The Evening Sky

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E CRATER c W N S A n I K lp NE i S Y h y U a k Y M rd SE s A e B P is h N A t I R A n G O ra i E U b r B N ic M83 e . D gh CE an i A IT d CORVUS h F S m b U C e lim O EN an c Y T s R Hyd ill AT ER “s Denebola w H ( ol M104 It T JU ita y. ON ST ry sk TI A o n EC S ne ter IR YO ” d γ as D U esc h-e HE AR rib VIRGO Spica out S T E D ing e s A OI we Saturn th ME NG ll it is in SA s E Charts & Astro• Star Posters & Binoculars • Telescopes NOW posi EAST rux) TH ) S tion oss (C IS O T in the ern Cr MAP HE C sky. The South THE OMPA M OF SS DIRE BOTTO CTION THAT APPEARS ALONG THE Get Sky Calendar on Twitter http://twitter.com/skymaps peaks at 11h UT. peaks at 11h UT. with the Sun at 9h with the M44 (evening sky) at M44 (evening at 23h UT (evening sky). at 23h UT (evening SAVE ON RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS • http://Skymaps.com/store SAVE • Star Atlases & Planispheres Atlases • Star • Books for Sky Watchers Sky Map Evening The of distribution free and production support the Help (evening sky) at 19h UT. (evening with the Sun at 17h UT. The red planet planet red The Sun at 17h UT. with the (morning sky) at 5h UT. (morning (midnight sky) at 8h UT. (midnight (16° from Sun, morning sky) at 17h UT. Sun, morning (16° from at 7:18 UT. at 23:26 UT. is caused by sunlight reflected off off reflected is caused by sunlight at 4h UT. Mag. –2.1. Mag. at 4h UT. (morning sky) at 0h UT. (morning (closest to Earth) at 7h UT (morning sky) at 12h UT. Mag. +0.5. Mag. sky) at 12h UT. (morning (farthest from Earth) at 23h UT (distance Earth) at 23h UT (distance from (farthest at 2:31 UT. Start of lunation 1090. lunation Start of at 2:31 UT. at 8:36 UT. New Moon New at conjunction Mars Moon near Beehive cluster Moon near Beehive Moon at perigee Last Quarter Moon passes into the morning sky. morning the passes into Moon at apogee size 29.7'). 405,924 km; angular Moon near Jupiter Alpha Centaurids meteor shower shower. southern major a sometimes year for Favorable but can peak at up to 25/hour. About 6 meteors/hour 28 to Feb 21. Jan Active meteors. fast bright, Produces hours. pre-dawn Best observed in the Quarter Moon First Moon near the Pleiades Moon near Mercury Moon near Aldebaran 22h UT. Moon near Regulus Full Moon (358,247 km; 33.8'). Moon near Saturn Moon near Spica a solar system. Choose the of plane in the dust meteoric look and after sunset, about 1–2 hours night, moonless clear, the up from shaped glow extending triangular- a large for Zodiacal the to view best months The ecliptic). the (along horizon March horizon: at the vertical is almost ecliptic the is when Light reversed times (morning); October–November and April (evening) and hemisphere. southern the for Moon near Antares Moon near Antares at superior conjunction Mercury sky. evening the passes into planet The UT. FREE* EACH MONTH FOR YOU TO EXPLORE, LEARN & ENJOY THE NIGHT SKY The Evening Sky Map 6 7 8 11 11 Sky Calendar – February 2011 1 3 4 12 16 18 18 21 19 22 at http://Skymaps.com/skycalendar/ and links sky events More = UT + 11 hours.) Time Eastern Summer (UT). (Australian Time in Universal All times 24 25 25 Light The Zodiacal About the Celestial Objects Easily Seen with the Naked Eye Listed on this page are several of the brighter, more interesting celestial objects Sirius CMa The brightest star in the sky. Also known as the "Dog Star". Dist=8.6 ly. visible in the evening sky this month (refer to the monthly sky map). The objects are Procyon CMi Greek name meaning "before the dog" - rises before Sirius (northern latitudes). Dist=11.4 ly. Canopus Car Second brightest star in the sky. 14,000 times more luminous than the Sun. Dist=309 ly. grouped into three categories. Those that can be easily seen with the naked eye (that β Centauri Cen With Alpha Centauri, forms the so-called "Pointers-to-the-Cross". Dist=525 ly. is, without optical aid), those easily seen with binoculars, and those requiring a α Centauri Cen Nearest bright star to Sun at 4.4 ly. Brilliant double star in a telescope. 