aimed directly at the Scorpion’s heart, the red star Antares. But many people think that the whole constellation looks more like a coffee pot than a Centaur.

Try to find Sagittarius’ second brightest star. It was named Nunki about 5000 years ago by the Sumerians, but today we have no idea what Nunki means. Since the translation is lost to history you should invent your own for this blue-white, mystery star.

Scorpius the Scorpion

2010-07-22T15:40:00.000-04:00

Orion the mighty hunter was quite a braggart. He boasted that he could conquer any man, woman or beast on Earth and even tested the power of the gods. His vanity was so great that the goddess Hera created a vicious scorpion to humble Orion. Scorpius bit Orion on the foot and killed him with poison. Thus the mightiest warrior was slain by one of the tiniest creatures. O! how the gods laughed at that one! Orion still looms large in the winter sky - but hides from the Scorpion in the summer. Legend has it that Orion never wanted to see that awful scorpion again so they are never in the sky at the same time.

Scorpius lies low in the southern sky on summer evenings. He has three stars almost in a line just like Orion has in his belt. These three stars mark Scorpio’s head and two claws. A little down and to the left is Scorpio’s brightest star, ANTARES. Antares is a red supergiant star. In fact, it is one of the largest known stars in the galaxy. If Antares was our sun, it would fill up the entire orbit of Mars. We would be burned up inside it! But luckily Antares is 330 light years away.

Antares marks Scorpio’s heart and may even appear to be beating in the sky. It is a Greek word meaning “Rival of Mars,” because it is so red just like Mars. The Chinese called it the “Fire Star” for the same reason.

Follow Scorpio’s body down to the left and then the stars will start to curve upward. This is the scorpion’s tail and stinger that killed mighty Orion. The last star on the tail is a bright one called SHAULA, which means “The Sting” in Arabic.

Corona Borealis - The Northern Crown

2010-06-21T15:33:00.001-04:00

This is one of the most identifiable constellations in the sky. Although Corona Borealis has almost all dim stars, the outline of the seven form a subtle ring of sparkling jewels. The constellation lies between Bootes the Bear Driver and the mighty Hercules. The best way to find it is first find the Big Dipper. Go do the handle of the Big Dipper but do not follow the arc to the bright star Arcturus, straighten out the line (go farther left or east) and there you will find the lovely crown.

The Greeks likened this star picture to the crown presented to a beautiful maiden named Ariadne. She fell in love with the Prince of Athens, Theseus. Unfortunately for their love affair, Theseus was chosen to be sacrificed in the great labyrinth whose twisting halls were roamed by the vicious Minotaur - half man, half bull. Before Theseus was thrown into the labyrinth, Ariadne gave him a sword to kill the beast and a huge spool of thread. Theseus tied one end of the thread to the entrance and reeled out the thread as he walked through the maze. This way, he would be able to find his way out.

Theseus killed the Minotaur and followed the thread back to Ariadne’s arms. They lived happily ever after for only a few years. Theseus got bored with family life and left Ariadne high and dry. The god of wine Bacchus took pity on Ariadne for this slimy act and granted her the most beautiful crown in the world. Upon her death, the crown was placed in the skies for all to see.

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WHAT'S THAT ON THE SUN?

2010-05-19T14:50:00.005-04:00

There are total eclipses, annular eclipses, partial eclipses, and now itty-bitty eclipses of the Sun. Astrophotographer Thierry Legault captured this picture of the International Space Station (ISS) and the Space Shuttle Atlantis transiting the Sun. Getting this picture was a difficult endeavor. Thierry planned ahead and put himself in a very specific place to witness this eclipse (the countryside outside Madrid, Spain). And the two crafts (moving at 16,500 miles per hour, 242 miles above him) took a mere 1/2 second to cross the disc of the Sun. Blink and they're gone. I'm blown away by the precision involved and humbled by the coolness of this picture. Right click on the picture and select "Open Link in New Window" for a close-up view.

