Night Sky
The Night Sky This Month: May 2017
In May, take time to venture out in the early evening to see such magnificent sites as the lionesque constellation of Leo making its way from east to west across the night sky, followed by […]
Month: April 2017
Stars
Star Facts: Fomalhaut
Fomalhaut (Alpha Piscis Austrini) is the most luminous star in the constellation Piscis Austrinus (Southern Fish), and the 18th brightest in the entire night sky. Like the star Vega, Fomalhaut emits an excess of infrared […]
Stars
Star Facts: Deneb
Deneb (Alpha Cygni) is the most luminous star in the constellation Cygnus, and with an apparent magnitude of +1.25, it is the 19th most luminous star in the entire night sky. The star forms one […]
Stars
Star Facts: Hadar
Hadar (Beta Centauri) is a triple star system whose combined visual magnitude of +0.61 makes it the second-most luminous star in constellation of Centaurus, and the 11th most luminous stars in the entire sky. It […]
Stars
Star Facts: Pollux
Pollux is the brightest star in the constellation Gemini, and the 17th brightest in the entire night sky. However, contrary to convention, Pollux bears the designation Beta Geminorum, which by rights should apply to Castor […]
Star Constellations
Star Constellation Facts: Corona Borealis
Corona Borealis (“the northern crown”) is a small but recognizable horseshoe shaped constellation that is found in a relatively empty part of northern sky. It is said to represent the crown of Ariadne, a princess […]
Star Constellations
Star Constellation Facts: Corona Australis
Corona Australis (“the southern crown”) is the southern sky’s counterpart to Corona Borealis (“the northern crown”), and despite being rather small and faint, it is nonetheless a rather beautiful constellation on account of its distinctive […]
Star Constellations
Star Constellation Facts: Piscis Austrinus
Piscis Austrinus (“the southern fish”) was known to the ancients and is said to represent the parent of the pair of fish associated with the zodiacal constellation of Pisces. The brightest star in this southern […]
Star Constellations
Star Constellation Facts: Sextans
Sextans (“the Sextant”) is an extremely faint southern hemisphere constellation that was created by the Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius in 1687. It is found close to the celestial equator, with its brightest star, Alpha Sextantis, […]
Star Constellations
Star Constellation Facts: Chamaeleon
Chamaeleon (“the chameleon”) is a small, dim southern constellation that like its namesake is difficult to find. It was devised by astronomer Petrus Plancius based upon the observations of Dutch navigators, with its brightest star, […]