MECATX December 2019 Sky Tour Remote Video Astronomy Group

Home , Columba (constellation), Dorado, Frederick de Houtman, Ross 47

(1) Caelum, the Engraving Tool - December 1 (2) Orion, the Hunter- December 13 (3) Lepus, the Hare- December 14 (4) Mensa, the Table Mountain - December 14 (5) Pictor, the Painter’s Easel- December 16 (6) Dorado, the Swordfish- December 17 (7) Columba, the Dove- December 18 (8) Auriga, the Charrioteer- December 21 (9) Camelopardalis, the Giraffe- December 23

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December 1 Caelum (SEE-lum), the Engraving Tool Cae, Caeli (SEE-lye)

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Caelum

Meaning: The Sculptor's Chisel Pronunciation: see' lum Abbreviation: Cae Possessive form: Caeli (see' lee) Asterisms: none

Bordering constellations: Columba, Dorado, Eridanus, Horologium, Lepus, Pictor

Overall brightness: 3.204 (85) Central point: RA = 4h40m Dec. = -38° Directional extremes: N = -27° S = -49° E = 5h03m W = 4h18m

Messier objects: none Meteor showers: none

Midnight culmination date: 1 Dec

Bright stars: none Named stars: none Near stars: none

Size: 124.86 square degrees (0.303% of the sky) Rank in size: 81 Solar conjunction date: 2 Jun

Visibility: completely visible from latitudes: S of +41° completely invisible from latitudes: N of +63°

Visible stars: (number of stars brighter than magnitude 5.5): 4

Interesting facts: (1) This was one of the 14 constellations invented by Lacaille during his stay at the Cape of Good Hope in 1751-2.

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December 13 Orion (oh-RYE-un,) the Hunter Ori, Orionis (or-eye-OH-niss)

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Orion

Meaning: The Hunter Pronunciation: or eye' on Abbreviation: On Possessive form: Orionis (on ee oh' niss)

Asterisms: The Belt, The Butterfly, The Heavenly G, The Rake, The Sword, The Three Kings, Venus' Mirror, The Winter Octagon, The Winter Oval, The Winter Triangle

Bordering constellations: Eridanus, Gemini, Lepus, Monocenos, Taurus

Overall brightness: 12.960 (9) Central point: RA = 5h32m Dec. = +6° Directional extremes: N = +23° S = —11° E = 6h23m W = 4h41m Messier objects: M42, M43, M78 Meteor showers: Onionids (21 Oct) S. X Onionids (10 Dec) N. X Orionids (11 Dec)

Midnight culmination date: 13 Dec

Bright stars: 3 (7), u (10), y (26), (29), (31), (53), ö (63), t (12 1) Named stars: Algebar (J3), Alnilam (s), Alnitak (c), Bellatnix (y), Betelgeuse (a), Hatsya (t), Heka (?), Meissa (X), Mintaka (ö), Rigel (3), Saiph (x), Tabit (it3)

Near stars: Wolf 1453 (59), Ross 47(65), LP 658-2 (66), it On (98), Ross 41(135), BD+10°1032 A-B (169), x1 On (188) Size: 594.12 square degrees (1.440% of the sky) Rank in size: 26

Solar conjunction date: 15 Jun Visibility: completely visible from latitudes: +79° to —67° portions visible worldwide

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Visible stars: (number of stars brighter than magnitude 5.5): 77

Interesting facts: (1) a On, or Betelgeuse, is the only first-magnitude star which is also variable. Its brightness changes in an irregular fashion from a minimum of 1.3 to a maximum of about 0.4. (2) P On, on Rigel, is one of the most luminous stars in the sky. It is a blue supergiant with an absolute magnitude estimated at —7.1. This makes Rigel 47 863 times as bright as our Sun. (3) In the region around the star Ori lies an area of nebulosity containing one of the most famous - and one of the most visually elusive - objects in the sky. This is the Honsehead Nebula, a region of dank matter silhouetted against a brightly lit cloud of interstellar gas. Photographs taken with large telescopes show this object in great detail, but even the best amateur telescopes are sorely tested to resolve the Honsehead. (4) M42, the Orion Nebula, is the best known and most visually structured diffuse nebula in the sky. This is a region of star formation, and several recently formed stars may be glimpsed enmeshed within the nebulosity. M42 lies at an approximate distance of 1500 light years. It was the first nebula to be photographed. A picture of it was taken in 1880 by Henry Draper.