Thierry has photographed other rare sights - including the Hubble Telescope, ISS at night, eclipses, transits and more. Check out his website at: www.astrophoto.fr

My Trip to the David Dunlap Observatory

2010-04-01T15:22:00.008-04:00

Last week I went up to Toronto, Ontario Canada for spring break (I know I went the wrong way...). I met up with members from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) who have recently been put in charge of running the David Dunlap Observatory (DDO) north of the city.
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The story of their telescope sounds similar to ours in Cincinnati - it was started by the University of Toronto - who then wanted to sell it - who sold it to a private developer - who was influenced by the astronomical community to allow the RASC to run it - who now conduct education programming. In fact, the RASC said that they were modelling their programs after ours. And they have a big hook: they have the largest telescope open to the public (its mirror is 74 inches in diameter!). They let me move the giant scope and even let me take a look at Mars and the Moon. It was easily the largest telescope I have ever looked through.
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The RASC was a great host - it's amazing how astronomers all over the world are all so alike. I'm so glad this amazing institution is still up and running. For more check out: www.theddo.ca Click on any of the pictures for a close-up view.
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International Sidewalk Astronomy Night

2010-03-23T22:17:00.004-04:00

On Saturday March 20 there were telescope all over the Tri-state. This was part of a world-wide effort to bring telescopes to public places. "Have telescope, will travel," is the motto of the Sidewalk Astronomer. Telescopes were set up in unlikely places - Newport on the Levee, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, outside of a Blockbuster video store. I was right downtown on Fountain Square and even with the enormous light pollution, I was able to give a clear view of the Moon to passers-by. It's a lot of fun to see people just walking by with no idea what that thing is next to you (the telescope). And when you ask, "Wanna see the Moon?" you get some mixed reactions. After people overcome their apprehension and get a look, everyone is moved!
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So if you see something that looks like a cannon on a sidewalk near you, but people are looking through it, stop over and say hi to your neighborhood astronomer.

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Future Exploration Poll

2010-03-17T15:07:00.001-04:00

The future of manned space missions is at a crossroads. NASA may be focusing on unmanned missions while the private sector may be taking a more active role with manned missions.

Critics believe that NASA is a waste. "We should be spending money on Earthly problems instead." As federal projects go, NASA funding is one of the small potatoes. The budget for NASA is less than 1% of the U.S. annual federal spending. Studies have shown that this funding acts more like an investment with a high return of interest in the form of jobs, new technologies, and spin-off products. For a list of many industries that owe credit to NASA, see: www.thespaceplacee.com/nasa/spinoffs.html

Space missions can inspire whole generations. The Apollo missions to the Moon gave us defining moments of the 20th century. Will reaching Mars have the same impact in the 21st century?

Some say we should return to the Moon first to practice a trip to Mars. Others say, if Mars is the goal why not go directly to Mars without a detour. And a third camp says, "Follow the water," and Europa, a moon of Jupiter, has a liquid ocean under its icy surface.

If you were in charge, what would you do and why?

1) Return to the Moon

2) On to Mars

3) Drill through the ice of Europa

4) None of the above

Share your comments on what the future of exploration should focus.

Seven Sisters in Other Cultures

2010-03-05T15:58:00.004-05:00

Most myths relate the Seven Sisters star cluster to young maidens or boys playing, dancing, and just being young and wild. "Like a swarm of fireflies tangled in a sliver braid."

In Chinese mythology they were the "Seven Sisters of Industry"

Australians considered them to be young girls playing music for the dancing young men (the stars in Orion's belt).

Various Native American legend equate them with seven young men guarding the holy seed of agriculture and seven young children told to stop all their dancing.

In Borneo they were a mother hen and six chicks

And in early Christian lore they were the six daughters and wife of the baker who gave Christ bread when he was hungry.

