2017 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #26

A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook page during the past week. 

Editor's Pick

Mission 2020: A new global strategy to ‘rapidly’ reduce carbon emissions

Carbon Crunch from Figueres et al 2017

Figure from Figueres et al. (2017)

In April, a new global initiative called Mission 2020 was launched by Christiana Figueres, the former UN climate chief who oversaw the signing of the Paris Agreement on climate change in late 2015.

The aim of Mission 2020 is to bring “new urgency” to the “global climate conversation” with a call to begin “rapidly declining” global greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

Today, in a co-authored commentary published in the journal Nature, Figueres sets out further details about Mission 2020’s six central calls to action. The commentary is endorsed by 61 signatories, which include climate scientists as well as a range of NGO, religious, political and business leaders. 

Mission 2020: A new global strategy to ‘rapidly’ reduce carbon emissions by Zeke Hausfather, Carbon Brief, June 28, 2017 

Links posted on Facebook

Sun June 25 2017

Mon June 26 2017

Tue June 27 2017

Wed June 28 2017

Thu June 29 2017

Fri June 30 2017

Sat July 1 2017



from Skeptical Science http://ift.tt/2txKphu
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook page during the past week. 

Editor's Pick

Mission 2020: A new global strategy to ‘rapidly’ reduce carbon emissions

Carbon Crunch from Figueres et al 2017

Figure from Figueres et al. (2017)

In April, a new global initiative called Mission 2020 was launched by Christiana Figueres, the former UN climate chief who oversaw the signing of the Paris Agreement on climate change in late 2015.

The aim of Mission 2020 is to bring “new urgency” to the “global climate conversation” with a call to begin “rapidly declining” global greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

Today, in a co-authored commentary published in the journal Nature, Figueres sets out further details about Mission 2020’s six central calls to action. The commentary is endorsed by 61 signatories, which include climate scientists as well as a range of NGO, religious, political and business leaders. 

Mission 2020: A new global strategy to ‘rapidly’ reduce carbon emissions by Zeke Hausfather, Carbon Brief, June 28, 2017 

Links posted on Facebook

Sun June 25 2017

Mon June 26 2017

Tue June 27 2017

Wed June 28 2017

Thu June 29 2017

Fri June 30 2017

Sat July 1 2017



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Scorpius? Here’s your constellation

Scorpius, via Constellation of Words

Scorpius the Scorpion – the southernmost constellation of the Zodiac – is a major showpiece of the starry sky. This J-shaped assemblage of stars actually looks like its namesake. The red star Antares is fortuitously placed in the sky just where the Scorpion’s Heart should be. What’s more, the fishhook-shaped Scorpion’s Stinger – made up of two stars, Shaula and Lesath – dips into the Milky Way’s stream of stars, allowing you to catch many a galactic treasure. Follow the links below to learn more about Scorpius the Scorpion.

How to locate the constellation Scorpius

Sun’s passage in front of Scorpius

Scorpius in mythology

Antares is the Heart of the Scorpion

Shaula and Lesath: Scorpion’s stinger stars

M6 and M7: Deep-sky gems in Tail of Scorpius

The constellation Scorpius and the <a href='http://ift.tt/1EQMdQ2

The constellation Scorpius. See the bright reddish star at the ‘heart’ of this constellation? This star is very noticeable in the night sky. It’s called Antares.

Here's a detailed view of the constellation Scorpius. Notice that very little of the constellation Scorpius goes north of the ecliptic, or sun's path across our sky. Scorpius is the southernmost constellation of the Zodiac. Click here for larger chart

The constellation Scorpius. From the Northern Hemisphere, it is highest up in the evening on hot summer nights of July and August. Notice the two stars at the tip of the Scorpion's Tail. They are Shaula and Lesath, also known as The Stinger.

How to locate the constellation Scorpius. For evening viewing, July and August are prime-time months for observing this wondrous constellation. In the Northern Hemisphere, we associate the ruby star Antares – or Ant-ares, the Rival of Mars – with the hot summer season. And I personally associate Antares with the blooming of wild cardinal flowers on my favorite hiking trail. As the summer season wanes, Antares’ fading into the southwestern dusk presages the cooler days of autumn.