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The Great Orion Nebula M42

Messier 43

The Clouds of Orion the Hunter

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December 14 Lepus (LEEP-us, LEP-us), the Hare Lep, Leporis (LEP-or-iss)

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Lepus

Meaning: The Hare Pronunciation: lee' pus Abbreviation: Lep Possessive form: Leporis (lee por' iss) Asterisms: none

Bordering constellations: Caelum, Canis Major, Columba, Eridanus, Monoceros, Orion Overall brightness: 9.646 (23) Central point: RA = 5h31m Dec. = —19° Directional extremes: N = —11° S = —27° E = 6h09m W = 4h54m Messier objects: M79 Meteor showers: none Midnight culmination date: 14 Dec Bright stars: a (96), P (134) Named stars: Arneb (a), Nihal (3) Near stars: BD-2101377 (53), BD-2101051 A-B (100), yLep A-B-C (116) Size: 290.29 square degrees (0.704% of the sky) Rank in size: 51 Solar conjunction date: 15 Jun

Visibility: completely visible from latitudes: S of +630 completely invisible from latitudes: N of +790

Visible stars: (number of stars brighter than magnitude 5.5): 28

Interesting facts: (1) Approximately 50 east and 20 north of t Lep is the star R Lep, also known as 'Hind's Crimson Star.' The astronomer J. R. Hind noted its intense red color in 1845, comparing it to a drop of blood against a black sky. The magnitude range of this star varies from 6th to about 10th.

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Comet Lovejoy before a Globular Star Cluster

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CULMINATION of the CONSTELLATIONS

A culmination occurs when some star or constellation crosses the local meridian to reaching its highest (or lowest point) in the sky, and knowing when this occurs is very useful to both visual or telescopic observations of the night sky. By knowing when so me celestial object crosses the local meridian, means that their general appearance will be at their very best, and without the hindrance of the atmospheric effects; such as seeing, refraction or air mass.

Culminations for non-circumpolar stars, that do rise and set below the horizon, will happen once per day. However, because of Earth’s orbital motion around the Sun, the time for each successive culmination falls earlier by about four minutes for every day that passes. Its exact instant of local time crossing the local meridian is formally called the Sidereal Time, which is exactly corresponds to the local meridian ’s Right Ascension. In other circumstances, if some constellation or celestial object appears circumpolar — never setting below the local horizon — two culminations can occur. These are an upper culmination(highest) and lower culmination (lowest).

Calculation of culmination times is not exactly simple, as the width of the constellation means that we need to determine the time of the mid -point. This can be approximated by the difference between the eastern and western constellations limits, but this should probably be better determined but knowing the right ascension of half area of the constellation — something far more difficult to calculate. A s lightly more accurate way it the constellation centre of both right (cvp) ascension and declination, and this requires knowing the extreme of all the boundaries.

Furthermore, culmination times are also dependant on the precession of the equinoxes, so they should include the current epoch. Many tabulated culminations are still based on the B1950.0 epoch, meaning the culmination times are only off by a day or so. Most tables on culminations are only accurate to several days, but this is still quite adequate f or most visual observation purposes.

The TABULATED DATA

The dates when this occurs are conveniently expressed for midnight (12pm) and in the early evening at 9pm, when most observers would be looking at the nighttime sky. Sometimes it can be given at 6pm, but then only useful in the winter months when it is dark at that time. Finding culmination times for other times of the year, subtract 15 days for ever hour that is earlier than this date. For times that are later; add fifteen (15) days for every hour. If the date is different than specified, then add or subtract twenty- eight (28) minutes for each week that has elapsed or is to come.

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December 14 Mensa (MEN-suh), the Table Mountain Men, Mensae (MEN-see)

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Mensa

Meaning: The Table Mountain Pronunciation: men' suh Abbreviation: Men Possessive form: Mensae (men' sigh) Asterisms: none

Bordering constellations: Chamaeleon, Dorado, Hydrus, Octans, Volans Overall brightness: 5.212 (73) Central point: RA = 5h28m Dec. = -77.5° Directional extremes: N = -70° S = -85° B = 7h37m W = 3h20m Messier objects: none Meteor showers: none Midnight culmination date: 14 Dec Bright stars: none Named stars: none Near stars: a Men (136) Size: 153.48 square degrees (0.372% of the sky) Rank in size: 75

Solar conjunction date: 14 Jun

Visibility: completely visible from latitudes: S of +5° completely invisible from latitudes: N of +20°

Visible stars: (number of stars brighter than magnitude 5.5): 8

Interesting facts: (1) This was one of the 14 constellations invented by Lacaille during his stay at the Cape of Good Hope in 1751-2.