This association with youth is very interesting in that astronomers now consider them young, hot stars. They are large, fiery blue stars burning through their fuel very rapidly and have a quick, bad end - burning the candle at both ends so to speak. What is it about these stars that make them appear so youthful to the ancients?
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Cincinnati Observatory in LEGO Form

2010-02-01T16:47:00.003-05:00

I was forwarded this great rendition of the Cincinnati Observatory in LEGO form. This detailed replica was designed by William Lynch of Cincinnati Bricks and is on display at Kenwood Town Center at the LEGO Store. Everything about it is accurate including the two spindly pine trees, the new handrails, and skinny window on the left. I'm not sure which of the LEGO people is supposed to be me, but I assume that I am the cowboy. Click on the picture for a closer look.

Aries the Ram

2010-01-15T11:30:00.000-05:00

Aries is a small, but easy to find zodiac constellation visible in the winter sky. The star picture only has 3 bright stars but they form a distinct obtuse triangle in the sky 25 degrees to the right (or west) of the Seven Sisters star cluster. The brightest star is named Hamal, the head of the sheep.

For such a tiny constellation, Aries has an extensive mythology. Part one occurs when a king, with a son named Phrixus and daughter named Helle, leaves his wife and remarries a mean and nasty woman. The new wife is jealous of the children and plans to sacrifice them to the gods. Talk about your wicked step-mothers! At the last moment their biological mother sends a magical, winged, golden ram down to fly them away to the east. Unfortunately the daughter falls off of the flying ram to her death in the Hellespont (named in her honor).

Phrixus lands safely and sacrifices the ram to Zeus (thanks O Flying Ram) and gives the golden fleece to another King named Aeetes (whose daughter he eventually marries). The King put the fleece under constant protection guarded by a fierce dragon that never slept. The stage was now set for a man named Jason to make an epic journey to steal this Golden Fleece.

To be continued…

Aries as the Golden Fleece

2010-01-01T15:58:00.000-05:00

Not long after King Aeetes got the Golden Fleece, an expedition was formed to take it from him. A man named Jason, heir to the throne, needed to accomplish a daring task to boost his self-esteem. As a kid he read countless stories or daring deeds and courageous adventures. However, he was a rather wimpy kid who was picked on even in kindergarten. When he heard about the Golden Fleece, Jason vowed to face all dangers and bring it bravely back to Greece. So he gathered a group of explorers called the Argonauts to go with him (The Argonauts were named after the ship - Argo - that bore them to the fleece. The Argo was an old constellation covering the southern sky now broken up into 6 modern constellations).

After facing Harpies, pointy rocks, and mild seasickness Jason made it to the King Aeetes. Aeetes, of course, didn't want to give the fleece away. It still had that new fleece smell. But the King's daughter Medea, caught under a spell from Aphrodite, stood up for Jason. Medea helped him plow a field with fire-breathing bulls, defeat warriors that grew from dragon's teeth, and put a stalwart dragon to sleep to finally get the fleece. In fact, Medea did all the work - mixing potions to entrance her enemies. Jason took the fleece and Medea back home with him where they did not live happily ever after. Once Aphrodite's spell wore off, Medea and Jason broke up... Alas, love is so fickle.

Pisces the Fish

2009-12-10T15:22:00.013-05:00

Enough 2012 stuff, let's get back to the constellation mythology.

To the left of Aquarius is the zodiac constellation Pisces the Fish. If you thought Aquarius was hard to find, Pisces is even worse. The stars are all so faint that they are only visible from a dark sky away from city lights. There is a ring of stars for one fish that's tied by a string a stars to another fish left and then up from the first fish. It looks like an "L" drawn with the base too long. Where the cord bends, you will find a star called Al Rischa which means, "The Knot of the Band."

The story behind Pisces is related to the one about Capricornus. A long time ago the gods were terrorized by a roving monster named Typhon. He was such a horrible creature with 100 dragon heads instead of fingers. When Typhon came around all of the gods hid by changing into animals. Apollo turned into a crow, Diana into a cat, and Venus and Cupid (the gods of love) turned into fish. They jumped into the Euphrates River to escape Typhon but tied their tails together so that that would never be parted.

