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INDEX

Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations.

absolute magnitude, 60–61, on Alpha Crucis, 186 “alpha,” defined, 38 255, 266. See also brightness; on Altair, 188 Al Rakib, 152–153 individual star names on Beta Centauri, 183 Alshain (Beta Aquilae), absorption spectrum, 68 Beta Crucis and, 239 190–193 accretion disk, 67 on Canopus, 107, 108, 109 Altair, 21–23, 22, 25, 145 Achernar, 19, 20, 170, 230, on Capella, 152–153 Alpha Crucis and, 185 234, 250 on Deneb, 243 Aquila, the Eagle and, name of, 171 on Fomalhaut, 234–235 188–190, 189, 190 remote location of, 171–172 on Procyon, 167 color of, 112 shape of, 170, 172–173 on Rigel, 160 Deneb and, 241, 241–242, Spica and, 214 on Sirius, 91, 98–99 244 as a sun, 173 on Spica, 212 lore about, 140–142, Adams, W. S., 95 Star Names: Their Lore and 190–191, 192 Adhara, 11, 161 Meanings, 86 oblate shape of, 250 Agastya, 108 Al Muhlifain, 122 positionings of, 191–193, 192 Agena (Beta Centauri), 183 Alpha Andromedae, 233 Procyon and, 166–167 Albers, Steve, 96, 220 Alpha Capricorni, 64 as a sun, 193–196, 194, 195 Alcor, 160–162, 161 Alpha Carinae, 111 view from, 195, 196 Aldebaran, 14, 15–17, 16, 28, Alpha Centauri, 19, 20, 58, 92, altazimuth mounts, for tele- 61, 95, 114, 196–197, 203 102, 115, 116, 183, 186 scopes, 48 Altair and, 195 Arcturus and, 134 altazimuth system, defined, 29, Arcturus and, 134 as “Bungula,” 183 266 color of, 131 as double star, 117–119 altitude, 29–30, 266 connections to other celestial lore about, 121–123 amplitude, 66–67 objects, 197–198, 198 motion of, 120 Antapex of the Sun’s Way, 62 lore about, 200–202, 201 orbit of, 118 Antares, 22, 23, 28, 76, motion of, 203–204, 205 Proxima Centauri as sun, 171–172, 231 occultations of, 198–199 124–125 Betelgeuse and, 180, 181 star clusters and, 197, proximity of, 116–117 color of, 131, 217–220 199–200 as Rigil Kentaurus, 38 companion star of, 218–220, as a sun, 206 as Southern Pointers, 219, 222–223 as ultimate double NorthCOPYRIGHTED119–121 MATERIALlore about, 223–224 Star, 207 as suns, 123–124 name of, 223–224 view from, 207 view from, 125 occultation of, 198–199 Al Fahl, 109 Alpha Crucis (Acrux), 19, 20, orbit of A and B, 219 Al Hadi, 153 121, 185–188, 186 as a red giant, 220–222 Algol, 65 Alpha Crucis C and, 186 Scorpius, the Scorpion and, Al Jauzah, Rigel and, 159–160 Beta Centauri and, 183, 184 215–217, 216, 222 Allen, R. H., 4 Beta Crucis and, 238–239 in Scorpius-Centaurus Asso- on Achernar, 171 name of, 38 ciation, 223 on Alpha Centauri, 121–122 Spica and, 214 Spica and, 213

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Antares (continued) averted vision, 44–45, 266 Arcturus and, 128 Vega and, 137 Azimech, 212 measuring, 33 apastron, 94 azimuth, defined, 29–30, 266 Spica and, 208–209 aperture, 46 visibility of, 35 Apex of the Sun’s Way, 62, 246 Bainbridge, John, 129 binary stars, 64, 266 apparent magnitude Barnard, E. E., 162 binoculars, 10, 45 defined, 61, 266 barycenter, defined, 64 black dwarfs, 76 stars in order of, 255 Bayer, Johannes, 37–38 black holes, 53, 56–57, 67, See also individual names of Beetlejuice, 175–176 78–79, 266 stars B-emission stars, 172–173 blue giants, 70, 266 Aquarius, the