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December 16 Pictor (PICK-ter),the Painter's Easel Pic, Pictoris (pick-TOR-iss)

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Pictor

Meaning: The Painter's Easel Pronunciation: Pik' tor Abbreviation: Pic Possessive form: Pictoris (Pik tor' iss) Asterisms: none

Bordering constellations: Caelum, Carina, Columba, Dorado, Puppis, Volans

Overall brightness: 6.080 (55) Central point: RA = 5h41m Dec. = -53.5° Directional extremes: N = -43° S= -64° E = 6h51m W = 4h32m Messier objects: none Meteor showers: none Midnight culmination date: 16 Dec Bright stars: none Named stars: none Near stars: Kapteyn's Star (22) Size: 246.73 square degrees (0.598% of the sky) Rank in size: 59 Solar conjunction date: 17 Jun Visibility: completely visible from latitudes: S of +26° completely invisible from latitudes: N of +47°

Visible stars: (number of stars brighter than magnitude 5.5): 15

Interesting facts: (1) This was one of the 14 constellations invented by Lacaille during his stay at the Cape of Good Hope in 1751-2. (2) In recent images taken of the star P Pic, astronomers have seen a disk of material surrounding the star. It is believed that this material represents direct proof of planetary formation, although no planets have as yet been seen.

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December 17 Dorado (duh-RAH-do), the Swordfish Dor, Doradus (duh-RAH-dus)

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Dorado

Meaning: The Swordfish Pronunciation: dor ah' doe Abbreviation: Dor Possessive form: Doradus (dor ah' dus) Asterisms: none

Bordering constellations: Caelum, Horologium, Hydrus, Mensa, Pictor, Reticulum, Volans

Overall brightness: 8.372 (32) Central point: RA = 5h14m Dec. = _59.5° Directional extremes: N = -49° S = -70° E = 6h36m W = 3h52m Messier objects: none Meteor showers: none

Midnight culmination date: 17 Dec

Bright stars: none Named stars: none Near stars: none

Size: 179.17 square degrees (0.434% of the sky) Rank in size: 72

Solar conjunction date: 10 Jun

Visibility: completely visible from latitudes: S of +20° completely invisible from latitudes: N of +41°

Visible stars: (number of stars brighter than magnitude 5.5): 15

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Interesting facts: (1) This is one of 11 constellations invented by Pieter Dirksz Keyser and Frederick de Houtman, during the years 1595-7. (2) One of the two satellite galaxies of the Milky Way lies mainly within the boundaries of this constellation, with some spillover into neighboring Mensa. This is the 'Large Magellanic Cloud' (LMC), also known by its Latin name 'Nebecula Major.' It was first recorded by a European in 1519, when Ferdinand Magellan noted it in his diary during his circumnavigation of the globe. The LMC is classified as an irregular galaxy, and it lies at an approximate distance of 180,000 light years. (3) Within the LMC lies the largest diffuse nebula known, NGC 2070, commonly referred to as the 'Great Looped Nebula' or the 'Tarantula Nebula,' because of its resemblance to a spider in shape. To the unaided eye it appears as a faint star and was mistakenly given the designation 30 Doradus. If this nebula were placed at the distance of the more famous Orion Nebula (approximately 1500 light years) it would shine at magnitude —5. (4) In February, 1987, a supernova became visible in the LMC. Dubbed 'Supernova 1987a,' this was the nearest such event since Kepler's Nova in 1604. It was also the brightest supernova by a factor of 1000 and the closest by a factor of 20 that had been studied in the telescopic age up to that point. It also proved to be a triumph for theoretical astrophysics because this was the first time neutrinos were detected from a supernova explosion. (5) Also in Dorado, at RA = 6h Dec. = —66.5° lies the south ecliptic pole, near the border of the LMC.

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17 December 18 Columba (cuh-LUM-buh), the Dove Col, Columbae (cuh-LUM-bee)

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18 Columba

Meaning: Noah's Dove Pronunciation: kol urn' buh Abbreviation: Col Possessive form: Colurnbae (kol urn' bye) Asterisms: none

Bordering constellations: Caelurn, Canis Major, Lepus, Pictor, Puppis Overall brightness: 8.883 (29) Central point: RA = 5h45rn Dec. = -35° Directional extremes: N = -27° S = -43° E = 6h28rn W = 5h03rn Messier objects: none Meteor showers: none

Midnight culmination date: 18 Dec

Bright stars: a (102), P (190) Named stars: Phakt (a), Wasn (3) Near stars: none Size: 270.18 square degrees (0.655% of the sky) Rank in size: 54

Solar conjunction date: 18 Jun

Visibility: completely visible from latitudes: S of +470 completely invisible from latitudes: N of +630

Visible stars: (number of stars brighter than magnitude 5.5): 24

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19 Interesting facts: (1) Columba is the only surviving constellation named after an object in the Bible. Columba represents the dove which Noah sent out to test whether the waters from the Great Flood had receded. (Genesis, chapter 8, verses 8-12). This constellation first appeared in 1592, on a celestial map designed by the Dutch theologian Petrus Plancius.

