Aldebaran: Group V
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
In This Exercise, You Will Learn Some of the Stars That Make up Patterns in the Sky
PHYS 1830 - Perspectives on the Universe Winter 2015 PLANETARIUM EXERCISE In this exercise, you will learn some of the stars that make up patterns in the sky. These are properly known as asterisms. Constellations, on the other hand, are defined as 88 regions or patches of sky that are officially designated by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Constellations often contain the familiar patterns of stars that are the asterisms, but constellations are usually identified by their Latin name. For example, the asterism of the Big Dipper is contained within the constellation of Ursa Major, the Greater Bear. You will also be introduced to the astronomical coordinate system that is most commonly used to describe positions of objects in the sky: the equatorial coordinate system. Part 1: Sketching You will sketch several asterisms on a single page. Draw a line across the bottom of the page to indicate the position of the horizon. Label this line with the cardinal points. Draw a cross near the top of your sketch to represent the position of the zenith. Label this point. Lightly draw in the position of the meridian and label it. For each sketch, label the time for which the planetarium is set and record your location within the dome. Use circles to mark the relative positions of the stars. The size of the circle should reflect the relative brightness with larger circles indicating brighter stars. Use straight lines to connect the relevant stars to draw the asterism shape. Sketch #1: Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Cassiopeia Label the asterism/constellation name. -
Newsletter Archive the Skyscraper February 2009
The SkyscraperVol. 36 No. 2 February 2009 Amateur Astronomical Society Of Rhode Island · 47 Peeptoad Road North Scituate, RI 02857 · www.theSkyscrapers.org February Meeting Seagrave Memorial Observatory is open with Dr. Padma Venkatraman to the public Friday, February 6 at North Scituate Community Center weather permitting Dr. Venkatraman is the author of 2. Women Mathematicians (biographies Climbing the Stairs, Double Stars: The of Maria Agnesi, Emilie du Chatalet, Emmy Story of Caroline Herschel and Women Noether, Mary Sommerville, Ada Lovelace, Mathematicians. She will speak about the and Sonya Kovalevskaya) $30 life and times of Caroline Herschel and 3. Mathematwist: Number Tales also touch on the struggles that other From Around The World (multicultural women pioneers have undergone to collection of mathematical folktales for Saturdays 7pm - 10pm achieve their goals. children aged 8-12) $15 Please note that the observatory may be inaccessible for several weeks Dr. Venkatraman is going to bring 4. Climbing the Stairs (a novel that has following a winter storm. some of her books to sell and will of strong women in it but nothing about See www.theSkyscrapers.org course autograph them. Here is the list astronomy or mathematics, but it’s the for updates. along with the prices. top of my list so I always take it wherever North Scituate 1. Double Stars: The Story of Caroline I go) $20 Community Center Herschel (biography) $30 All of our winter meetings (Dec-Mar) are held at the Community Center. From Seagrave Observatory, the Community From the president Center is the first building on the right The International Year of The Cosmic Diary is an example of a side going south on Rt. -
Asterism and Constellation: Terminological Dilemmas
www.ebscohost.com www.gi.sanu.ac.rs, www.doiserbia.nb.rs, J. Geogr. Inst. Cvijic. 67(1) (1–10) Original scientific paper UDC: 521/525 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2298/IJGI1701001P ASTERISM AND CONSTELLATION: TERMINOLOGICAL DILEMMAS Zorica Prnjat *1, Milutin Tadić * * University of Belgrade, Faculty of Geography, Belgrade, Serbia Received: March 14, 2017; Reviewed: March 23, 2017; Accepted: March 31, 2017 Abstract: In contemporary astronomical literature, there is no uniform definition of the term asterism. This inconsistency is the consequence of differences between the traditional understanding of the term constellation, from the standpoint of the naked eye astronomy, and its contemporary understanding from the standpoint of the International Astronomical Union. A traditional constellation is a recognizable star configuration with a well-established name, whereas the International Astronomical Union defines a constellation as an exactly defined sector of the cosmic space that belongs to a particular traditional constellation. Asterism is a lower rank term in comparison to constellation, and as such it may not denote a whole traditional constellation, as these terms would become synonymous and parts of constellations would become “asterisms of asterisms“. Similarly, asterism cannot define a macro configuration composed of the brightest stars in more constellations, thus, the Summer Triangle and other sky polygons are not asterisms. Therefore, asterisms are neither constellations nor sky polygons, but the third – easily recognizable parts of traditional constellations with historically well-established names, including separate groups of smaller stars that belong to star clusters (autonomous asterisms). Forms and names of asterisms may or may not be consistent with the parent constellation, and accordingly asterisms can be divided into compatible and incompatible. -
