Winter's Bright Lights...

One of the most persistent comments we hear  is  that  the  clearest
skies for stargazing  occur  in  Winter.   Actually this isn't true,
but  the  perception  endures because what is true is that over half
the total number of first magnitude or brighter stars appear in  the
Winter sky, and  the  number  of  easy-to-identify constellations is
greater now than during any other season.

The  twinkling  of  starlight is caused by moving currents of air in
the atmosphere.  On clear cold  Winter  nights,  this  scintillation
seems  exaggerated  and  adds  a  particularly  stunning  element of
beauty.   It  is,  however,  the  bane  of  the astronomer, for with
magnification the 'shaking' is exaggerated  and  detracts  from  the
clarity of objects being observed.

On these winter evenings, face  south  to enjoy the spectacle of the
season's   brilliant   bright  lights.   The  Winter  Six,  the  six
constellations that will appear before you, each contain a  star  of
+1.5 magnitude or  brighter.   Central  to  the  group  is Orion the
Hunter,  easily identified by the three stars-in-a-row that form his
belt. His brightest stars are Betelguese in his right  shoulder  and
Rigel in  his  left  foot.   Clockwise  around  the Hunter, starting
below  his  right foot, are the other five constellations lying in a
great arc around him Canis Major and Canis Minor  (Orion's  big  and
little dogs), containing Sirius, the  brightest star in our heavens,
and  Procyon;  next  is  Gemini,  the  constellation  of  the Twins,
containing Castor and Pollux, the latter being the  brightest  star;
following is Auriga the Goatherd,  whose bright star Capella appears
high  overhead;  last  is  Taurus  the  Bull,  a  constellation that
contains the Pleiades and the Hyades star clusters, and  the  bright
red star Aldebaran.  The  Hunter  and  the  Bull stand face to face,
locked in perpetual combat.

So  you  see,  when Winter's chilling temperatures challenge us all,
the most determined will be rewarded with the brightest.  Enjoy.



BY:

Gail S. Cleere 202/653-1541
NAVOBSY WASH

This  news  release  may  be  reproduced, with credit please, to the
U.S. Naval Observatory.
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