Water-Bearer, Bennett, Comet, 130 blueshifted light, 62 28, 37 Bessel, Friedrich Wilhelm, 95, Bok globules, 75 Aquila, the Eagle, 21–23, 22, 116 Boötes, the Herdsman, 25, 142 Beta Canis Majoris (Mirzam), 126–128, 127 Altair and, 188–190, 189, 190 90, 204 bright giants (class II), 70 Procyon and, 169 Beta Centauri (Hadar), 19, 20, brightness, 3, 7, 8 Arago, Dominique François, 86 38, 119–122, 183, 186, 214 absolute magnitude, 60–61 Aratos, 152 name of, 182–184 apparent magnitude, stars arc minutes/arc seconds, 32, 34 twin giants of Hadar A, in order of, 255 Arcturus, 18, 20, 61, 90, 95, 184–185 distance and, 60 117, 126 Beta Crucis (Becrux, Mimosa), first magnitude, 11 “Arcturus Group,” 134 19, 20, 121, 214, 238–240 first magnitude stars, num- color of, 130–131 Alpha Crucis and, 186, 187 ber of, 11–12 conjunctions with comets, Beta Centauri and, 183, 184 light spectrum, 67–68 129–130 name of, 38, 239 luminosity and, 60–61, lore about, 126–129, 127 Southern Cross and, 186 69–70, 72–74, 73 motion of, 133–136 “beta,” defined, 38 magnitude and, 9–10 name of, 126–127 Beta Librae, 222 200 brightest stars, 260–265 Spica and, 208–209, 210 Beta Tauri, 198 variable stars, 65–67, 66 as sun, 131–133, 132 Betelgeuse, 14, 15, 22, 23, 24, See also individual names of Vega and, 137, 145 29, 175, 180 stars view of, 136 Alpha Centauri and, 125 brown dwarfs, 74, 125, Argo, 105, 111 Altair and, 195 181 Aries, the Ram, 28, 37 Antares and, 180, 181, B stars, 68, 69 Aristotle, 99 220–221 Burnham, Robert, Jr., 85, Ashbrook, Joseph, 177–178 brightness of, 176–178 95–96, 98 associations, defined, 55 color of, 131 on Aldebaran, 202, 206 A stars, 68, 69 companions of, 181 on Antares, 218 asterisms defined, 25–26, 266 lore about, 174–176 on Arcturus, 131, 132, 133, asteroids, 52 name of, 174–176 134 astrology, 28, 37 Procyon and, 166 on Beta Crucis, 240 Astronomical Companion as red giant, 176–177, 181 on Betelgeuse, 177 (Ottewell), 183, 244 size of, 179, 179–180 Burnham’s Celestial Handbook, astronomical units (AU), 59–60 as supergiant, 70, 75–76 97, 111 astronomy, defined, 2 as supernova, 181–182 on Canopus, 111 atmospheric extinction, 266 Big Bang, 57 on Fomalhaut, 234, 237 Aufdenberg, Jason, 144 Big Dipper, 18, 20, 21, 22, on Rigel, 159, 161 Auriga, 147, 149, 156, 198 25–26, 38 Burnham, S. W., 161, 168

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calendar, Sirius and, 87–89 catadioptric telescopes, 47–48 seasonal progression of, Cancer, the Crab, 28 catalog designations, 37–38. 26–27 Canes Venatici, the Hunting See also nomenclature zodiac and, 27–28 Dogs, 127 Celestial Handbook (Burnham), See also individual names of Canis Major, the Big Dog, 11, 97, 111 constellations 16, 17, 83 celestial objects, 29, 266 Contact (Sagan), 143 Canis Minor, the Little Dog, celestial spheres, 25, 30–32, continuous spectrum, 68 16, 17, 163–165, 164 31, 266 Copernicus, 247 Cannon, Annie Jump, 68 Censorinus, 89 Cor Caroli, 210 Canopus, 19, 20, 70, 90, Centaurus, 19, 20, 119 Corona Borealis, 128 104–105, 230, 234 Alpha Centauri and, 187–188 Corvus, the Crow, 209 as brightest star, 113–114 Beta Crucis and, 238 Cowherd (Altair), 140–142, distance and luminosity of, Scorpius-Centaurus Associa- 191, 192 111–112 tion, 223 Crescent Moon, 42–44, 43, 61 lore about, 