Planetarium

Tuesday, May 6th, 2008

Three Bright Stars in a row in the Western Sky.

What are those three stars in a row in the western sky tonight? Look up at about 10:00 PM. Well, one of them is not a star but a planet. Mars is on the left and Castor is on the right with Pollux in the middle (the Gemini twins). They are at about 40° above the Western horizon. Procyon is the bright star below and to the left and Capella is below and to the right. Our friends Saturn and Regulus are in the South Western Sky a little higher at about 50° above the horizon. The bright star to the upper right is Algieba. Notice that the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) is directly over head. If you follow the arc of the handle of the dipper you will see a bright star which is Arcturus. Continue the arc and you will find another bright star called Spica. In the North East, below the last star in the Big Dippers handle, you will see Vega popping above the horizon (about 20°). As the night progresses, Vega will clime in the sky until sunrise where it will be directly overhead and slightly to the south. At about 4:00 AM, Jupiter will rise out of the South South East at about 20° above the horizon. Jupiter will not get much above 20° during the Summer Months. Also, we have seen the last of our friend Orion. It is setting just as the sun sets and we will have to wait till Fall to see it again. Happy star gazing.