In early July, in either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, Scorpius climbs to its highest point in the sky at about 10 p.m. local time (11 p.m. local Daylight Saving Time). Because the stars return to the same place in the sky about one-half earlier with each passing week, look for the celestial Scorpion in mid-July to soar highest up around 9 p.m. local time (10 p.m. local Daylight Time), and by late July around 8 p.m. local time (9 p.m. local Daylight Time).

As seen from mid-northern latitudes, such as the central U.S., Scorpius never climbs high in the sky, but rather skitters along the horizon, so you need an unobstructed view southward to see this constellation in its entirety. From northern U.S. states and the most of Canada, the Scorpion’s Tail stays at least partially submerged below the horizon, but its most brilliant star Antares can be seen as far north as southern Alaska.

The sun doesn't spend much time in front of the constellation Scorpius each year. It's there for about a week, between about November 22 and 29. Read more about the sun in Scorpius from Bob's Spaces. Bob also created this illustration.

The sun doesn’t spend much time in front of the constellation Scorpius each year. It’s there for about a week, between about November 22 and 29. Read more about the sun in Scorpius from Bob’s Spaces. Bob also created this illustration.

Sun’s passage in front of Scorpius. Given Scorpius’ great prominence to the eye, it’s ironic that the sun spends less time in front of the Scorpion than any other constellation of the Zodiac. Each year, the sun shines in the constellation Scorpius for a week, from about November 22 through November 29. If these dates seem to be in conflict with what you read on the horoscope page, remember that astrologers are referring to the sign Scorpio, not the constellation Scorpius.

Sun’s entry into each constellation of the Zodiac

When the sun reaches a point on the ecliptic that’s 30o to 60o east of the September equinox point, then the sun is said to be in the sign Scorpio – irrespective of which constellation or constellations backdrop the sun at this period of time. The sun passes through the sign Scorpio (not the constellation Scorpius) from about October 23 to November 21, even though the sun is actually in front of the constellations Virgo and then Libra during this same stretch of time.

The astrological signs remain fixed relative to the solstice and equinox points. But, in the sky, these seasonal markers slowly but surely shift westward relative to the constellations, or backdrop stars. Some five thousand years ago, for instance, the star Antares marked the Northern Hemisphere’s autumnal equinox point. In our day, Antares and the sun have their annual conjunction on or near December 1 – some three weeks before the December 21 solstice. Antares will mark the December solstice point some 1,500 years into the future.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) decreed the boundaries of the 88 official constellations in 1930, and the sun has been destined to spend only a week in front of Scorpius yearly ever since. As the boundaries are presently defined, the sun spends close to three weeks in front of the constellation Ophiuchus (November 29-December 18), the constellation immediately north of Scorpius. Note on the sky chart above that the IAU chose to draw most of the Ophiuchus-Scorpius border to the south of the ecliptic – the sun’s yearly pathway in front of the stars. Had the IAU chosen to draw the border to the north of the ecliptic, then the sun’s duration within Scorpius would be closer to one month.

Early astronomers used key stars and easy-to-recognize star patterns (constellations) to track the motions of the sun, moon and planets upon the Zodiac. That being the case, olden astronomers were probably more inclined to use the “fixed” stars of Scorpius than of Ophiuchus for referencing the whereabouts of the wandering planets. After all, the ancients watched the red planet Mars pair up with the ruddy star Antares in recurring cycles, and it’s no wonder that Antares was given the appellation “the rival of Mars.” Moreover, the moon routinely occults – passes in front of – Antares at certain stages in the moon’s 18.6-year cycle, although the next series of Antares ocultations won’t begin until August 25, 2023.

In the skylore, and in the real sky, Scorpius (left) and Orion (right) are never seen in the sky at the same time. Illustration from a project by Hyaku at behance.net

In the skylore, and in the real sky, Scorpius (left) and Orion (right) are never seen in the sky at the same time. Illustration from a project by Hyaku at behance.net

Scorpius in mythology. According to star lore, the Scorpion’s stinger brought about the death of Orion the Mighty Hunter. So when the gods gave the Scorpion and Orion their final resting places in the high heavens, they made sure to place the archenemies at opposite ends of the sky. That’s why you can never see these two constellations in the same sky together. To this day, Orion only rises in the east after Scorpius sets in the southwest, and the reverse in also true: Scorpius won’t rise in the southeast until Orion’s departure in the west.