Pisces is part of a very watery part of the sky that includes Aquarius the Water Bearer, Piscis Australis, and the fish-half of Capricornus. I don't believe in astrology but the Sun does go through Pisces from March 12 to April 18. If you were born between those dates, according to an astronomer, you're a Pisces.

The 2012 Movie Was Hilarious!

2009-11-27T16:55:00.010-05:00

Spoiler alert: This review will mention things that happen in the movie so, oh, who am I kidding? You can see the plot coming a mile away.

As comedies go, the movie 2012 was hilarious. I laughed out loud – mostly at how scientifically flawed it was. Essentially the movie was John Cusack and friends out-divining an earthquake in a limo, out-flying the city of Los Angeles as it fell into the Pacific Ocean, literally out-running a volcano when Yellowstone erupted, out-flying the ash cloud, outflying the destruction of Las Vegas, and finally out-sailing a tsunami that submerged the Himalayans. When the laws of physics broke, I broke out into laughter.

Now to the science: There was some – 95% wrong. They started in a deep mine where astronomers are actually trying to measure cosmic rays but the overactive Sun was heating up the core of the Earth. There was even a boiling well (that produced no steam BTW). This heating will eventually cause “crustal displacement,” and change the face of the Earth. After all, “this is the biggest solar season ever,” some unnamed scientist says in the movie. Good gag, but in reality we are experiencing the quietest solar season in the past 100 years.

There is brief mention to a rare planetary alignment which takes place every 640,000 years and a youtube video of the planets aligned with the galaxy. Conspiracy theorists love this but it is simply not true (see the post below). Later in the movie the magnetic field of the Earth decreased 80% in four hours. This type of decrease could happen but would take hundreds to thousands of years.

Some other funny science in the movie: the poles flip putting the South Pole in Wisconsin, Hawaii melts, and China moves 1,000 miles closer to the US in less than a day. Plus how they transported giraffes and rhinos to the ark in the mountains cracked me up!

Now to the Mayans and their prediction of doom on December 21, 2012: The movie barely mentions it in a quick 20 second scene. No details just, “The Mayans predicted the end of the world.” So no Mayans - no astronomy. Cool.

As someone a little edgy to answer the wave of 2012 hysteria that will build up over the next 3 years, the movie was surprisingly reassuring. It presented such a crazy, absurd, and impossible vision that it ceased being scary. It was almost as if it was happening to another planet or in another dimension. There is nothing to debunk because it was all so fantastical. And there is nothing to be scared of from 2012 – unless you’re afraid of laughing yourself to death.
You were warned.

2012 Hoax: The Real Story

2009-11-16T16:12:00.008-05:00

I'm sorry but I need to take a break from constellation myths to comment on 2012 hysteria. The new #1 asked question at the Cincinnati Observatory is, "What will happen December 21, 2012?"

Answer: Nothing.

The world will not end. Forget what you read on websites. Don’t believe the horrible Hollywood movie.

The Ancient Mayans knew great things about astronomy, could predict eclipses and cycles of Venus. But their calendars predict neither gloom nor doom. In fact their calendar cites an event to occur 2000 years in the future. They just flip their calendar over and start again every so often (like we do every year). The last time it flipped was August 11, 3114 BC. The world survived that date just fine.

In case you hear otherwise here are some facts:
1) We do not have a second Sun that will come near us called Nibiru
2) No asteroid is scheduled to hit us in 2012
3) The Earth's magnetic field is fine
4) The pole shift may be happening but it takes years and years and won't change anything
5) The continents will not move 1000 miles and Florida will not be on the North Pole
6) The Sun is not crazy-active, nor will it be in 2012
7) The Sun is not lining up with the center of the galaxy (that happened in 1999)
8) The planets will not align on that day

I do have one prediction for December 21, 2012:
It will be seasonably cold in Cincinnati. So will the next day.

I'll have a full review of the movie 2012 next week. Spoiler alert: It was about as believable as when Bugs Bunny sawed off Florida in Rebel Rabbit. "Take it away, South America!"
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Aquarius the Water Bearer

2009-10-29T11:13:00.008-04:00

Over the next few weeks we'll focus on three hard-to-find, but interesting zodiac constellations. First up: Aquarius the Water Bearer.