Alternate Constellation Guide
ARKANSAS NATURAL SKY ASSOCIATION LEARNING THE CONSTELLATIONS (Library Telescope Manual included) By Robert Togni Cover Image courtesy of Wikimedia. Do not write in this book, and return with scope to library. A personal copy of this guide can be obtained online at www.darkskyarkansas.com Preface This publication was inspired by and built upon Robert (Rocky) Togni’s quest to share the night sky with all who can be enticed under it. His belief is that the best place to start a relationship with the night sky is to learn the constellations and explore the principle ob- jects within them with the naked eye and a pair of common binoculars. Over a period of years, Rocky evolved a concept, using seasonal asterisms like the Summer Triangle and the Winter Hexagon, to create an easy to use set of simple charts to make learning one’s way around the night sky as simple and fun as possible. Recognizing that the most avid defenders of the natural night time environment are those who have grown to know and love nature at night and exploring the universe that it re- veals, the Arkansas Natural Sky Association (ANSA) asked Rocky if the Association could publish his guide. The hope being that making this available in printed form at vari- ous star parties and other relevant venues would help bring more people to the night sky as well as provide funds for the Association’s work. Once hooked, the owner will definitely want to seek deeper guides. But there is no better publication for opening the sky for the neophyte observer, making the guide the perfect companion for a library telescope. -
Winter Hexagon
Applegater Fall 2011 7 THE STARRY SIDE spectacles.) Sirius in Canus Major (Orion’s Ocean). The faithful dog) holds up the bottom of the moon enters Winter hexagon winter hexagon and may not rise for you the umbra till late December/early January, but as (shadow) BY GREELEY WELLS the season moves on all will be revealed, with a I hope you’ve enjoyed the summer our second star: the bright Aldebaran. I promise! Here’s an easy trick: the later subtle, dim triangle and its constellations during this (Aldebaran is part of Taurus the Bull, a you look the farther up they will be. So warmth short summer season, and that you can beautiful and distinctive small triangle.) if you’re caught out extra late some night, that slowly keep enjoying it as it overlaps into fall and Stretch your arm out fully in front of you. that’s an excellent time to see it all. Hope envelops eventually sinks in the west during winter. With your hand wide open as a measuring for clear skies. the whole Greeley Wells I’ve talked a lot in past columns about device, the distance between Capella When they’ve all risen and you’ve moon. The the summer triangle because it’s the main and Aldebaran is the distance between figured all this out, step back and look at total eclipse is from 6:06 to 6:57 am. As asterism (a cluster of stars or constellations the end of your thumb and pinky finger this amazing, very nearly perfect hexagon we head toward dawn, this umbra begins that have a name) of summer. -
Symbols and Astrological Terms in Ancient Arabic Inscriptions
SCIENTIFIC CULTURE, Vol. 5, No. 2, (2019), pp. 21-30 Open Access. Online & Print www.sci-cult.com DOI: SYMBOLS AND ASTROLOGICAL TERMS IN ANCIENT ARABIC INSCRIPTIONS Mohammed H. Talafha1* and Ziad A. Talafha2 1Dept. of Astronomy, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, XI. Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A 2Dept. of History, AL al-BAYT University, 25113 Mafraq, Jordan Received: 03/11/2018 Accepted: 11/02/2019 *Corresponding author: Mohammed H. Talafha ([email protected]) ABSTRACT In the past, the Arabs in Al-hara Zone used many stars to deduce the seasons of the year and also to deduce the roads, at that time this was the most convienent way to figure their ways and to know the time of the year they have to travel or to planet, The most important used stars at that time were the Pleiades, Canopus, Arcturus and other stars. This study shows the inscriptions found in Al-hara Zone in many field trips in the year 2018 which were written on smooth black rocks and how these inscriptions related to the stars and to the seasons – at that time - of the year. KEYWORDS: Arabic, Stars, Inscriptions, Al-hara Zone, Rock art from southern Syria and north-east of Jor- dan in Badia al-Sham, The Pleiades, Arabian Tribes, Canopus, Seasons, Pre-Islamic era. Copyright: © 2019. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). 22 M.H. TALAFHA & Z.A. TALAFHA 1. INTRODUCTION the re-consideration and prospective of Qatar cultur- al heritage tourism map, among other studies. -