From either the Northern or the Southern hemisphere, July is the month for Scorpius the Scorpion to reign supreme and for Orion to take his place in the underworld. But six months before or after – in the month of January – Orion has his turn to lord over the nighttime sky.

Bottom line: The constellation Scorpius is easy to pick out with the eye, because it looks like its namesake. Prominent stars include Antares the Scorpion’s Heart, and Shaula and Lesath in the Scorpion’s Tail (The Stinger). The star cluster M4 can be seen right next to Antares. You can see M6 and M7 near the Scorpion’s Tail. In the lore of the sky, Scorpius is arch-enemy to Orion the Hunter.

Taurus? Here’s your constellation
Gemini? Here’s your constellation
Cancer? Here’s your constellation
Leo? Here’s your constellation
Virgo? Here’s your constellation
Libra? Here’s your constellation
Scorpius? Here’s your contellation
Sagittarius? Here’s your constellation
Capricornus? Here’s your constellation
Aquarius? Here’s your constellation
Pisces? Here’s your constellation
Aries? Here’s your constellation
Birthday late November to early December? Here’s your constellation



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Scorpius, via Constellation of Words

Scorpius the Scorpion – the southernmost constellation of the Zodiac – is a major showpiece of the starry sky. This J-shaped assemblage of stars actually looks like its namesake. The red star Antares is fortuitously placed in the sky just where the Scorpion’s Heart should be. What’s more, the fishhook-shaped Scorpion’s Stinger – made up of two stars, Shaula and Lesath – dips into the Milky Way’s stream of stars, allowing you to catch many a galactic treasure. Follow the links below to learn more about Scorpius the Scorpion.

How to locate the constellation Scorpius

Sun’s passage in front of Scorpius

Scorpius in mythology

Antares is the Heart of the Scorpion

Shaula and Lesath: Scorpion’s stinger stars

M6 and M7: Deep-sky gems in Tail of Scorpius

The constellation Scorpius and the <a href='http://ift.tt/1EQMdQ2

The constellation Scorpius. See the bright reddish star at the ‘heart’ of this constellation? This star is very noticeable in the night sky. It’s called Antares.

Here's a detailed view of the constellation Scorpius. Notice that very little of the constellation Scorpius goes north of the ecliptic, or sun's path across our sky. Scorpius is the southernmost constellation of the Zodiac. Click here for larger chart

The constellation Scorpius. From the Northern Hemisphere, it is highest up in the evening on hot summer nights of July and August. Notice the two stars at the tip of the Scorpion's Tail. They are Shaula and Lesath, also known as The Stinger.

How to locate the constellation Scorpius. For evening viewing, July and August are prime-time months for observing this wondrous constellation. In the Northern Hemisphere, we associate the ruby star Antares – or Ant-ares, the Rival of Mars – with the hot summer season. And I personally associate Antares with the blooming of wild cardinal flowers on my favorite hiking trail. As the summer season wanes, Antares’ fading into the southwestern dusk presages the cooler days of autumn.

In early July, in either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, Scorpius climbs to its highest point in the sky at about 10 p.m. local time (11 p.m. local Daylight Saving Time). Because the stars return to the same place in the sky about one-half earlier with each passing week, look for the celestial Scorpion in mid-July to soar highest up around 9 p.m. local time (10 p.m. local Daylight Time), and by late July around 8 p.m. local time (9 p.m. local Daylight Time).

As seen from mid-northern latitudes, such as the central U.S., Scorpius never climbs high in the sky, but rather skitters along the horizon, so you need an unobstructed view southward to see this constellation in its entirety. From northern U.S. states and the most of Canada, the Scorpion’s Tail stays at least partially submerged below the horizon, but its most brilliant star Antares can be seen as far north as southern Alaska.

The sun doesn't spend much time in front of the constellation Scorpius each year. It's there for about a week, between about November 22 and 29. Read more about the sun in Scorpius from Bob's Spaces. Bob also created this illustration.

The sun doesn’t spend much time in front of the constellation Scorpius each year. It’s there for about a week, between about November 22 and 29. Read more about the sun in Scorpius from Bob’s Spaces. Bob also created this illustration.