105, 107–111 Center for High Angular Reso- Crux, 19, 20 name of, 107–108 lution Astronomy Cthulhu Mythos (Lovecraft), navigation by, 105, 114–115 (CHARA) Array (Georgia 202 northern visibility of, 104, State University), 144 culmination 106–107 central stars, 54 defined, 121, 266 as “Second Star,” 105–106 Century of Progress Exposi- season of prime evening as a sun, 112–113, 113 tion, 129 visibility and, 257 Vega and, 146 Cepheids, 60, 66, 266 Cursa, 171 Capella, 16, 17, 22, 24 Cetus, the Whale, 233 Cygnus, the Swan, 21–23, 22, Aldebaran and, 198, 200, Chi Cygni, 65–66 25, 242–243, 243 205, 207 circumpolar stars, 19, 30–32, Auriga and, 147 31, 34–36, 104, 266 Dante, 234 as brightest star, 114 Clark, Alvan G., 95 dark adaptation, 44–45, 266 “clouds” of, 150–151 Classical Cepheids, 66 dark nebulae, 54, 266 color of, 155 Claudius Ptolemy, 108 Dawes, W. R., 220 declination of, 35 Clear Sky Clock Web site, 41 declination, 30–32, 31, 266 as double star, 153–155, 154 Coalsack, 238–239 deep-sky objects, 266 Fomalhaut and, 231, 232 cocoon nebulae, 74 degenerate matter, 76 as G star, 123 collimation, 47 de Lalande, J. J., 38 lore about, 151–153 color Delporte, Eugene, 25 Menkalinan and, 156–157 color index, 256 Delta Cephei, 66 motion of, 155–156 light spectrum, 67–68 Delta Crucis, 187 name of, 151–153 See also nomenclature; indi- Delta Herculis, 64 seasonal viewing of, 137, vidual names of planets and Delta Scorpii, 173 146–151 stars Delta Scuti, 156–157 Vega and, 145 Comet of the Century (Schaaf), Deneb, 21–23, 22, 25, 241, view from, 156 130 241–242 Capricornus, the She-Goat, 28 comets, 52, 130 Altair and, 193 carbon, 76 common motion doubles, 64 brightness of, 61, 243–245 Carina, 238 companion stars, 64 Cygnus, the Swan and, Cassini, Giovanni Domenico, conjunctions, 27–28, 266 242–243, 243 229 constellations, 110 distance of, 243–245 Castor, 9, 16, 17, 24, 54, asterisms and, 25–26 motion of, 246–247 224–229, 225, 237 defined, 25–26, 266 orbit of, 245

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Deneb (continued) Regulus and, 248–249 of winter, 13–17, 14, 16 as a sun, 245–246 Rigel orbit compared to, 158 First Quarter Moon, 42, 43 Deneb Kaitos (Diphda), 233, rotation axis of, 36–37, 266 Flammarion, Camille, 234 234 seasonal progression of con- Flamsteed, John, 38 Denebola (Beta Leonis), 210 stellations and, 26–27 Flamsteed numbers, 38 Derby, Lord, 91 Sirius B size and, 93, 93 flare stars, 66, 125 diameter, of brightest stars, 258 zodiac and, 28 Fleming, W. P., 68 Diamond of Virgo, 211 eclipse, 28, 266 Fomalhaut, 22, 23–24, 143, 230 diffuse nebulae, 54, 266 eclipsing binaries, 65, 266 Alpha Andromedae, Gamma distance ecliptic, 28, 266 Pegasi and, 233 astronomical units (AU), electromagnetic radiation, 67 as “Autumn Star,” 232 59–60 elliptical galaxies, 55 Capella and, 148, 149 interplanetary vs. interstellar, emission nebulae, 54 companion star of, 237 57–59 emission spectrum, 68 dust disk surrounding, stars in order of apparent energy, light pollution and, 235–237, 236 magnitude, 255 39–41, 40 name of, 233–235 variable stars and, 65–67 Epsilon Aurigae, 151–152 remote location of, 230–231 See also measurement; indi- Epsilon Canis Majoris as a sun, 235 vidual names of stars (Adhara), 204 Friendly