The Relative Sizes of the Sun and Stars 25
The relative sizes of the sun and stars 25 Stars come in many sizes, but their true appearances are impossible to see without special telescopes. The image to the left was taken by the Hubble Space telescope and resolves the red supergiant star Betelgeuse so that its surface can be just barely seen. Follow the number clues below to compare the sizes of some other familiar stars! Problem 1 - The sun's diameter if 10 times the diameter of Jupiter. If Jupiter is 11 times larger than Earth, how much larger than Earth is the Sun? Problem 2 - Capella is three times larger than Regulus, and Regulus is twice as large as Sirius. How much larger is Capella than Sirius? Problem 3 - Vega is 3/2 the size of Sirius, and Sirius is 1/12 the size of Polaris. How much larger is Polaris than Vega? Problem 4 - Nunki is 1/10 the size of Rigel, and Rigel is 1/5 the size of Deneb. How large is Nunki compared to Deneb? Problem 5 - Deneb is 1/8 the size of VY Canis Majoris, and VY Canis Majoris is 504 times the size of Regulus. How large is Deneb compared to Regulus? Problem 6 - Aldebaran is 3 times the size of Capella, and Capella is twice the size of Polaris. How large is Aldebaran compared to Polaris? Problem 7 - Antares is half the size of Mu Cephi. If Mu Cephi is 28 times as large as Rigel, and Rigel is 50 times as large as Alpha Centauri, how large is Antares compared to Alpha Centauri? Problem 8 - The Sun is 1/4 the diameter of Regulus. -
Introduction the Constellations of the Winter
Introduction The winter sky is an excellent place to begin exploring the constellations that make up the night sky. Orion is the key, or signpost, for locating many of the other constellations in the winter sky. There are two convenient ways to locate all of the main constellations around Orion once Orion is located. Fortunately, Orion is easy to locate and well known to most people. The first way is to follow lines made by pairs of stars in Orion. The second way is to locate the great winter Orion is the key for hexagon of bright star around Orion. cracking the winter sky. The Constellations of the Winter Sky If you live in the northern latitudes and you scan the sky from the southern horizon to the region overhead, you should be able to see the following constellations on a clear winter night: Orion the Hunter, Canis Major the Great Dog, Canis Minor the Little Dog, Taurus the Bull, Auriga the Charioteer, Gemini the Twins and the Pleiades star cluster. (See the map on the next page). In Greek mythology, Orion was a great hunter who eventually offended the gods, especially Apollo. Apollo tricked Artemis, the Goddess of the hunt, into shooting Orion on a bet. When she discovered that she had shot Orion, she quickly lifted him to the heavens and made him immortal, where he now hunts eternally with his two dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor. In front of him is his prey Taurus the Bull. The myths surrounding Auriga the Charioteer vary, but it is an ancient constellation dating back to at least to the Ancient Greeks. -
The Pleiades: the Celestial Herd of Ancient Timekeepers
The Pleiades: the celestial herd of ancient timekeepers. Amelia Sparavigna Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Torino C.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Torino, Italy Abstract In the ancient Egypt seven goddesses, represented by seven cows, composed the celestial herd that provides the nourishment to her worshippers. This herd is observed in the sky as a group of stars, the Pleiades, close to Aldebaran, the main star in the Taurus constellation. For many ancient populations, Pleiades were relevant stars and their rising was marked as a special time of the year. In this paper, we will discuss the presence of these stars in ancient cultures. Moreover, we will report some results of archeoastronomy on the role for timekeeping of these stars, results which show that for hunter-gatherers at Palaeolithic times, they were linked to the seasonal cycles of aurochs. 1. Introduction Archeoastronomy studies astronomical practices and related mythologies of the ancient cultures, to understand how past peoples observed and used the celestial phenomena and what was the role played by the sky in their cultures. This discipline is then a branch of the cultural astronomy, an interdisciplinary field that relates astronomical phenomena to current and ancient cultures. It must then be distinguished from the history of astronomy, because astronomy is a culturally specific concept and ancient peoples may have been related to the sky in different way [1,2]. Archeoastronomy is considered as a quite new interdisciplinary science, rooted in the Stonehenge studies of 1960s by the astronomer Gerald Hawkins, who tested Stonehenge alignments by computer, and concluded that these stones marked key dates in the megalithic calendar [3]. -