Sun’s passage in front of Scorpius. Given Scorpius’ great prominence to the eye, it’s ironic that the sun spends less time in front of the Scorpion than any other constellation of the Zodiac. Each year, the sun shines in the constellation Scorpius for a week, from about November 22 through November 29. If these dates seem to be in conflict with what you read on the horoscope page, remember that astrologers are referring to the sign Scorpio, not the constellation Scorpius.

Sun’s entry into each constellation of the Zodiac

When the sun reaches a point on the ecliptic that’s 30o to 60o east of the September equinox point, then the sun is said to be in the sign Scorpio – irrespective of which constellation or constellations backdrop the sun at this period of time. The sun passes through the sign Scorpio (not the constellation Scorpius) from about October 23 to November 21, even though the sun is actually in front of the constellations Virgo and then Libra during this same stretch of time.

The astrological signs remain fixed relative to the solstice and equinox points. But, in the sky, these seasonal markers slowly but surely shift westward relative to the constellations, or backdrop stars. Some five thousand years ago, for instance, the star Antares marked the Northern Hemisphere’s autumnal equinox point. In our day, Antares and the sun have their annual conjunction on or near December 1 – some three weeks before the December 21 solstice. Antares will mark the December solstice point some 1,500 years into the future.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) decreed the boundaries of the 88 official constellations in 1930, and the sun has been destined to spend only a week in front of Scorpius yearly ever since. As the boundaries are presently defined, the sun spends close to three weeks in front of the constellation Ophiuchus (November 29-December 18), the constellation immediately north of Scorpius. Note on the sky chart above that the IAU chose to draw most of the Ophiuchus-Scorpius border to the south of the ecliptic – the sun’s yearly pathway in front of the stars. Had the IAU chosen to draw the border to the north of the ecliptic, then the sun’s duration within Scorpius would be closer to one month.

Early astronomers used key stars and easy-to-recognize star patterns (constellations) to track the motions of the sun, moon and planets upon the Zodiac. That being the case, olden astronomers were probably more inclined to use the “fixed” stars of Scorpius than of Ophiuchus for referencing the whereabouts of the wandering planets. After all, the ancients watched the red planet Mars pair up with the ruddy star Antares in recurring cycles, and it’s no wonder that Antares was given the appellation “the rival of Mars.” Moreover, the moon routinely occults – passes in front of – Antares at certain stages in the moon’s 18.6-year cycle, although the next series of Antares ocultations won’t begin until August 25, 2023.

In the skylore, and in the real sky, Scorpius (left) and Orion (right) are never seen in the sky at the same time. Illustration from a project by Hyaku at behance.net

In the skylore, and in the real sky, Scorpius (left) and Orion (right) are never seen in the sky at the same time. Illustration from a project by Hyaku at behance.net

Scorpius in mythology. According to star lore, the Scorpion’s stinger brought about the death of Orion the Mighty Hunter. So when the gods gave the Scorpion and Orion their final resting places in the high heavens, they made sure to place the archenemies at opposite ends of the sky. That’s why you can never see these two constellations in the same sky together. To this day, Orion only rises in the east after Scorpius sets in the southwest, and the reverse in also true: Scorpius won’t rise in the southeast until Orion’s departure in the west.

From either the Northern or the Southern hemisphere, July is the month for Scorpius the Scorpion to reign supreme and for Orion to take his place in the underworld. But six months before or after – in the month of January – Orion has his turn to lord over the nighttime sky.

Bottom line: The constellation Scorpius is easy to pick out with the eye, because it looks like its namesake. Prominent stars include Antares the Scorpion’s Heart, and Shaula and Lesath in the Scorpion’s Tail (The Stinger). The star cluster M4 can be seen right next to Antares. You can see M6 and M7 near the Scorpion’s Tail. In the lore of the sky, Scorpius is arch-enemy to Orion the Hunter.