According to Greek mythology, Aquarius represents a teenager named Ganymede, Prince of Troy. Once upon a time, The Head Honcho, The Big Cheese, Zeus, was thirsty. Despite all of his mighty powers, Zeus liked to be served by both gods and mortals. And since he was forever thirsty he decided to employ Ganymede to be his full-time water bearer. Instead of sending a formal invitation to join the staff on Mt. Olympus, Zeus sent down his pet eagle to snatch the boy up off the streets of Troy. Ganymede goes from a prince, to a servant, to almost god-like as a constellation. What an up and down story. Ganymede is also the name of Jupiter's moons (the largest in the solar system).

Aquarius is tough to imagine but easy to find. Just look to the left of Jupiter at night and that's where his stars lie. Good luck picturing a young man pouring water to the southern horizon.

Big Week in Astronomy

2009-10-15T15:26:00.007-04:00

I'm taking one week off from mythology to talk about the big week Astronomy had in the news last week.

1) A new, gigantically huge and diffuse ring was discovered around Saturn. Astronomers with the Spitzer Space Telescope discovered this ring by detecting its heat (just barely hotter than absolute zero). The ring ranges from 3.7 to 7.4 million miles from the planet technically making it the largest thing in the solar system. See: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2009-150

2) President Obama held the first ever Star Party on the White House lawn. Dozens of amateur astronomers brought telescopes to the White House and the first family saw Jupiter and other objects through the telescopes. The President delivered a great speech on the importance of science. Hopefully this will be the first of many such Star Parties. http://www.wisn.com/slideshow/slideshows/21233931/detail.html

3) Our attempt to blow up the Moon did not work out. The LCROSS mission slammed a rocket into the south pole of the Moon to see what water might come up. Although the event was not seen from Earth as expected, astronomers are still poring over the data and expect to share their findings soon. See: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LCROSS/main/index.html It wasn't nearly as destructive as when the evil Chairface Chippendale tried to write his name on the Moon in an animated episode of the Tick.
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Capricornus the Sea Goat

2009-09-02T12:47:00.008-04:00

Continuing our tour through the summer zodiac we come to constellation Capricornus. This creature is alleged to have the body of a goat and the tail of a fish. Um, okay? How's that?

Once upon a time (in Greek mythology), an almost omnipotent monster named Typhon terrorized the gods. All ran in fear before him. A tiny, minor god named Pan had a great ability to turn himself into animals. He often used this as a defense when he had to avoid household chores and unwanted visitors. One day Pan was standing waist deep in the Nile River when the monstrous footsteps of Typhon rippled the water around him. In a panic, Pan immediately changed shape to fool the approaching behemoth. Unfortunately he didn't fully think out his shape-changing and the part of his body above the water turned into a goat, the part under the water turned into a fish. Luckily for Pan, the mighty Typhon didn't even notice.

In one version of the story, Pan later plays the hero. Typhon actually first defeats Zeus and cuts off his hands and feet. A witness to this event, Pan lets out the shrillest, girlie-est shriek which made even the mighty Typhon recoil. This distracted the monster from finishing off Zeus. Hermes comes to rescue the dismembered Zeus who recovers in a cave. When Zeus is back to 100% again he throws lightning bolts at the monster and finally hurls Mt. Etna down to crush old Typhon. Sometimes Mt. Etna still smokes revealing the monster still trapped within.

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My Visit to the Lick Observatory

2009-01-08T10:54:00.015-05:00

In December I visited the Lick Observatory on top of Mt. Hamilton (just outside San Jose, California). It was quite an adventure. Earlier in the week it snowed and park rangers closed the road. Luckily I used my credentials as an astronomer and was granted permission to drive to the top. It was a curvy and icy drive but I finally made it to the top.