(2) The so-called solar antapex is located in this constellation. This is the direction in space away from which our Sun seems to be heading. It is the point opposite the solar apex, which lies within the constellation of Hercules. The approximate coordinates of the solar antapex are RA = 6 h, Dec. = -34°. (The Sun's motion isrelative to the stars in the local neighborhood and is determined by studies of parallaxes, proper motions, and radial

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20 December 21 Auriga (aw-RYE-guh), the Charioteer Aur, Aurigae (aw-RYE-ghee)

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21 Auriga

Meaning: The Charioteer Pronunciation: or eye' guh Abbreviation: Aur Possessive form: Aurigae (or eye' guy)

Asterisms: The Heavenly C, The Kids, The Winter Octagon, The Winter Oval

Bordering constellations: Camelopardalis, Gemini, Lynx, Perseus, Taurus

Overall brightness: 7.149 (43) Central point: RA = 6h01m Dec.= +42° Directional extremes: N = +56° S = +28° E = 7h27m W = 4h35m Messier objects: M36, M37, M38 Meteor showers: Aurigids (1 Sep)

Midnight culmination date: 21 Dec

Bright stars: a (6), 3 (40), t (108), € (163), i (199)

Named stars: Aihajoth (a), Almaaz (s), Capella (cc), Hasseleh (t), Hoedus I (c), Hoedus II (i),Maaz (E)

Near stars: Ross 986 (60), BD+53°935 (129)

Size: 657.44 square degrees (1.594% of the sky)

Rank in size: 21

Solar conjunction date: 22 Jun

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22 Visibility: completely visible from latitudes: N of —34° completely invisible from latitudes: S of —62°

Visible stars: (number of stars brighter than magnitude 5.5): 47

Interesting facts: (1) f3 Tau was originally a 'common' star with this constellation. On some star maps it was also called it Aur. When the IAU officially designated constellation boundaries in 1928, the star was permanently assigned to Taurus. Apparently this was done because the star serves a more prominent role in Taurus, being a tip of one of the Bull's horns. It has been rumored, however, that the star was assigned to Taurus simply because 1 comes before yin the Greek alphabet. (2) Aur is a very unusual type of star. Known as an eclipsing binary, two stars are represented in this system. Every 27 years, the dark companion blots out much of the light from the primary in an eclipse that lasts a full year. The magnitude of the primary falls from 3.0 to 3.8, a twofold decrease of brightness. Of the many explanations that have been offered for this system, the most probable suggests that the dark companion is actually a cloud of prestellar matter, co- orbiting with E Aur.

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23 Downtown Auriga

Deep Auriga

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24 December 23 Camelopardalis (cuh-MEL-oh- PAR-duh-liss) the Giraffe, Cam Camelopardalis cuh-MEL-oh- PAR-duh-liss)

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Camelopardalis

Meaning: The Giraffe Pronunciation: kam uh low par' dah liss Abbreviation: Cam Possessive form: Camelopardalis (kam uh low par' dah liss) Asterisms: none

Bordering constellations: Auriga, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Draco, Lynx, Perseus, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor

Overall brightness: 5.946 (58) Central point: RA = 8h48m Dec. = +69° Directional extremes: N = +85° S = +53° E = 14h25m W = 3hllm Messier objects: none Meteor showers: none Midnight culmination date: 23 Dec

Bright stars: none Named stars: none Near stars: LFT 849 (41), LFT 445 (179) Size: 756.83 square degrees (1.835% of the sky) Rank in size: 18 Solar conjunction date: 4 Aug

Visibility: completely visible from latitudes: N of —5° completely invisible from latitudes: S of —37°

Visible stars: (number of stars brighter than magnitude 5.5): 45

Interesting facts: (1) This constellation first appeared in 1613, on a celestial globe designed by the Dutch theologian Petrus Plancius.

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MECATX December 2019 Sky Tour Remote Video Astronomy Group

Revised by: Alyssa Donnell 12.01.2019

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