Taurus? Here’s your constellation
Gemini? Here’s your constellation
Cancer? Here’s your constellation
Leo? Here’s your constellation
Virgo? Here’s your constellation
Libra? Here’s your constellation
Scorpius? Here’s your contellation
Sagittarius? Here’s your constellation
Capricornus? Here’s your constellation
Aquarius? Here’s your constellation
Pisces? Here’s your constellation
Aries? Here’s your constellation
Birthday late November to early December? Here’s your constellation



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Find M4 near the Scorpion’s Heart

Red star Antares, right, and nearby star cluster M4 via StargazerBob.com@aol.com

Red star Antares (l) and nearby star cluster M4 via StargazerBob@aol.com

Red Antares – the brightest star in Scorpius, often called the Heart of the Scorpion – is up in the evening now. It’s a bright red star known for twinkling rapidly. If you have binoculars, sweep for an object near Antares on the sky’s dome. This object is called Messier 4 or M4. It’s a globular cluster, one of our galaxy’s oldest inhabitants. M4 has an estimated age of 12.2 billion years, in contrast to about 4.5 billion years for our sun. Follow the links below to learn more.

How to see M4

History and science of M4

Assuming you have a dark sky, look just to the right of Antares for M4.

Assuming you have a dark sky, look just to the right of Antares for M4.

How to see M4. If you’ve never found a deep-sky object on your own before, M4 is a grand place to start. The M4 globular star cluster is easy to find, because it’s right next to the first-magnitude star Antares, the brightest in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion. Your first step to locating M4 is to find Antares, the Scorpion’s heart star.

Antares and M4 are best seen in July, or the months around July, from around the globe. In early June, Antares is highest in the sky around midnight (1 a.m. Daylight Time). That means it’s high in the south for Northern Hemisphere viewers, and overhead for Southern Hemisphere viewers. The stars return to the same place in the sky some 2 hours earlier every month. So Antares is highest up around 10 p.m. (11 p.m. Daylight Time) in early July, and 8 p.m. (9 p.m. Daylight Time) in early August.

In short, Northern Hemisphere summer evenings – or Southern Hemisphere winter evenings – are probably your best bet for catching M4.

You might glimpse M4 on a very dark, moonless night. If you can’t see it, use binoculars to sweep for it. Antares and M4 readily fit inside the same binocular field of view, with M4 appearing a bit more than 1 degree to the west (or right) of Antares. For reference, a typical binocular field has a diameter of 5 to 6 degrees. M4 looks like a rather dim, hazy star in binoculars, and you might want a telescope to begin to resolve this cluster into stars.

A 5-minute stacked image of Antares and the surrounding region including the globular cluster Messier 4 (M4). Photo by Tom Wildoner in 2015.

A 5-minute stacked image of Antares and the surrounding region including the globular cluster Messier 4 (M4). Photo by our friend Tom Wildoner at LeisurelyScientist.com

History and science of M4. The comet hunter Charles Messier (1730-1817) listed M4 as object #4 in his famous Messier catalog. The Messier catalog listed over 100 deep-sky objects that look like comets, but really aren’t. Charles Messier wanted to steer comet hunters away from these faint fuzzies that masquerade as comets.

Modern astronomy tells us that M4 is a globular star cluster – a globe-shape stellar city packed with perhaps a hundred thousand stars. Unlike open star clusters – such as the Pleiades and the Hyades – the Milky Way galaxy’s 200 or so globular star clusters are not part of the galactic disk.

Instead, globular clusters populate the galactic halo – the sphere-shaped region of the Milky Way circling above and below the pancake-shape galactic disk.

At about 7,000 light-years from Earth, M4 is one of the two closest globular clusters to our sun and Earth (the other is NGC 6397). That’s among the Milky Way’s 200 or so globular clusters. Most globulars reside tens of thousands of light-years away. The farthest of globular clusters, M54, is thought to be 70,000 light-years distant.

This ball of stars is 75 light-years across.

Globular clusters are tightly packed with tens to hundreds of thousands of stars, whereas open clusters are loosely-bound stellar confederations with only a few hundred to a thousand stars. Globular clusters contain primitive stars that are billions of years old and almost as old as the universe itself. On the other hand, open clusters consist of young, hot stars that tend to disperse after hundreds of millions of years.

Messier 4 or M4 from European Southern Observatory.

Messier 4 or M4 from European Southern Observatory.

Bottom line: M4 or Messier 4 is a globular star cluster, one of the nearest to our solar system. It’s also one of the easiest of all globular clusters to find, in a dark sky, because it’s near the bright red star Antares in the constellation Scorpius.

