Items Featured In TGP NOMINAL Xtra - November Skies 2018
This Month We Are Going On A Tour Of The Milky Way!
Recently Ross Hockham Visited, UK Astronomy's Dark Sky Site in Steeple Claydon, Buckinghamshire. Where he spent the whole night just looking up, with around ten, other astronomers/beginners and guests, at this long curved milky white band, stretching out above them. They were looking at an arm, of the very galaxy we live in. Because the conditions at the site were perfect, and the night was crystal clear, they actually stopped using their scopes completely and stood together with a cuppa, looking in awe at this huge dusty lane of stars. |
With the naked eye Around about 10pm looking to the East,
the Milky Way starts rising up through the head of Orion the hunter.
Through Auriga, skimming Taurus to its right.
Flowing slap bang into Perseus the legendary hero and through the vain queen Cassiopeia,
past her husband King Cepheus.
Across the swan Cygnus like it is swooping down through its milky way towards the Western horizon.
Passing the small constellations Vulpecula and Sagitta and finally meeting the Eagle Aquila at its star Altair.
There’s plenty to keep you entertained with the naked eye, spotting 'Betelgeuse' Orion's massive star.
The Pleiades and Hyades in Taurus are just to the right.
To it's left is the constellation Auriga's (The White Goat) star Capella, in Auriga's pentagon.
At Perseus's head you can see a bright patch a cluster of stars between him
and Cassiopeia's sideways W of stars.
Up to the star Deneb, which you will find on 'Cygnus' the swan's tail.
You can see it's wings spread out either side of the Milky Way, it's neck following it down.
You may notice that here there’s a dark patch here, this is known as the great rift, this where dense interstellar clouds block the view of the more distant stars.
Up to the star Deneb, which you will find on 'Cygnus' the swan's tail.
You can see it's wings spread out either side of the Milky Way, it's neck following it down.
You may notice that here there’s a dark patch here, this is known as the great rift, this where dense interstellar clouds block the view of the more distant stars.
Past the swans head you will find the bright blue star Vega to the right of 'Lyra' the harp.
But it's through Binoculars’ that the Milky Way really comes alive,
you’ll suddenly notice billions of more stars.
In fact 200-400 billion stars live in our galaxy, each containing their own solar system of planets.
If you move from Betelgeuse up to Orion's head star 'Meissa' you will see a mini Orion's Belt,
with a nice little cluster of stars.
In fact if you move back down to Orion's Belt you’ll notice a whole group of stars around them
Known as 'Collinder 70', as you can see around seventy other bright stars.
If you move from Betelgeuse up to Orion's head star 'Meissa' you will see a mini Orion's Belt,
with a nice little cluster of stars.
In fact if you move back down to Orion's Belt you’ll notice a whole group of stars around them
Known as 'Collinder 70', as you can see around seventy other bright stars.
Back through the Milky Way, up to Orion's elbow of his raised arm you may spot a peculiar sight,
the number 37 written in the stars…
Moving towards Auriga in the middle of its pentagon there’s a lovely cluster resembling a minnow jumping out of a line of stars below it, the cluster bears that name.
If you have a keen eye to the left you may spot a trio of globular clusters too.
If you have a keen eye to the left you may spot a trio of globular clusters too.
If you look at the heart of Perseus you’ll see a really nice open cluster of stars around its main star Mirphak, mainly blue and white surrounded by the back drop of the Milky Way.
Between Perseus's head and Cassiopeia is a jaw dropping double cluster of stars,
called the Perseus Double Cluster it can be seen with the naked eye,
and through a 2” 32/42mm eyepiece it looks spectacular.
Now onto Cassiopeia, just move from star to star in this constellation,
as it is jam packed with lovely little clusters of stars all over the place,
as it is slap bang in the flow of the Milky Way.
See if you can spot the owl looking back at you.
Moving up to the star Deneb of the Cygnus's tail and through the body of the swan,
there are more clusters to be had here.
But the prize lies at its head and the star Albireo, one of the most famous double stars in the night sky, because while one is bright yellow/orange and its close partner is white/blue
making a truly fantastic contrast of colours.
To their right is a nice little Globular Cluster M56 to have a go at spotting.
Now a challenge for you, in between the two smaller fainter constellations,
Vulpecula the 'Little Fox' and Sagitta the 'Arrow' is a dyeing star known as the Dumbbell nebula.
It's like the ring nebula but sideways on.
See if you can spot it by moving from the top end stars of both constellations.
There is also another globular cluster (M71) up for grabs in the middle of Sagitta itself.
Finally move down to the three stars making up the tail of Aquila 'The Eagle' (Alshain, Altair and Tarazed).
Your tour of the Milky Way is now complete… but there’s plenty more to discover up there.
So don’t stop here keep scanning the skies, star hop
and look at any of those fuzzy bits you can see with your eyes,
as the Andromeda galaxy may be one of them….!!!
Just remember your looking at part of a galaxy around 13.6 billion years old!
HAPPY HUNTING….!!!
So what's happening in the skies for November?
Neptune, the farthest planet is placed in Aquarius, so that is also a good find. I actually saw Neptune a few weeks ago, when another astronomer Stuart Gabb joined us for a dark sky casual stargazing night. He did have a go-to scope, so I feel cheated, but we got it in his sights, and finally I saw the only planet I had not yet seen wahoooo… completing my solar system sights! |
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On the 12th the Taurids meteor shower peaks.
This is one of the longest peaking meteor showers, lasting around 10 days.
The moon is out the way so it will make for good viewing,
if your already out looking up at the nearby Pleiades or the V shaped Hyades of Taurus the bull's head.
Both will look fantastic with binoculars, where The Moon will be on the 23rd,
just below its main star Aldebaran the bull's eye.
Making a great opportunity for a picture of the Hyades and The Moon together.
Early risers on the 14th will be greeted by Venus, the goddess of beauty, rising before the sun,
this morning to the east.
It will be very close to Virgo The Maiden's star Spica making a good photo opportunity in the morning twilight. Viewing through a telescope will bring out a thin crescent.
The 17th peaks the Leonid meteor shower, best observed around midnight,
radiating from around Leo the lion's head.
If you get a wide eyepiece in your telescope and look below it's back left leg,
you’ll find a lovely trio of galaxies.
If you missed Venus earlier in the month,
the 20th is a great opportunity to see it's slender crescent with a telescope.
Rising 3 hours before the sun does.
So you’ll have to get up early for a morning brew.
Events:
Feel The Force Day 6: 06/10/2018
Stargazing At Stowe House: 19/10/2018
Click on the above images to visit the relevant websites
Videos:
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