Start cont. M i m o s a A nt are s α C ru ci s C o al sac k ε C ruci s 1 Winter sky tour Southern Cross Face south and glance a couple of hand-spans to the right to where the Milky Way rises up from the ground. Gazing up from the horizon a couple of hand-spans you’ll see the cross (Crux) lying on its side, with the pointers (α- and β-Centauri) almost directly above it. (You’ll have to tilt your head to the right to see the familiar cross shape). Alpha Crucis (α Crucis the brightest star) is at the foot of the cross. If you’re in a bright area you may not see the fifth star (ε Crucis), on the lower arm of the cross – welcome to the world of light pollution. If the sky is dark enough for you to see ε Crucis, you might also be able to see the Coalsack. This dark nebula looks like a black blob between the foot of the cross and Mimosa, the star on the left hand side of the cross. It also forms the head of the best known Indigenous constellation, the Emu in the Sky. If you’re well away from bright lights you can follow the dark patches from the Coalsack along the length of the Milky Way to see the Emu. 2 Coalsack 3 Scorpius Follow the Milky Way up from the Southern Cross until you’re looking straight above you. (If you can’t see the Milky Way, just follow the short arm of the cross upwards). The hook of the scorpion’s tail curves near the point directly overhead, and a line of stars joins it to the bright red star Antares off to the west in the scorpion’s body. Scorpius is a big constellation, and once you’ve seen it a couple of times you’ll never have trouble finding that backwards question mark with an anchor on the end again! Welcome to our sky tour of the constellations that can be seen in the early evening sky in winter in the Southern Hemisphere. (please note neither Aquila or Lyra can be seen in June). If you’ve got a dark sky and you know roughly where south is, you can use the Milky Way to find the constellations and galaxies on our tour of the night sky. If you’re in a brightly lit area you probably won’t see the Milky Way, so you’ll have to rely on hand-span measurements and a couple of bright stars to guide you. You can also download our audio tour of the sky tour at (www.abc.net.au/science/starhunt/tour/outdoor/) and listen to astronomer Fred Watson take you on a guided tour of the night sky (please note Jupiter will not appear in the early evening night sky again until 2016).
Transcript
Start
cont.
Mimosa
Antares
α Crucis
Coalsack
ε Crucis
1
Winter sky tour
Southern Cross
Face south and glance a couple of hand-spans to the right to where the Milky Way rises up fromthe ground. Gazing up from the horizon a couple of hand-spans you’ll see the cross (Crux) lying on its side,with the pointers (α- and β-Centauri) almost directly above it. (You’ll have to tilt your head to the right to see the familiar cross shape). Alpha Crucis (α Crucis the brightest star) is at the foot of the cross. If you’re in a bright area you may not see the fifth star (ε Crucis), on the lower arm of the cross – welcome to the world oflight pollution.
If the sky is dark enough for you to see ε Crucis, you might also be able to see the Coalsack. This dark nebula looks like a black blob between the foot of the cross and Mimosa, the star on the left hand side of the cross. It also forms the head of the best known Indigenous constellation, the Emu in the Sky. If you’re well away from bright lights you can follow the dark patches from the Coalsack along the length of the Milky Way to see the Emu.
2 Coalsack
3 Scorpius
Follow the Milky Way up from the Southern Cross until you’re looking straight above you. (If you can’t see the Milky Way, just follow the short arm of the cross upwards). The hook of the scorpion’s tail curves near the point directly overhead, and a line of stars joins it to the bright red star Antares off to the west in thescorpion’s body. Scorpius is a big constellation, and once you’ve seen it a couple of times you’ll never have trouble findingthat backwards question mark with an anchor on the end again!
Welcome to our sky tour of the constellations that can be seen in the early evening sky in winter in the Southern Hemisphere.(please note neither Aquila or Lyra can be seen in June).
If you’ve got a dark sky and you know roughly where south is, you can use the Milky Way to find theconstellations and galaxies on our tour of the night sky. If you’re in a brightly lit area you probably won’t see the Milky Way, so you’ll have to rely on hand-span measurements and a couple of bright stars to guide you.
You can also download our audio tour of the sky tour at (www.abc.net.au/science/starhunt/tour/outdoor/) and listen to astronomer Fred Watson take you on a guided tour of the night sky (please note Jupiter will not appear in the early evening night sky again until 2016).