M4’s position is at Right Ascension: 16h 23.6m; Declination: 26 degrees 32′ south



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Red star Antares, right, and nearby star cluster M4 via StargazerBob.com@aol.com

Red star Antares (l) and nearby star cluster M4 via StargazerBob@aol.com

Red Antares – the brightest star in Scorpius, often called the Heart of the Scorpion – is up in the evening now. It’s a bright red star known for twinkling rapidly. If you have binoculars, sweep for an object near Antares on the sky’s dome. This object is called Messier 4 or M4. It’s a globular cluster, one of our galaxy’s oldest inhabitants. M4 has an estimated age of 12.2 billion years, in contrast to about 4.5 billion years for our sun. Follow the links below to learn more.

How to see M4

History and science of M4

Assuming you have a dark sky, look just to the right of Antares for M4.

Assuming you have a dark sky, look just to the right of Antares for M4.

How to see M4. If you’ve never found a deep-sky object on your own before, M4 is a grand place to start. The M4 globular star cluster is easy to find, because it’s right next to the first-magnitude star Antares, the brightest in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion. Your first step to locating M4 is to find Antares, the Scorpion’s heart star.

Antares and M4 are best seen in July, or the months around July, from around the globe. In early June, Antares is highest in the sky around midnight (1 a.m. Daylight Time). That means it’s high in the south for Northern Hemisphere viewers, and overhead for Southern Hemisphere viewers. The stars return to the same place in the sky some 2 hours earlier every month. So Antares is highest up around 10 p.m. (11 p.m. Daylight Time) in early July, and 8 p.m. (9 p.m. Daylight Time) in early August.

In short, Northern Hemisphere summer evenings – or Southern Hemisphere winter evenings – are probably your best bet for catching M4.

You might glimpse M4 on a very dark, moonless night. If you can’t see it, use binoculars to sweep for it. Antares and M4 readily fit inside the same binocular field of view, with M4 appearing a bit more than 1 degree to the west (or right) of Antares. For reference, a typical binocular field has a diameter of 5 to 6 degrees. M4 looks like a rather dim, hazy star in binoculars, and you might want a telescope to begin to resolve this cluster into stars.

A 5-minute stacked image of Antares and the surrounding region including the globular cluster Messier 4 (M4). Photo by Tom Wildoner in 2015.

A 5-minute stacked image of Antares and the surrounding region including the globular cluster Messier 4 (M4). Photo by our friend Tom Wildoner at LeisurelyScientist.com

History and science of M4. The comet hunter Charles Messier (1730-1817) listed M4 as object #4 in his famous Messier catalog. The Messier catalog listed over 100 deep-sky objects that look like comets, but really aren’t. Charles Messier wanted to steer comet hunters away from these faint fuzzies that masquerade as comets.

Modern astronomy tells us that M4 is a globular star cluster – a globe-shape stellar city packed with perhaps a hundred thousand stars. Unlike open star clusters – such as the Pleiades and the Hyades – the Milky Way galaxy’s 200 or so globular star clusters are not part of the galactic disk.

Instead, globular clusters populate the galactic halo – the sphere-shaped region of the Milky Way circling above and below the pancake-shape galactic disk.

At about 7,000 light-years from Earth, M4 is one of the two closest globular clusters to our sun and Earth (the other is NGC 6397). That’s among the Milky Way’s 200 or so globular clusters. Most globulars reside tens of thousands of light-years away. The farthest of globular clusters, M54, is thought to be 70,000 light-years distant.

This ball of stars is 75 light-years across.

Globular clusters are tightly packed with tens to hundreds of thousands of stars, whereas open clusters are loosely-bound stellar confederations with only a few hundred to a thousand stars. Globular clusters contain primitive stars that are billions of years old and almost as old as the universe itself. On the other hand, open clusters consist of young, hot stars that tend to disperse after hundreds of millions of years.

Messier 4 or M4 from European Southern Observatory.

Messier 4 or M4 from European Southern Observatory.

Bottom line: M4 or Messier 4 is a globular star cluster, one of the nearest to our solar system. It’s also one of the easiest of all globular clusters to find, in a dark sky, because it’s near the bright red star Antares in the constellation Scorpius.

M4’s position is at Right Ascension: 16h 23.6m; Declination: 26 degrees 32′ south



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Find the Crown of the Scorpion

The three stars of the Scorpion’s Crown: Graffias (Acrab), Dschubba, and Pi Scorpii. Photo via Dennis Chabot.