Star Science in the Autumn Sky by John R
www.astrosociety.org/uitc No. 32 - Fall 1995 © 1995, Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 390 Ashton Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94112. Star Science in the Autumn Sky by John R. Percy, University of Toronto and George Musser, Astronomical Society of the Pacific Be honest: Do the stars all look the same to you? If you look up at the night sky, you can see anything from dozens to thousands of them, depending on where you live. To most people, the stars are just points of light, each one like the other. To astronomers, however, stars are as varied as people. There are as many different kinds of stars in our galaxy as there are people on Earth. They come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and dispositions. And stars, like people, have their life cycles. They are born, grow up, and die (don't pay taxes, though). The study of the stars and their lives, the great People magazine of the skies, is known as astrophysics. Astrophysics sounds imposing. Say the word at a cocktail party and see how fast the conversation grinds to a halt. Star science, which is what astrophysics is, sounds much more friendly. The following activities will introduce you to star science as you ramble across the autumn sky. Though the stars are distant, you can come to understand their nature by making simple observations and drawing analogies to everyday things on Earth. When you can look at a star and see more than a point of light, the night sky will come alive. Activity 1. Finding your way with a star map Activity 2. -
Astronomical Coordinate Systems
Appendix 1 Astronomical Coordinate Systems A basic requirement for studying the heavens is being able to determine where in the sky things are located. To specify sky positions, astronomers have developed several coordinate systems. Each sys- tem uses a coordinate grid projected on the celestial sphere, which is similar to the geographic coor- dinate system used on the surface of the Earth. The coordinate systems differ only in their choice of the fundamental plane, which divides the sky into two equal hemispheres along a great circle (the fundamental plane of the geographic system is the Earth’s equator). Each coordinate system is named for its choice of fundamental plane. The Equatorial Coordinate System The equatorial coordinate system is probably the most widely used celestial coordinate system. It is also the most closely related to the geographic coordinate system because they use the same funda- mental plane and poles. The projection of the Earth’s equator onto the celestial sphere is called the celestial equator. Similarly, projecting the geographic poles onto the celestial sphere defines the north and south celestial poles. However, there is an important difference between the equatorial and geographic coordinate sys- tems: the geographic system is fixed to the Earth and rotates as the Earth does. The Equatorial system is fixed to the stars, so it appears to rotate across the sky with the stars, but it’s really the Earth rotating under the fixed sky. The latitudinal (latitude-like) angle of the equatorial system is called declination (Dec. for short). It measures the angle of an object above or below the celestial equator. -
Winter Library Telescope Astro Guide Attend Star Parties, Lectures, Join A
Winter Library Telescope Astro Guide Get the most out of your time with your telescope by reading this page and using attached maps. In the winter these constellations and objects are visible in the evenings. Study maps before dark and try to memorize the Constellation and bright star names. View/find as many of the objects at the bottom of the page and check them off. Winter Hexagon Start by finding Orion (three belt stars in the south). Trace it out noting belt, sword, Rigel & Betelgeuse. Now using Telescope find M42 in the sword. Use Orion's belt stars to find Sirius in Canis Major, the brightest Star. Look at M41 with telescope. Now use Orion's belt again to find Aldebaran in Taurus the Bull. You can see the Pleiades without your telescope but with your scope you can see many more stars. Beautiful Blue White Stars. Above Orion is Gemini the twins. Note Castor and Pollux and find M35 with your scope at their feet. Above Taurus is Auriga, shaped like a Pentagon. Look at yellow Capella and view M36, M37, and M38 with your telescope. Circumpolar (Northern Sky) Use a compass or your phone to find north. Polaris should be star closest to north about 35 degrees above the Horizon. In winter evenings note distinctive W or M shape high in the sky. This is Cassiopeia, the Queen. Trace out Cassiopeia. Use your scope on Ml03 and the Double Cluster. Double Cluster is very nice through this size scope. Cepheus, much dimmer is to left of Cassiopeia.