- JANUARY HANUERE SKY GUIDE Gemini The constellation Gemini represents the twin THE SKY TONIGHT brothers Pollux (or Polydeuces for the Greeks) and Castor, known as the Dioscuri or “sons of Zeus”. However in many versions of the The Argo Navis myth, only Pollux was fathered by Zeus, with Castor said to be the son of King Tyndareus Made up of the constellations Carina, of Sparta, a mortal man. The twins were Puppis and Vela, the Argo Navis known for their kindness and generosity. represents the famed ship used by Jason and the Argonauts to fetch the Golden After Castor was mortally wounded, Pollux Fleece from Colchis (present-day Georgia). asked Zeus if he could share his immortality with his brother. Zeus agreed but only on Vela forms the sail, Puppis the stern and condition that they spend alternate days Carina the keel (bottom). After the journey, on Mount Olympus and in Hades (the Athena placed it among the stars to underworld). They were placed in the sky commemorate its voyage. as the constellation Gemini, with a bright star named after each twin. Their division The Carina constellation can be spotted between heaven and the underworld may using Canopus, the brightest star in the refer to the fact that Gemini is only visible sky when facing south. Canopus is named for around half the year. after the mythical navigator who piloted the ship of King Menelaus of Sparta To find Gemini (highlighted inyellow on the star chart) first locate the Orion constellation. during the Trojan War. From the Carina Find Orion’s Belt, a distinctive line of three constellation, look to the east to find Vela stars, and look to the north-east. Gemini the sail, and to the north to find Puppis can be spotted using its two brightest the stern (all highlighted in orange on stars, Castor and Pollux. the star chart).
What’s On in January? January shows at Perpetual Guardian Planetarium, book at Museum Shop or online. See website for show times and details: otagomuseum.nz - JANUARY HANUERE SKY GUIDE The Sky Tonight Planetarium show. 2.30pm daily
We Are Aliens! 3D Planetarium show. 10.30am, 12.30pm and 3.30pm daily PERPETUAL The constellation Argo Navis from Uranographia by Johannes Hevelius. Dream To Fly Planetarium show. GUARDIAN 11.30am and 1.30 daily PLANETARIUM MOON PHASES JANUARY 2019 SUN RISE / SUNSET N 10 350 Major Auriga Perseus 340 20 Lynx Algol 330 Phase Date 30 Date Rise Set Sunday 6 January Tuesday 1 5.51AM 9.31PM New moon Castor Triangulum 320 40 Andromeda 1st quarter Monday 14 January Pollux Tuesday 15 6.06AM 9.26PM Gemini AldebaranTaurus Aries 310 Full moon Monday 21 January Minor 50 Thursday 31 6.29AM 9.12PM Cancer 3rd quarter Monday 28 January Betelgeuse Orion 300 60 Canis Minor Procyon CARINA NEBULA Rigel Monoceros PLANETS Mira Pisces 290 70
Regulus Lepus Eridanus Mars Sirius The Carina Nebula (depicted on Canis Major Cetus 280 the cover) is only visible in the
Venus 80 Hydra southern hemisphere and is one Meremere-tū-ahiahi of the largest diffuse nebulae in Early January before sunrise Columba Sextans Fornax our skies. Diffuse nebulae are Mid January before sunrise Caelum
W large areas of collected gas and Late January before sunrise E Pyxis dust that are often sites of star In Libra Puppis formation. Located in the Carina Pictor Canopus Sculptor constellation, the Carina Nebula
Horologium 260 is an incredibly active place 100 Reticulum Dorado Aquarius where new stars are regularly Mars Antlia AchernarPhoenix Crater Vela born and old stars die. Matawhero Carina Early January before 1:00am Fomalhaut
Mid January before 12:20am Volans Hydrus 250 Although the nebula is bright
110 Mensa Late January before 11:40pm Tucana enough to be seen with the In Pisces Piscis Austrinus naked eye, one of its most Chamaeleon Grus
Corvus notable star system, Eta 240 120 Carinae, is currently only visible Octans Indus with a telescope. Eta Carinae AcruxMusca Jupiter CruxGacrux is expected to explode into a
Capricornus
0 Hine-i-tīweka Centaurus 23
Apus supernova sometime in the next Early January before sunrise 130 Spica Microscopium Mid January before sunrise Circinus Pavo million years, which is very soon
Late January before sunrise for a star! When this happens, it
RigilTriangulum Kentaurus Australe 220 In Ophiuchus Time Guide 140 Carina Nebula will become – for a few weeks –
This chart is oriented for Telescopium the second brightest star
Jupiter is the largest planet 210
Early January, 12am Ara Argo Navis 150 in our sky. in the solar system. Relatively
Mid January, 11pm Norma
speaking, if Earth was the 200 Lupus160 Gemini
size of a grape, Jupiter would Late January, 10pm Corona Australis To locate the Carina Nebula
190
170 be the size of a basketball. S S M (highlighted in pink on the star A prominent feature of the Copyright © 2019 Heavens-Above.com chart), first find the Southern planet is the Great Red Spot, a Cross. Then follow a line north gigantic storm which is about How to use this chart: Hold the chart up to the sky and rotate it, so the direction you are looking twice the size of Earth. matches the direction printed on the bottom. For example, if you are looking south, place “S” at the towards the Carina constellation lower edge. Stars rise in the east and set in the west like the sun. As the Earth turns, the sky appears until you see a fuzzy patch in the to rotate clockwise around the south celestial pole. The sky makes a small shift to the west every night, sky. This is the Carina Nebula. as the Earth rotates around the sun.