The constellation Scorpius the Scorpion is one of the few constellations that looks like its name. The red star Antares lies at the Scorpion’s Heart. Two “stinger” stars, Shaula and Lesath, mark the Scorpion’s Tail. Scorpius has another charming feature you should come to know. It’s called the Crown of the Scorpion.

Look for Scorpius as a J-shaped assemblage of stars arcing across the southern sky each summer as seen from the Northern Hemisphere – and crossing overhead in winter skies as seen from the Southern Hemisphere. The Scorpion’s Crown consists of three stars near Antares, which is the brightest star in Scorpius. Individually, the Crown stars are Graffias (or Acrab), Dschubba, and Pi Scorpii.

Scorpius is one of the few constellations that looks like its namesake. The bright red star Antares marks the Scorpion's Heart. The Crown of the Scorpion consists of three stars, located at the top of Scorpius to the right of Antares in this image.

It’s rare when star patterns on our sky’s dome have anything to do with real associations of stars in space, but these three stars are thought to be loosely bound by gravity. All three are located at approximately the same distance, about 500 light-years away. All are thought to be members of the Scorpius-Centaurus Association, which was first recognized by astronomers in the early part of the 20th century.

About 100 stars are known in the Scorpius-Centaurus Association, including Antares.

The Scorpius-Centaurus stars share a common motion through space. They were probably all born from a single vast cloud of gas and dust. In other words, these stars are much like a family – loosely bound – sharing a common history.

Star map showing the Scorpius-Centaurus Association. The stars of upper Scorpius are part of this association of stars in space. Read more at Wikimedia Commons.

Star map showing the Scorpius-Centaurus Association. The stars of upper Scorpius are part of this association of stars in space. Read more at Wikimedia Commons.

Wide field X-ray image of the Scorpius-Centaurus association constructed from the data of the ROSAT All Sky Survey Background maps. The yellow dots mark the positions of bright X-ray sources detected in the survey (only about 10% of the brightest X-ray sources are shown). The blue circles mark the three subgroups Upper Scorpius, Upper Centaurus-Lupus, and Lower Centaurus-Crux (from left to right). Image and caption via David Darling.

Wide field X-ray image of the Scorpius-Centaurus association constructed from the data of the ROSAT All Sky Survey Background maps. The yellow dots mark the positions of bright X-ray sources detected in the survey (only about 10% of the brightest X-ray sources are shown). The blue circles mark the three subgroups Upper Scorpius, Upper Centaurus-Lupus, and Lower Centaurus-Crux (from left to right). Image and caption via David Darling.

Constellation Scorpius by Daniel McVey.

Constellation Scorpius by Daniel McVey.

Bottom line: One of the most prominent features in the constellation Scorpius is a trio of stars near Antares on the sky’s dome. These three stars – Graffias, Dschubba and Pi Scorpii – are known as the Crown of the Scorpion.



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The three stars of the Scorpion’s Crown: Graffias (Acrab), Dschubba, and Pi Scorpii. Photo via Dennis Chabot.

The constellation Scorpius the Scorpion is one of the few constellations that looks like its name. The red star Antares lies at the Scorpion’s Heart. Two “stinger” stars, Shaula and Lesath, mark the Scorpion’s Tail. Scorpius has another charming feature you should come to know. It’s called the Crown of the Scorpion.

Look for Scorpius as a J-shaped assemblage of stars arcing across the southern sky each summer as seen from the Northern Hemisphere – and crossing overhead in winter skies as seen from the Southern Hemisphere. The Scorpion’s Crown consists of three stars near Antares, which is the brightest star in Scorpius. Individually, the Crown stars are Graffias (or Acrab), Dschubba, and Pi Scorpii.

Scorpius is one of the few constellations that looks like its namesake. The bright red star Antares marks the Scorpion's Heart. The Crown of the Scorpion consists of three stars, located at the top of Scorpius to the right of Antares in this image.

It’s rare when star patterns on our sky’s dome have anything to do with real associations of stars in space, but these three stars are thought to be loosely bound by gravity. All three are located at approximately the same distance, about 500 light-years away. All are thought to be members of the Scorpius-Centaurus Association, which was first recognized by astronomers in the early part of the 20th century.

About 100 stars are known in the Scorpius-Centaurus Association, including Antares.