80 year period. telescope to be appreciated. Note, all of the objects (except single stars) will Achernar Eri Brightest star in Eridanus, The River. Arabic name meaning "end of river". Dist=140 ly. appear more impressive when viewed through a telescope or very large Castor Gem Multiple star system with 6 components. 3 stars visible in telescope. Dist=52 ly. binoculars. They are grouped in this way to highlight objects that can be seen using Pollux Gem With Castor, the twin sons of Leda in classical mythology. Dist=34 ly. FEBRUARY 2011 Regulus Leo Brightest star in Leo. A blue-white star with at least 1 companion. Dist=77 ly. the optical equipment that may be available to the star gazer. Rigel Ori The brightest star in Orion. Blue supergiant star with mag 7 companion. Dist=770 ly. Betelgeuse Ori One of the largest red supergiant stars known. Diameter=300 times that of Sun. Dist=430 ly. Tips for Observing the Night Sky Pleiades Tau The Seven Sisters. Spectacular cluster. Many more stars visible in binoculars. Dist=399 ly.

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE Hyades Tau Large V-shaped star cluster. Binoculars reveal many more stars. Dist=152 ly. When observing the night sky, and in particular deep-sky objects such as star clusters, Aldebaran Tau Brightest star in Taurus. It is not associated with the Hyades star cluster. Dist=65 ly. nebulae, and galaxies, it’s always best to observe from a dark location. Avoid direct Easily Seen with Binoculars light from street lights and other sources. If possible observe from a dark location away from the light pollution that surrounds many of today’s large cities. M44 Cnc Praesepe or Beehive Cluster. Visible to the naked eye. Dist=577 ly. You will see more stars after your eyes adapt to the darkness—usually about 10 to M41 CMa First recorded observation by Aristotle in 325 BC as "cloudy spot". Dist=2,300 ly. 20 minutes after you go outside. Also, if you need to use a torch to view the sky 2516 Car Spectacular open star cluster of 100 stars spaning 1/2 deg. Dist=1,300 ly. map, cover the light bulb with red cellophane. This will preserve your dark vision. 2808 Car Located 4 deg W of Nu Carinae. Visible to the naked eye on clear nights. 3114 Car Stunning open cluster. 30+ stars visible through 7x binoculars. Dist=2,900 ly. Finally, even though the Moon is one of the most stunning objects to view 3293 Car Rich, tightly packed. Surrounded by large, faint nebulosity. Dist=8,500 ly. through a telescope, its light is so bright that it brightens the sky and makes many of IC 2602 Car The "Five of Diamonds". Bright cluster twice diameter of full Moon. Dist=491 ly. the fainter objects very difficult to see. So try to observe the evening sky on 3372 Car Eta Carinae Nebula. Enormous glowing cloud in rich star field. Dist=8,000 ly. moonless nights around either New Moon or Last Quarter. 3532 Car Herschel - "most brilliant cluster". 60+ stars in 7x binoculars. Dist=1,300 ly. ω Centauri Cen Largest and brightest globular star cluster in sky. 1 million stars. Dist=17,000 ly. 4755 Cru Jewel Box. Outstanding star cluster. Many contrasting colours. Dist=7,600 ly. Astronomical Glossary LMC Dor Large Magellanic Cloud. A neighbouring galaxy of the Milky Way. Dist=180,000 ly. Conjunction – An alignment of two celestial bodies such that they present the least M35 Gem Fine open cluster located near foot of the twin Castor. Dist=2,800 ly. γ Leporis Lep Visible with binoculars. Gold & white stars. Mags 3.6 & 6.2. Dist=30 ly. Sep=96.3". angular separation as viewed from Earth. 