Stars, The (Martin), 2, diurnal motion, 266 Epsilon Eridani, 102 86, 150, 200, 218 Divine Comedy, The (Dante), Epsilon Indi, 237 F stars, 68, 69, 112 234 equatorial mounts, for tele- full-cutoff fixture, 40, 267 Dobsonian mounts, for tele- scopes, 48 Full Moon, 10–11, 43, 44 scopes, 48 equatorial system, 30, 266 fusion, 71–72 Doctor Who, 123 equinoxes, 37 “dog days,” 90–92 Eratosthenes, 90, 107, 222 galactic clusters, 54-56, 267 Dogon tribe (Mali), 97–98 eruptive (explosive) variable galaxies, 55–57, 56, 267 Donati, Comet, 130 stars, 66 Gamma Cassiopeiae, 172–173 Doolittle, Albert, 96 Eta Boötis (Izar, Muphrid), Gamma Draconis (Eltanin), Doppler effect, 62 130, 136, 212 204 double stars, 34, 41, 63–65, 64, Eta Carinae Nebula, 111, 121 Gamma Pegasi, 233 124. See also individual Evelyn, John, 129 gamma-ray bursters, 56 names of stars Evenings in Greece (Moore), Gamma Virginis (Porrima), 64 Draco, the Dragon, 37, 204 109 Gemini, the Twins, 9, 16, 17, “Dream of Fair Women” (Lord extrinsic variables, 65 24, 27, 28, 110 Tennyson), 109 eyepieces, of telescopes, 48 Aldebaran and, 198 Dumbbell Nebula (M27), 54 Castor and Pollux as, duplicity, defined, 64 50 Best Sights in Astronomy, The 224–229, 225, 229 dwarfs (class V), 70 (Schaaf), 104, 157, 160 Procyon and, 167–168 finderscopes, 48 Georgia State University, 144 Earth, 57–59, 76 first magnitude stars, 2 giants (class III), 70 altitude and azimuth, 29–30 of autumn, 22, 23–24, 232 Gibbous Moon, 42–44, 43 Capella compared to, 154, defined, 11 globular clusters, 54–55 154 magnitude, defined, 61, 267 Gomeisa, 167 Deneb compared to, 245, 245 number of, 11–12 Gould, Benjamin, 25 orbit of, and Canopus, 113, occultation and, 28 Great Galactic Dark Horse, 222 113 of spring, 16, 17–19 Great Orion Nebula (M42), 54 precession of, 140, 249 of summer, 20, 21–23 Great Square of Pegasus, 233

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Greenwich Time, 32–33 Hyades, 14, 15–17, 16, 197, on Spica, 212 G stars, 68, 69 199, 200–202, 201, 207 Hyakutake, Comet, 130 Lacaille, Nicholas Louis de, Hadar. See Beta Centauri hydrogen, 71–72 110, 119, 239 (Hadar) Lambda Eridiani stars, 173 “Halid” (Thayer), 202 Innes, R. T., 117 Large Sagittarius Star Cloud, Halley, Edmund, 61, 95, interferometry, 179, 181, 250 246 133–134, 199 International Astronomical Last Quarter Moon, 43, 44 Harbig-Haro objects, 74 Union (IAU), 25, 52, 110 Leo, the Lion, 18, 20, 27, 28, Harp-Star, 140 International Dark-Sky Associ- 210, 247–249, 248, 252 Harry Potter (Rowling), 101 ation (IDA), 39 Leo I (dwarf galaxy), 8, 252 Hartung, E. J., 219 interplanetary distance, 57–59 Lessing, Doris, 101 Harvard system of spectral interstellar distance, 57–59 Libra, the Scales, 27 classification, 68–70 intrinsic variables, 65 light pollution, 39–41, 40, 267 Heavenly G, 197 IRAS satellite, 142–143, light spectrum, 67–68 heavens, defined, 30 235–236 light-years, 59–60, 267 helium, 71–72, 76 irregular galaxies, 55 Lindsay, David, 129 Henderson, Thomas, 116 irregular variable stars, 65 Ling, Alister, 150–151 Herschel, John, 111, 177 Little Dipper, 36 Herschel, William, 85, 222, 234 Jewel Box (Kappa Crucis Clus- Local Groups, 56 Herzsprung, Ejnar, 72 ter), 238–239 Lockyer, Joseph Norman, 211 Hesiod, 90, 127 Jobes, Gertrude, 