There I met staff astronomer Thomas Lowe who showed me around and even let me "drive" the huge 36" refractor or. The telescope was made in 1888, is 57 feet long, and weighs over 25,000 pounds. But I could still move it with one hand! One of the best parts of the visit was the floor of the big dome room. With the flip of a switch, the entire floor raised up to the level of the telescope. No need for ladders or stairs, just move the floor up and down.

I also saw the more modern telescopes - a lot of research is still being done there today. In fact many astronomers live up on the mountain (which is about a 45 minute drive to anywhere). Around 1906 one of the Cincinnati Observatory's former directors worked at the Lick Observatory and I tried to imagine his journey. How did he get there? How long did it take? In the 1900s they also had a school on the mountain for the sons and daughters of the astronomers. What an interesting place to grow up - and what a view!

Auriga the Charioteeer

2009-01-05T14:11:00.010-05:00

One Greek legend refers to the constellation Auriga as Erichthonius, the son of Vulcan and Minerva. Erich (for short), was born deformed and could not walk well. To remedy his situation, Erich invented the four-horse chariot to get him around the kingdom. He was so respected for his invention that he became the fourth king of Athens. Also Erich had a soft spot for crippled or injured animals, his favorite being a little she-goat (Capella). In the sky we are supposed to see Erich holding little Capella and two other goats as they race around the heavens.

Capella is one of the brightest stars in the sky and easy way to find Auriga. When low in the sky it twinkles red, white, and blue. The Arabs called it, "The Driver," "The Singer," and "The Guardian of the Pleiades." It was, "The Heart of Brahma" in India. And in South America this star was one of the favorites among shepherds who called it "Colca."

Auriga forms a squished-pentagon shape high in the east in January. Try to find Capella and the three goats on the next clear night.

2008-11-21T13:48:00.007-05:00

The Big-Time Planetary Conjunction is almost here! You can see Venus and Jupiter in the southwest right after sunset. They will be closest together between November 29-December 1. And be sure to look on December 1 between 5-7pm because a slim crescent Moon will join the two planets. It should be quite a site.

This picture was taken by Steve Rismiller at the Cincinnati Observatory.

Pegasus the Flying Horse

2008-10-29T15:20:00.000-04:00

When you read ancient Greek mythology you have to admire their imagination. There are a few legends of the birth of Pegasus the Flying Horse but my favorite comes at the climax of the fantastic fall saga. As Perseus was showing the severed head of Medusa to Cetus the Sea Monster, some blood dripped out of her neck and fell into the ocean. Whenever a god or monster bled in the ancient myths, something always sprang forth. In this case, the blood of Medusa combined with the seawater and, through some kind of jell-o process, formed into Pegasus the Flying Horse. He also flew away to live happily ever after.

(Note: Most of the time, he flies upside-down in the sky) ------------

Thus ends the final installment of the fabulous fall star saga that included a king, a queen, a prince, a princess, two monsters, and a flying horse. With a little skill, and a lot of imagination, you can find all of these constellations in the sky tonight. I've included a star chart looking to the west in January around 9pm. Get started right away, because next month we will begin the weird and wacky winter sky saga!

Delphinus the Dolphin

2008-09-19T16:03:00.004-04:00

This small constellation is one of my favorites to find in the summer sky. It can only be seen on very clear nights which are rare for city dwellers through the summer haze. But you may get lucky looking for the diamond shape of the Dolphin just below the longest side of the Summer Triangle. With some imagination you may see a faint dolphin, arching its back, jumping out of heavens.

Delphinus was said to be the messenger of Poseidon. Delphinus won great acclaim for saving Arion’s life (Poseidon’s son) when his ship was attacked at sea. The ancients attributed the Dolphin with great wisdom (I wonder how they knew dolphins were so smart), and also a love for humans. Dolphins were a sailor’s best friends and often got shipwrecked folks out of trouble.

The two brightest stars in Delphinus have an interesting history. They are:

SUALOCIN and ROTANEV - both blueish-white

These stars are the reverse spelling of the name Nicolaus Venator who was an assistant to the Italian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi – the discoverer of the first asteroid. What a creative way to get your name in history.