2232 Mon A large scattered star cluster of 20 stars. Dist=1,300 ly. Constellation – A defined area of the sky containing a star pattern. 2244 Mon Surrounded by the rather faint Rosette Nebula. Dist=5,540 ly. M50 Mon Visible with binoculars. Telescope reveals individual stars. Dist=3,000 ly. Diffuse Nebula – A cloud of gas illuminated by nearby stars. M42 Ori The Great Orion Nebula. Spectacular bright nebula. Best in telescope. Dist=1,300 light years. Double Star – Two stars that appear close to each other in the sky; either linked by L2 Pup Semi-regular variable. Magnitude varies between 2.6 & 6.2 over 140.42 days. gravity so that they orbit each other (binary star) or lying at different distances from M47 Pup Bright star cluster. 15+ stars in 7x binoculars. Dist=1,500 ly. Earth (optical double). Apparent separation of stars is given in seconds of arc ("). M46 Pup Dist=5,400 ly. Contains planetary NGC 2438 (Mag 11, d=65") - not associated. 2451 Pup 30+ stars in binoculars. The brightest star, c Puppis, is red. Dist=850 ly. Ecliptic – The path of the Sun’s center on the celestial sphere as seen from Earth. 2477 Pup Very rich but distant star cluster (4,200 ly). Resembles globular through binoculars. Elongation – The angular separation of two celestial bodies. For Mercury and Venus 47 Tucanae Tuc Spectacular object. Telescope will reveal stars. Near edge of SMC. Dist=15,000 ly. βTelescopic Tucanae Tuc ObjectsComplex multiple star. Binoculars show one pair. Telescope required to split primary star. the greatest elongation occurs when they are at their most angular distance from the SMC Tuc Small Magellanic Cloud. Companion galaxy to Milky Way. Requires dark sky. Dist=210,000 ly. Sun as viewed from Earth. 2547 Vel Fine open cluster visible through binoculars. Dist=1,300 ly.

Galaxy – A mass of up to several billion stars held together by gravity. CELESTIAL OBJECTS IC 2391 Vel Omicron Velorum Cluster. Superb object for binoculars. Dist=450 ly. Globular Star Cluster – A ball-shaped group of several thousand old stars. Light Year (ly) – The distance a beam of light travels at 300,000 km/sec in one year. M67 Cnc Contains 500+ stars mag 10 & fainter. One of the oldest clusters. Dist=2,350 ly. Magnitude – The brightness of a celestial object as it appears in the sky. 3918 Cen The Blue Planetary. Visible in a small telescope as a round blue disk. 2070 Dor Tarantula Nebula. A bright nebula located in LMC. A star-forming region. Open Star Cluster – A group of tens or hundreds of relatively young stars. θ Eridani Eri Striking blue-white double star. Mags 3.2 & 4.3. Visible in a small telescope. Sep=8.2". Opposition – When a celestial body is opposite the Sun in the sky. 3242 Hya Ghost of Jupiter. Bright blue disk. Mag 11 central star. Dist=2,600 ly. β Monocerotis Mon Triple star. Mags 4.6, 5.0 & 5.4. Requires telescope to view arc-shape. Sep=7.3". Planetary Nebula – The remnants of a shell of gas blown off by a star. 2264 Mon Christmas Tree Cluster. Associated with the Cone Nebula. Dist=2,450 ly. Universal Time (UT) – A time system used by astronomers. Also known as Greenwich σ Orionis Ori Superb multiple star. 2 mag 7 stars one side, mag 9 star on other. Struve 761 triple in field. Mean Time. Australian Eastern Standard Time (Sydney, Australia) is UT plus 10 hours. k Puppis Pup Telescope easily shows two blue-white stars of almost equal brightness. Sep=9.9". M1 Tau Crab Nebula. Remnant from supernova which was visible in 1054. Dist=6,500 ly. Variable Star – A star that changes brightness over a period of time. 3132 Vel One of the brightest planetaries. Magnitude 10 central star. Dist=2,600 ly. Copyright © 2000–2011 Kym Thalassoudis. All Rights Reserved.