108, 122, 191, long-period variable stars, 65, Hevelius, 127 212 267 high-mass stars, 75–76 Jobes, James, 108, 122, 191, Lord of the Rings, The Hipparchus, 9, 61, 171 212 (Tolkien), 202 Hipparcos satellite, 60 Jupiter, 1, 52, 85 lore. See individual names of stars Alpha Crucis, 187–188 color of, 131 Lovecraft, H. P., 202 Arcturus, 131 distance from Earth, 58 low-mass stars, 76–78 Beta Centauri, 184 Regulus and, 249, 254 luminosity Canopus, 112 defined, 60–61, 267 Regulus, 250 Kaler, James, 155, 159, 186, hydrogen and, 72 Rigel, 158 221, 240, 246 period-luminosity law, 66 Vega, 140, 143 Kappa Crucis Cluster (Jewel spectral class, 69–70, 268 Hippocrates, 91 Box), 238–239 Luyten’s Star, 169 History of Animals (Aristotle), Kepler, Johannes, 129 Lyra, 25, 137, 138, 140–142 99 K stars, 68, 69, 196, 228 Altair and, 188 Homer, 90, 91, 127 Kuiper Belt Objects (KBO), as “Stooping Eagle,” 142 horizon, 29 58, 235–237 Houston, Walter Scott, 96 Kunitzsch, Paul M4, 217 H-R diagram (Hertzsprung- on Altair, 188 M5, 56 Russell diagram), 72–74, on Arcturus, 107, 127 M31 (Great Andromeda 73, 267 on Beta Centauri, 183 Galaxy), 56 Hubble Space Telescope, 10, Beta Crucis and, 239–240 M33, 56 169 on Canopus, 108 M42, 54 Betelgeuse images, 179, 180 on Deneb, 243 Magellanic Clouds, 172 Fomalhaut images, 236, on Procyon, 167 magnification, 45, 46 236–237 on Regulus, 247 magnitude hunter stars, 128 on Rigel, 159 in autumn, 22

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magnitude (continued) MKK (Morgan-Keenan-Kell- precession and, 36–37 defined, 9–10, 267 man) system, 69–70 novae, 65–67, 85, 267 in spring, 16 Moon N stars, 68 in summer, 20 distance from Earth, 57–59 nuclear fusion, 53, 71–72 in winter, 14 phases of, 10–11, 42–44, 43, See also brightness; first mag- 61 oblate shape, of stars, 170, nitude stars zodiac and, 28 172–173, 250 Manilius, 87, 97, 131 See also occultation Observer’s Handbook (Royal Marcy, Geoff, 227 moons, 52 Astronomical Society of Mars, 1, 52 Moore, Thomas, 109 Canada), 111 color of, 131, 217–218 Morgoth’s Ring (Tolkien), 101 occultation distance from Earth, 58 Morin, Jean-Baptiste, 132 of Aldebaran, 198–199 Regulus and, 254 motion defined, 28, 267 Martin, Martha Evans, 2, 86, of brightest stars, 258 of Pollux, 227 150, 200, 217–218 proper motion, 61–62, 199, of Spica, 198–199, 212–213 mass 268 oculars, 48 of brightest stars, 258 See also individual names of Olcott, William Tyler, 83, 219 measuring, 75–76 stars Old Farmer’s Almanac, The, 91 Maury, Antonia, 68 Moving Groups, 55 O’Meara, Steve, 238–239 McAllister, Harold, 250 M stars, 68, 69, 181 “1,000-Yard Model,” 58 McGee, Nora, 131 Mullaney, James, 160 open clusters, 54–55, 267 measurement multiple stars, 63–65, 124, 267. Ophiuchus, the Serpent- interplanetary vs. interstellar See also double stars Bearer, 28 distances, 57–59 mythology. See individual names optical doubles, 63–65, 267 of sky angles, by hand, 33–34 of stars Orion, the Hunter, 14, 15, 18, viewing stars and, 39–48, 40, 20, 24, 29 43 Naeye, Robert, 226–227 Altair and, 195 See also nomenclature naming, of stars, 37–38. See Betelgeuse and, 175 Menelaus, 107 also nomenclature Orion Association, 158 Menkalinan, 156–157 nebulae, 52–55, 53, 74–75, 267 Orion’s Belt, 14, 15, 16, 17, 88 