Go back to the Southern Cross, and follow the long line of the cross to the left (east) for about 2.5 hand-spans. If the sky is dark enough you’ll see a small whitish patch that looks like a stray splash of the Milky Way, with a larger splash a couple of hand-spans below it. You are in fact looking outside our galaxy at two smallneighbouring galaxies – the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds. When you look at the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), you’re looking 210,000 years back in time – at 210,000 light-years away it’s the furthest thing you’ll see on this night sky tour.
• Cloudy skies make for lousy stargazing so check for local weather conditions on the Bureau of Meteorology website (www.bom.gov.au)
• The darker the better, you don’t want to see the Southern triangle, so choose a location away from street lights.
• Take 10 –15 minutes to let your eyes adjust to the dark
• Use a red light to preserve your vision (you can make one by covering a torch with red cellophane).
From Lyra, look to the right about 1.5 hand-spans and follow the Milky Way up about 2.5 hand-spans. The bright star you’ll see is Altair, it’s on the far right of the Milky Way and forms a straight line with the two stars on either side. Altair is near the head of the eagle, Aquila as it flies down towards Earth. The eagle’s body follows the line of the Milky Way upwards for a couple of hand spans, and its wings are spread out for a hand span or so on either side. If you’re having trouble seeing the eagle, look for a pterodactyl – it looks a lot more like that!And now, if you’re under a nice dark sky, it’s time to leave the galaxy!
5 Aquila
Vega
From Scorpius and the galactic centre, it’s time to give your neck and the southern part of the sky a rest and turn north.
Looking just to the right of north, not far above the horizon you’ll see the bright star Vega,in the constellation Lyra. There are dozens of stars in Lyra, but the key ones are just above and to the right of Vega. Four of them form a parallelogram that holds the strings of the lyre – the musical instrument on which the constellation is based.
Double starVariable starDiffuse nebulaPlanetary nebulaOpen star clusterGlobular star cluster
Symbols
SOUTH
LOOKING SOUTH
NORTHWEST EAST
OVERHEAD
EAST WEST
LOOKING NORTH
How to use this mapFacing either south or north, look at the appropriate star map. Your view of the sky should roughly match the major stars andconstellations shown. You’ll see more stars as your eyes get accustomed to the dark, so wait for 10-15 minutes if you’re having trouble spotting the constellations. (These half-sky maps cover most of the sky, but for constellations that are directly above you, use the full sky map over the page).
Copyright Kym Thalassoudis, Skymaps.com
Latitude 30 o south between 7 and 8pm
June Sky Map
4
