Satellites...or something

I was nearly asleep last night about 10:30 pm when my phone rang. It was my roommates boy, P. He was out with his friends and were looking at something really bright in the sky. They didn't know what it was. It was flashing "blue and red". Someone thought it was a satellite, but I said satellites don't flash. Airplanes flash, I told him. He said it wasn't an airplane. They didn't know what it was.

So I crawled out of bed and looked outside in the direction he mentioned - kind of south-east.

Sure enough, there was a bright something up there. My first, groggy thought was a planet - so I said "That's Jupiter."

P: "Oh really? Why is it twinkling?"

Me: "Because of the atmosphere."

P: "Wow, that's cool. Okay thanks. Sorry about getting you up."

Me: "That's okay. Night."

And off I go back to bed. But I kept thinking of that night sky. It was very beautiful and very clear. Then I thought more about what I saw, and remembered seeing Orion's belt, and that it was pointing right at that bright star I had called Jupiter. And I realized I had been mistaken. It wasn't a planet at all. It was the star Orion's Belt always points to. So I send P a text.

Me: * I was mistaken. It's actually the very bright star 'Sirius'. True story.*

P: * Ooh okay...I was wondering why it was twinkling...was it just barly found? I have never seen it before*

I had to chuckle a little with that question.

Me: * No. It's been there forever. It's just a very clear night so it stands out more*

P: * Okay...*

I know that tone of text from him. It means, "I don't really buy it, that still doesn't answer my question of why I haven't seen it before. It is so bright, how could I miss it in all the times I've been camping and out and night...but I'll just leave it at that with my doubting and wondering."

So understanding that this was probably what he was thinking I continued my explanation.

Me: *Also you only see it in the winter. That may be why you don't recognize it. You're used to seeing the summer sky.*

Whether he bought that or not, I don't know. He didn't answer after that. But it got me thinking about the night sky, and how most  people only give it a passing glance most of the time. It's there. There are stars up there. The big dipper is about the only thing most people can find. Maybe Orion's Belt. But there is usually a disconnect between when one can see Orion's belt and when they can't.

When I do astronomy programs in the summer I often get asked where Orion's belt is. To which I explain that it is a winter constellation, and isn't visible in the summer (except maybe during the wee hours of morning).

So why can't you see Orion in the summer? For the same reason we have day and night and different seasons. The earth rotates and more importantly, orbits the sun. As it orbits the sun, the view of the night sky shifts with the shifting position of the earth in space.

So go check out the winter sky. It is truly one of the best times to see the night sky. Bright constellations. Clear skies. Orion. And his Belt of three stars.

Short Days, Long Weeks

The days are getting shorter, the weeks are getting longer. All day today I've been thinking it was Saturday. I generally feel done with the week after just two days at work. But maybe that's just me.

I don't mind the changing of seasons. At all. In fact, that transition time is quite invigorating to me. But I do struggle with shorter days, less sunshine, more dark. However, one thing that is great about shorter days - the stars become so much more accessible. One does not have to wait until 10 pm (or later) to have a good star viewing experience. And the stars are so much brighter and more dramatic in the colder seasons.

Still, that doesn't make it any easier to go to and from work in the dark. So here's my solution and suggestion to the powers that be: I suggest we change the length of the work day proportionally to the hours of sunlight. For example, if during the summer we have 16 hours of sunlight and 8 hours of work, then during the winter, when we only have 8 hours of sunlight, we should only have 4 hours of work. I like that idea. I'll think I'll petition for it here in my little world.

Nature Quote of The Day:

"There's no night without stars" 

- Andre Norton

Comet Lulin

I went out last night about 9pm to see if I could find the "smudgball" that is Comet Lulin. With my little birding bins, I did find it, and was able to point it out to a friend as well. It was a cold night, but it was perfectly clear and made for great viewing.

In areas with a lot of light pollution you may not see it (Come on people, turn those lights off, or point them to the ground where we really want them). But in relatively dark, or very dark areas, you will see this lovely little comet near Leo the Lion in the east/south east. The link above is a good one for showing and explaining where to look over the next few nights. The further it gets from Leo, the harder it will be to see, because of the lack of a reference point.

It is pretty dim (at least from my viewing area), and all I saw was the smudge and no tail. I would have needed something a bit more powerful than my bins, but it was still fun to see.

The night sky is amazing. Grab your bins, bundle up, throw a blanket on the ground, maybe find a friend, and spend some time getting lost in the vastness of space.

Impromptu Stargazing

I left work about 9:00pm on Saturday night. My last late night program for the season. Minutes after I left, I got a phone call from a friend/co-worker. She was heading to a party and wanted me to remind her where the Summer Triangle was so she could point it out to others.

I happily pull over, and she does the same, and stand in front of my car so I don't get smashed by other oncoming vehicles. I'm sure I looked a bit odd, standing in my car's headlights with my head cranked back looking at the sky, talking on my phone.

Me: "Ok, are you facing east?"

K: "East, ok, yep"

Me: "Now, look straight overhead and a little back. See that bright star? That's Vega, and part of the Summer Triangle."

K: "Oh, there it is!"

Me: "Now look down and to the left just a bit, and you'll Deneb in Cygnus the Swan"

(after a little more clarification..)

K: "Got it! So where is Altair?"

And on we go from Altair in Aquilla, to the Big and Little Dipper, Draco the Dragon, Sagittarius (the Tea Pot), Jupiter, and then back to the Summer Triangle to make sure it's all clear.

20 minutes later, we both jump back into our cars, miles apart, and I feel thrilled for having just spent a few fun minutes sharing the beauties of the sky with a good friend.