Mercury, 76 Neptune, 236–237 O stars, 68, 69, 77 meridians, 267 neutrinos, 78, 79 Ottewell, Guy, 58, 109, 142 Messier objects (M-objects), 267 neutron stars, 78–79, 267 on Antares, 224 meteorites, 52 New Moon, 42, 43 Astronomical Companion, 183, meteoroids, 52 noctilucent clouds (NLCs), 244 meteors, 52 150–151 on Beta Centauri (Hadar), Michelson, Albert A., 178–179 nomenclature 183 “Micromegas” (Voltaire), luminosity class, 69–70, 268 Beta Crucis and, 239–240 100 spectral type, 68–69, 72–74, on Deneb, 244 Milky Way, 22, 23, 55, 56–57, 73, 268 58–59, 267 star names and designations, “Painter of the Skies, The” Beta Crucis and, 238 37–38 (Schaaf), 247 Magellanic Clouds, 172 north celestial pole, 30–32, 31 parallax, 59–60, 267 Milton, John, 91 Northern Cross, 242 parsec, 59–60, 267 Mimosa, 239–240. See also Beta “North Hemisphere Sky” (Sky Peltier, Leslie, 148 Crucis (Becrux, Mimosa) & Telescope), 150 periastron, 94 minor planets, 52 North Star, 34, 35 period-luminosity law, 66 Mira (Omicron Ceti), 65 Aldebaran and, 207 Period of, the Phoenix, 89

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periods, 66–67 primary stars, 64 size, shape of, 251 Perseid meteors, 148 Princess, The (Lord Tennyson), Spica and, 213 Perseus, 65 86 revolution, 268 Peters, C. H. F., 95 Proctor, Mary, 219 Rho Ophiuchi, 222 Pickering, E. C., 68 Procyon, 16, 17, 24, 102, 163 Richaud, Father, 118–119 Pipe Nebula, 222 A and B as suns, 168–169 Rigel, 1, 14, 15, 24, 70, 157, Pisces, the Fish, 28, 37 in Canis Minor, the Little 162 Piscis Austrinus, 234 Dog, 163–165, 164 Alcor and, 160–162, 161 planemo, 74 color of, 112 Betelgeuse and, 175 planetary nebulae, 54, 76, 267 lore of, 167–168 brightness of, 157–159 planets name of, 90, 165–167 Capella and, 149 Alpha Centauri and, 115, 124 Vega and, 145 as “foot of al Jauzah,” defined, 51–52 view from, 169 159–160 distance between Earth and proper motion, 61–62, 199, orbit of, 158 solar system planets, 57–59 268. See also motion as a sun, 159 Fomalhaut and, 235–237, proplyds, 74 right ascension (RA), 30–32, 236 proton-proton chain, 72 31, 268 in other solar systems, 3 protoplanetary disks, 74 Ring Nebula (M57), 53, 54, Pollux and, 226–227 protostars, 74–75 139 Vega and, 142–143 Proxima Centauri (Alpha Cen- rotation, 3, 30–32, 31, 36–37, See also individual names of tauri C), 117, 119, 124–125 268 planets Ptolemy, 171, 183 Royal Astronomical Society Pleasures of the Telescope pulsars, 79, 268 of Canada, 111 (Serviss), 218 pulsating variable stars, 65 R stars, 68 Pleiades, 14, 15, 22, 24, 197, Russell, Henry Norris, 72 199–202 Q stars, 68 Pliny, 99 quasars, 56–57, 267 Sagan, Carl, 78, 143 Pluto, 52, 57 satellites, 52 Pogson, Norman R., 9–10 radial velocity, 62 Saturn, 162, 201, 203 Polaris, 30, 34, 35, 140 R Doradus, 180 Schaeberle, John M., 168 Pollux, 9, 16, 17, 24, 28, 224, recurrent novae, 66–67 Schmidt, J. F. Julius, 132 225 red dwarfs, 2, 66, 77, 268 Scholar of Thebet ben Khorat, Castor and, 224–229, 225 red giants, 23, 65, 74, 268 The (Willis), 99–100 color of, 131, 227–228 Antares as, 220–222 scintillation, 1, 85–87, 97 conjunctions, occultations, Betelgeuse as, 181 Scorpius, the Scorpion, 22, 23, 227–228 red lights, 44–45 27, 28, 231 planet of, 226–227 redshifted light, 62 Alpha Centauri