How to use this mapFacing either south or north, look at the appropriate star map. Your view of the sky should roughly match the major stars andconstellations shown. You’ll see more stars as your eyes get accustomed to the dark, so wait for 10-15 minutes if you’re having trouble spotting the constellations. (These half-sky maps cover most of the sky, but for constellations that are directly above you, use the full sky map over the page).
CRUX
RETICULUM
TUCANA
INDUS
ARA
CAPRICORNUS
PISCISAUSTRINUS
MICROSCOPIUM
PAVO
GRUS
SAGITTARIUS
CORONAAUSTRALIS
SCORPIUS
TELESCOPIUM
CIRCINUS
LUPUS
NORMA
TRIANGULUMAUSTRALE
APUS
CHAMAELEON
CRATER
HYDRA
CARINA
VOLANS
OCTANS ANTLIA
CENTAURUS
MUSCA
PICTOR
PYXIS
VELA
PUPPIS
HYDRUS
DORADO
MENSA
6397
Canopus
2516
2808
3114
3293IC 2602
3372
3532
ω
βα
Coalsack
4755
LMC
κ6752
L2 2451
2477
M8
M25M22
6231M6
M7
6025
47 Tuc
β
SMC 2547
IC 2391
Alphard
R
T HE
E C L I PT I C
SAGITTA
VULPECULA
LYRA
AQUILA
URSAMAJOR
HERCULES
SCUTUM
OPHIUCHUS
SERPENS(CAUDA)
SERPENS(CAPUT)
CORONABOREALIS
SCORPIUS
LIBRA
BOÖTES
CANESVENATICI
COMABERENICES
LEO
VIRGO
CORVUS
CRATER
HYDRA
SEXTANS
Altair
η
Arcturus
M3
Mel 111
M13
α
M92
R
Regulus
Vegaε
M12
M10
IC 4665
6633
M4
Antares
M5
Mizar& Alcor
Spica
Cr 399
Denebola
Vindemiatrix
Cor Caroli
SCP
T H E M I L K Y WAY
THE
MI L K
Y W
AY
–101234
StarMagnitudes Galaxy
Double starVariable starDiffuse nebulaPlanetary nebulaOpen star clusterGlobular star cluster
Symbols
SOUTH
LOOKING SOUTH
NORTHWEST EAST
OVERHEAD
EAST WEST
LOOKING NORTH
Copyright Kym Thalassoudis, Skymaps.com
Latitude 30 o south between 7 and 8pm
July Sky Map
5
T H E EC L I P T I C
PEGASUS
CYGNUS
SAGITTA
VULPECULA
DELPHINUS EQUULEUS
LYRA
AQUILA
AQUARIUS
DRACO
CAPRICORNUS
HERCULES
SCUTUM
SAGITTARIUSOPHIUCHUS
SERPENS(CAUDA)
SERPENS(CAPUT)
CORONABOREALIS
SCORPIUS
LIBRA
BOÖTES
COMABERENICES
VIRGO
M2
Altair
η
Arcturus
M3
Mel 111
χ
ν
M13
α
M92Vega
ε
R
M12M10
IC 4665
6633
M15
M8
M25
M22
M4Antares
M5Spica
Cr 399
Denebola
Enif
Vindemiatrix
Cor Caroli
CRUX
RETICULUM
TUCANA
INDUS
AQUARIUS
SCULPTOR
ARA
CAPRICORNUS
PISCISAUSTRINUS
MICROSCOPIUM PAVO
GRUS
SAGITTARIUS
CORONAAUSTRALIS
SCORPIUS
TELESCOPIUM
CIRCINUS
LUPUS
NORMA
TRIANGULUMAUSTRALE
APUS
CHAMAELEON
CORVUS
CRATER
HYDRA
CARINA
VOLANS
OCTANS
ANTLIA
CENTAURUS
MUSCA
VELAHYDRUS
ERIDANUS DORADO
MENSA
PHOENIX
SCP
6397
2516
2808
3114
3293IC 26023372
3532
ωβ
α
Coalsack
4755
LMC
Achernar
R
κ
6752
ζ
Fomalhaut
6231
M6
M7
6025
47 Tuc
β
SMC
IC 2391
R
T H E MI L K Y W
AY
T H E M I L K Y WAY
–101234
StarMagnitudes Galaxy
Double starVariable starDiffuse nebulaPlanetary nebulaOpen star clusterGlobular star cluster
Symbols
SOUTH
LOOKING SOUTH
NORTHWEST EAST
OVERHEAD
EAST WEST
LOOKING NORTH
How to use this mapFacing either south or north, look at the appropriate star map. Your view of the sky should roughly match the major stars andconstellations shown. You’ll see more stars as your eyes get accustomed to the dark, so wait for 10-15 minutes if you’re having trouble spotting the constellations. (These half-sky maps cover most of the sky, but for constellations that are directly above you, use the full sky map over the page).
