Tomorrow before dawn – July 2, 2016 – if you’re an early riser, you might catch the waning crescent moon pairing up with the red star Aldebaran, brightest star in the constellation Tarurus the Bull. The July 2 morning moon is also in the vicinity of the Pleiades star cluster, aka the Seven Sisters, also in Taurus.
The moon will be in the east before dawn. Aldebaran will be right next to the moon and the Pleiades will be above them. That’ll be the case from all parts of the globe … assuming your sky is cloud-free! If you have binoculars, be sure to turn them on these predawn objects. Binoculars will enhance the view.
See the star Aldebaran just above the twilight in this photo by Ken Christison? Notice that it’s part of a V-shaped pattern of stars. That pattern is called the Hyades. Now look above Aldebaran. See the Pleiades?
Here’s a telescopic view of that V-shaped pattern, the Hyades, an actual star cluster in space. Aldebaran is the brightest star in the V. Notice its very red color. A telescope reveals over 100 stars in the Hyades cluster. Photo via astronomycafe.net.
Aldebaran is a bright red star, but it’s not the only bright, red star in our night sky. Aldebaran shines virtually opposite (180o) of the red supergiant star Antares, the bright, red star in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion. Antares is sometimes called the Scorpion’s Heart. Because they’re opposite each other on the dome of sky, you won’t ever see Aldebaran and Antares in the same sky together. For example, Aldebaran won’t be visible this evening. Meanwhile, Aldebaran’s counterpart star – Antares – pops into view as soon as darkness falls.
Incidentally, in 2016, the red planet Mars and golden planet Saturn shine rather close to Antares, as seen from around the world.
In 2016, the planets Mars and Saturn make a noticeable triangle with the star Antares, as seen from around the globe.
So the red star Antares – the star near Mars and Saturn now – and the red star Aldebaran lie opposite one another on the great sphere of stars. In both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, look for Antares and the planets Mars and Saturn as night begins. Look south from the Northern Hemisphere and northeast at nightfall – overhead around 9-10 p.m. – from the Southern Hemisphere. That’s 9-10 p.m. local time, the time on your clock no matter where you are on the globe.
Antares, Mars and Saturn will drift westward throughout the night. After they set, look for the waning crescent moon and star Aldebaran to rise on July 2.
With each successive day, Antares sets four minutes earlier, while Aldebaran rises four minutes earlier. Or, with each successive month, Antares sets two hours earlier, while Aldebaran rises two hours earlier.
So, as the days and weeks roll by, Antares spends less time in the evening sky after sunset while Aldebaran spends more in the morning sky before sunrise.
When December finally arrives, Aldebaran will be out all night long, and Antares will be lost in the sun’s glare.
We in the Northern Hemisphere associate Antares with the hot season because we see this star on summer evenings. And in winter, we associate Aldebaran with the cold season because we see this star on winter evenings.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the opposite is true. Antares is a winter star. Aldebaran is a summer star.
Bottom line: The moon is waning, and back in the predawn sky. Watch it pair up with the star Aldebaran, near the Pleiades star cluster, before dawn on July 2.
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Tomorrow before dawn – July 2, 2016 – if you’re an early riser, you might catch the waning crescent moon pairing up with the red star Aldebaran, brightest star in the constellation Tarurus the Bull. The July 2 morning moon is also in the vicinity of the Pleiades star cluster, aka the Seven Sisters, also in Taurus.
The moon will be in the east before dawn. Aldebaran will be right next to the moon and the Pleiades will be above them. That’ll be the case from all parts of the globe … assuming your sky is cloud-free! If you have binoculars, be sure to turn them on these predawn objects. Binoculars will enhance the view.
See the star Aldebaran just above the twilight in this photo by Ken Christison? Notice that it’s part of a V-shaped pattern of stars. That pattern is called the Hyades. Now look above Aldebaran. See the Pleiades?
Here’s a telescopic view of that V-shaped pattern, the Hyades, an actual star cluster in space. Aldebaran is the brightest star in the V. Notice its very red color. A telescope reveals over 100 stars in the Hyades cluster. Photo via astronomycafe.net.
Aldebaran is a bright red star, but it’s not the only bright, red star in our night sky. Aldebaran shines virtually opposite (180o) of the red supergiant star Antares, the bright, red star in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion. Antares is sometimes called the Scorpion’s Heart. Because they’re opposite each other on the dome of sky, you won’t ever see Aldebaran and Antares in the same sky together. For example, Aldebaran won’t be visible this evening. Meanwhile, Aldebaran’s counterpart star – Antares – pops into view as soon as darkness falls.
Incidentally, in 2016, the red planet Mars and golden planet Saturn shine rather close to Antares, as seen from around the world.
In 2016, the planets Mars and Saturn make a noticeable triangle with the star Antares, as seen from around the globe.
So the red star Antares – the star near Mars and Saturn now – and the red star Aldebaran lie opposite one another on the great sphere of stars. In both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, look for Antares and the planets Mars and Saturn as night begins. Look south from the Northern Hemisphere and northeast at nightfall – overhead around 9-10 p.m. – from the Southern Hemisphere. That’s 9-10 p.m. local time, the time on your clock no matter where you are on the globe.
Antares, Mars and Saturn will drift westward throughout the night. After they set, look for the waning crescent moon and star Aldebaran to rise on July 2.
With each successive day, Antares sets four minutes earlier, while Aldebaran rises four minutes earlier. Or, with each successive month, Antares sets two hours earlier, while Aldebaran rises two hours earlier.
So, as the days and weeks roll by, Antares spends less time in the evening sky after sunset while Aldebaran spends more in the morning sky before sunrise.
When December finally arrives, Aldebaran will be out all night long, and Antares will be lost in the sun’s glare.
We in the Northern Hemisphere associate Antares with the hot season because we see this star on summer evenings. And in winter, we associate Aldebaran with the cold season because we see this star on winter evenings.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the opposite is true. Antares is a winter star. Aldebaran is a summer star.
Bottom line: The moon is waning, and back in the predawn sky. Watch it pair up with the star Aldebaran, near the Pleiades star cluster, before dawn on July 2.
Donate: Your support means the world to us
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/29kB0z6
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