and, 187–188 proximity to Sun, 228–229, reflection nebulae, 54 Antares and, 215–217, 216, 229 reflector telescopes, 47–48 222 size of, 229 refractor telescopes, 47–48 Scorpius-Centaurus Associa- Pope, Alexander, 91 Regulus, 8, 9, 18, 20, 28, 29, tion, 223, 240 Population I stars, 55–56, 62 38, 117, 197, 247 seasonal progression, of con- Population II stars, 55, 133 characteristics of, 249–252, stellations, 26–27, 257 position angle (PA), 64–65, 251 secondary stars, 64 267 conjunctions, 252–254 second magnitude stars, Praecordia, 216 Leo, the Lion and, 247–249, defined, 11, 30 precession, 36–37, 140, 249, 248, 252 “seeing,” 41, 268 267 occultation of, 198–199 semiregular variable stars, 65

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Seneca, 97 Southern Cross, 19, 20, 35, asterisms, defined, 25–26 Serviss, Garrett, 218 121, 186 characteristics of, 51–62 Shelley, Percy Bysshe, 110 Coalsack and, 238–239 circumpolar, 30–32, 31, Sickle, 18, 20 Spica and, 209–210 34–36 sidereal time, 268 Southern Pointers, 119–121 conjunctions of, 27–28 Sigma Scorpii, 216 space velocity, 62 constellations, defined, Sigourney, Lydia, 4, 202 speckle interferometry, 179, 25–26 Silmarillion, The (Tolkien), 101 181 constellations, seasonal pro- Sirian Experiments, The (Less- spectral class, 69–70, gression, 26–27 ing), 101 268 declination of, 30–32, 31 Sirius, 1, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, spectral type, 256 defined, 53, 268 83, 84, 104 defined, 68–70, 268 identifying varieties of, 63–70 age of, 96–97 high-mass/low-mass stars lives and deaths of, 71–79 Alpha Centauri and, 125 and, 76–78 measuring sky angles and, Arcturus and, 129, 134 H-R diagram, 72–74, 73 33–34 brightness of, 60–61, 84–85 stars in order of apparent nomenclature for, 37–38, Canopus and, 106 magnitude, 255 68–74, 73 color of, 85–87, 131 spectroscope, 67–68 precession and succession, heliacal rising of, 87–90, 88, spectroscopic binaries, 64 36–37 91 Spica, 18–19, 20, 28, 128, 208 right ascension (RA) of, lore about, 87–90, 88, conjunctions of, 212–213 30–32, 31 98–101 connections to other celestial Universal Time (UT) and, motion of, 102–103, 103 objects, 208–210 32–33 name of, 90–92 lore about, 210–212 viewing of, 39–48, 40, 43 observing, 95–96 name of, 211–212 zodiac and, 27–28 Procyon and, 163–169 occultation of, 198–199, Star Trek, 153, 224 scintillation and, 85–87 212–213 Strabo, 107–108 Sirius B, 84, 92–94, 93, 94, size of A and B, 215 Struve, Otto, 168 96–97, 165, 168 as sun(s), 214 subdwarfs (class VI), 70 as sun, 92–94, 93, 94 Virgo and, 209, 210–211 subgiants (class IV), 70 Vega and, 140, 145, 146 spin orientation, 3 succession, 36–37 view from, 101–102 spiral galaxies, 55, 56 Suhail, 108–110 Sirius (Stapledon), 100–101 S stars, 68 Summer Triangle, 21–23, 22, 61 Cygni, 116 Staal, Julius D. W., 167 26, 137–139, 138 sky, defined, 30 Stapledon, Olaf, 100 Altair and, 188, 193 sky angles, measuring with star clusters, 52–55, 197, Deneb and, 241 hand, 33–34 199–200, 268 Sun skyglow, 39–41, 40, 268 starlight spectrum, 67–68 age of, 168 Sky & Telescope, 134, 150, Star Lore of All Ages (Olcott), Aldebaran and, 206 226–227, 251 83 Alpha Centauri compared to, Smyth, Admiral, 131, 212 Star Names: Their Lore and 123–124 solar-mass stars, 75–76 Meanings (Allen), 86 Apex/Antapex of the Sun’s solar systems, 51–52, 268 “Star of Joy,” 128 Way, 62 Sothic cycles, 89 Starry Room, The (Schaaf), 213, brightness of, 60–61 south celestial pole, 30–32, 253 Capella compared to, 31 stars, 25 153–154, 154 “South Circumpolar Six,” 19, altitudes and azimuth of, distance from Earth, 58 104 29–30 “dog days” and, 90–92