Copyright Kym Thalassoudis, Skymaps.com
Latitude 30 o south between 7 and 8pm
August Sky Map
6
T H E E C L I P T I C
C R U X
PE
GA
SU
S
T U C A N A
CYGNUS
DELPHIN
US
LYRA
AQUILA
AQ
UA
RIU
S
S C UL P
T OR
CA
PR
ICO
RN
US
PI S
CI S
AU
ST R
I NU
S
P AV O
HERCULES
G R U S
SAG
I T TAR
I US
CO
RO
NA
AU
ST R
AL
I S
OP
HIU
CH
US
SERPENS
(CAUDA)
SE
RP
EN
S
(CA
PU
T)
CORONABOREALIS
S CO
RP
I US
LIB
RA
BOÖTES
T R I A N G U L U MA U S T R A L E
VIR
GO
CO
RV
US
CR
AT
ER
HY
DR
A
C A R I N A
C E N TAU R U S
M U S C A
E R I D A N U S
P H O E N I X
NORTH
NE
EA
ST
SOUTH
WE
ST
NW
SCP
–101234
StarMagnitudesGalaxy
Double starVariable starDiffuse nebulaPlanetary nebulaOpen star clusterGlobular star cluster
Symbols
7009
M2
7293
Altairη
6397
Arcturus
ε M3
2516
2808
3114
3293IC 2602
3372 3532
3918
5128
ω
βα
Coalsack
4755
Albireo
χ
Deneb
61
γ
2070
ν
Achernar
M13
α
M92
R
M83
5822
Vegaε
βM57
R
M12
M10
IC 46656633κ
6752
M15
ζ
Fomalhaut
M23
M20
M8
M21
M17M25
M22
M4
6124
Antares
6231
M6M7
253
M11
M5
M16
6025
47 Tucβ
M10
4
Spic
a
γ
Cr 399
M27
Nunki
Enif
Vind
emia
trix
R
T HE M
I L KY W
AY
CO
RO
NA
AU
ST R
AL
I S
LIB
RA
SESW
SCP
7009
M2
7293
η
6397
ε M3
2516
2808
3114
3293IC 2602
3372 3532
3918
5128
ω
βα
Coalsack
4755
χ
61
γ
2070
ν
Achernar
M13
α
M92
R
M83
5822
ε
βM57
R
M12
M10
IC 46656633κ
6752
M15
ζ
M23
M20
M8
M21
M17M25
M22
M4
6124
6231
M6M7
253
M11
M5
M16
6025
47 Tucβ
M10
4
Spic
a
γ
Cr 399
M27
Nunki
Enif
Vind
emia
trix
R
LMC
SMC
Full Sky Map: 8pm, August
Latitude 30o south (just above Sydney).
How to use this mapRotate the map around until you find the object you’re looking for (the map direction and constellation labels should be the right way up). Now turn around to face the direction indicated on the map (eg turn to the north if you’re looking for Lyra, south for the Magellanic Clouds). Then lift the map directly above your head (north on the map should point to north, south points south etc.) Your view of the sky should roughly match the major constellations on the map, and you can use their positions to find the object you’re looking for.
Copyright Kym Thalassoudis, Skymaps.com
7
CRUX
RETICULUM
TUCANA
CETUS
INDUS
SCULPTOR
ARAPISCIS
AUSTRINUS
MICROSCOPIUM
PAVOGRUS
SAGITTARIUS
CORONAAUSTRALIS
SCORPIUS
LIBRA
TELESCOPIUM
CIRCINUS
LUPUS
NORMA
TRIANGULUMAUSTRALE
APUS
CHAMAELEON
CORVUS
HYDRACARINA
VOLANS
OCTANS
CENTAURUS
MUSCA
VELA
HYDRUS
ERIDANUS
DORADO
MENSA
PHOENIX
HOROLOGIUM
SCP
6397
2516
2808 31143293
IC 2602
33723532
ω
β
α
Coalsack4755
LMC
AchernarR
κ
6752
ζ
Fomalhaut
M4Antares
6231
M6M7
253
6025
47 Tuc
β SMC
Spica
R
T H E E C L I P T I C
PEGASUS
PISCES
Circlet
LACERTA
CYGNUS
SAGITTA
VULPECULA
DELPHINUS
EQUULEUS
LYRA
AQUILA
AQUARIUS
DRACO
CAPRICORNUS
HERCULES
SCUTUM
SAGITTARIUS
OPHIUCHUS
SERPENS(CAUDA)
SERPENS(CAPUT)
CORONABOREALIS
LIBRA
BOÖTES
VIRGO
M2Altair
η
Arcturus
χ
Deneb
M39ν
M13
α
M92
Vega ε
R
M12
M10
IC 4665 6633
M15
M8
M25
M22
M5
Cr 399
Nunki
Enif
T HE M
I L KY W
AY
T H E M I L K Y WAY
–101234
StarMagnitudes Galaxy
Double starVariable starDiffuse nebulaPlanetary nebulaOpen star clusterGlobular star cluster
Symbols
SOUTH
LOOKING SOUTH
NORTHWEST EAST
OVERHEAD
EAST WEST
LOOKING NORTH
September Sky MapLatitude 30o south (just above Sydney).
How to use this mapRotate the map around until you find the object you’re looking for (the map direction and constellation labels should be the right way up). Now turn around to face the direction indicated on the map (eg turn to the north if you’re looking for Lyra, south for the Magellanic Clouds). Then lift the map directly above your head (north on the map should point to north, south points south etc.) Your view of the sky should roughly match the major constellations on the map, and you can use their positions to find the object you’re looking for.