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Sun (continued) for viewing Sirius B, 95–96 Summer Triangle and, life and death of solar-mass temperature, 256 137–139, 138 stars, 75–76 Tennyson, Alfred, Lord, 86, view from, 145–146 magnitude of, 10 109, 153, 190 viewing with telescope, 139 MKK spectral label of, 70 Thayer, William Roscoe, 202 Venus, 1, 76, 85 Moon’s phases and, 42–44, 43 Theta Eridani, 171 color of, 131 Pollux and, 228–229, 229 Thoreau, Henry David, 246 distance from Earth, 57 Regulus and, 248–249, 251 Thothmes III, 108 magnitude of, 10 seasonal progression of con- Thuban, 36–37 Regulus and, 249, 253 stellations and, 26–27 time zones, 32–33 Spica and, 213 shape of, 170 Tolkien, J. R. R., 101, 202 Virgo, the Virgin, 18–19, 20, as single star, 53 Tomkin, Jocelyn, 112, 113, 28, 209, 210–211 Sirius as sun and, 92 134, 204 Virgo Galaxy Cluster, 58–59 size of, 182 Topelius, Zakris, 100 visual doubles, 64 solar system of, 51–52 Trans-Neptunian Objects Voltaire, 100 Spica and, 215 (TNOs), 52 von Struve, Friedrich Wilhelm, Vega and, 139–140, 144, transparency, 41, 268 116 146 T Tauri, 75 Voyage to Arcturus, A (Lindsay), Sunbulah, 212 TW Piscis Austrini (GC 31978), 129 Sun’s Quit, 62 237 supergiants (class I), 66, 70 weather, 41 Betelgeuse as, 70, 75–76 UFOs, 151 Weaving Princess/Maiden Canopus as, 111–112 Universal Time (UT), 32–33, (Vega), 140–142, 191, 192 Rigel as, 158 268 Webb, T. W., 85 supernovae, 53, 54, 65–67, 78, Universe, defined, 55–57 Wezen, 108 85, 181–182, 268 Ursa Major, the Great Bear, white dwarfs (class VII), 2, 53, supernova remnants (SNRs), 25–26, 38, 126 67, 70, 74, 76, 78–79 54, 67, 78, 268 Ursa Minor, the Little Bear, 36 defined, 268 surface temperature, 256 UV Ceti stars, 66 Sirius B as, 92–94, 93, 94 Wilson, A. G., 252 tangential velocity, 62 van Vogt, A. E., 122–123 Winter Circle, 197 Tarazed (Gamma Aquilae), variable stars, 65–67, 66, 132, Winter Hexagon, 197 190–193 268 Winter Triangle, 166 Tau Ceti, 123 Vega, 21–23, 22, 25, 37, 114, Witch Head Nebula, 160 Taurus, the Bull, 14, 15–17, 116, 117, 136–137 “Witch of Atlas, The” (Shel- 16, 27, 28 Altair and, 140–142, 191, ley), 110 Aldebaran and, 196–197, 192, 193 Wolf-Rayet stars, 68 198, 200–202, 201, 204 Arcturus and, 129, 133 Wonders of the Sky (Schaaf), Altair and, 195 color of, 131 128 Tau Scorpii, 216 Deneb and, 241, 241–242, W stars, 68 T Coronae Borealis (Blaze 246 Star), 66–67 features of, 139–140, 143–145, Zalcik, Mark, 151 telescopes, 10 144, 145 zenith, 21, 29, 35–36, 268 features of, 46–48 Fomalhaut and, 230, 235, 237 zero-magnitude, 11 “first light” observation by, 149 lore about, 140–142, 191, Zeta Leporis, 204 for viewing Arcturus, 132 192 Zeta Sagittarii, 204 for viewing Beta Centauri, motion of, 139–140, 141 Zeta Tauri, 198 184 planet of, 142–143 zodiac, 18, 27–28, 37, 268

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