The Scorpius-Centaurus stars share a common motion through space. They were probably all born from a single vast cloud of gas and dust. In other words, these stars are much like a family – loosely bound – sharing a common history.

Star map showing the Scorpius-Centaurus Association. The stars of upper Scorpius are part of this association of stars in space. Read more at Wikimedia Commons.

Star map showing the Scorpius-Centaurus Association. The stars of upper Scorpius are part of this association of stars in space. Read more at Wikimedia Commons.

Wide field X-ray image of the Scorpius-Centaurus association constructed from the data of the ROSAT All Sky Survey Background maps. The yellow dots mark the positions of bright X-ray sources detected in the survey (only about 10% of the brightest X-ray sources are shown). The blue circles mark the three subgroups Upper Scorpius, Upper Centaurus-Lupus, and Lower Centaurus-Crux (from left to right). Image and caption via David Darling.

Wide field X-ray image of the Scorpius-Centaurus association constructed from the data of the ROSAT All Sky Survey Background maps. The yellow dots mark the positions of bright X-ray sources detected in the survey (only about 10% of the brightest X-ray sources are shown). The blue circles mark the three subgroups Upper Scorpius, Upper Centaurus-Lupus, and Lower Centaurus-Crux (from left to right). Image and caption via David Darling.

Constellation Scorpius by Daniel McVey.

Constellation Scorpius by Daniel McVey.

Bottom line: One of the most prominent features in the constellation Scorpius is a trio of stars near Antares on the sky’s dome. These three stars – Graffias, Dschubba and Pi Scorpii – are known as the Crown of the Scorpion.



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Antares: More than meets the eye

Red star Antares in the constellation Scorpius and the multi-faceted deep-sky region surrounding it – June 24, 2017 – via Samuel Muller in Bom Jardim da Serra, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Beautiful image of the region of the sky around Antares. Samuel Muller provided these details:

24 frames of 300 seconds, ISO 1600.
1 frame of 600 seconds, ISO 800
Total exposure time: 2h10min

Celestron Advanced CG5 GT mount
Sony NEX-5N Baader BCF mod camera
18-55mm Sony stock lens, at 55mm f5.6
Diy Dew heater
No guiding

Processed through Deep Sky Stacker, PixInsight LE and Photoshop CS6.

Thank you, Samuel!



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Red star Antares in the constellation Scorpius and the multi-faceted deep-sky region surrounding it – June 24, 2017 – via Samuel Muller in Bom Jardim da Serra, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Beautiful image of the region of the sky around Antares. Samuel Muller provided these details:

24 frames of 300 seconds, ISO 1600.
1 frame of 600 seconds, ISO 800
Total exposure time: 2h10min

Celestron Advanced CG5 GT mount
Sony NEX-5N Baader BCF mod camera
18-55mm Sony stock lens, at 55mm f5.6
Diy Dew heater
No guiding

Processed through Deep Sky Stacker, PixInsight LE and Photoshop CS6.

Thank you, Samuel!



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News Digest – Frozen needles, a smokefree UK, microbubbles and… breaking cancer’s ‘legs’?

  • For the first time, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is being used to guide ‘frozen needles’ to tumours in patients with prostate cancer. Using MRI will help improve how accurately these needles target tumours and destroy cancer cells, the Express reported.
  • Figures released by the NHS and reported by the Telegraph show that the prevalence of obesity and being overweight in people aged 16-24 has risen since 1993 and 2015. After smoking, obesity is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer. Read about the three main theories on how obesity causes cancer in our blog post and advice for keeping a healthy weight here.
  • WIRED featured a study by our researchers, who are looking at using microbubbles to deliver chemotherapy drugs more precisely. Read our press release and our website research feature to find out more.
  • A genetic test called MammaPrint, which analyses a specific genetic ‘signature’ in cells, could help work out which women with breast cancer are at a low risk of their cancer coming back after surgery. According to the US study, featured in the Telegraph, this could help spare many women chemotherapy they wouldn’t benefit from, and the side effects that come with it. But it remains to be seen if this test is better than current, cheaper methods.

Number of the week

10

The number of years the UK has been smokefree

  • We’re excited to announce that Professor Charles Swanton has been appointed as the new Cancer Research UK Chief Clinician. He will succeed Professor Peter Johnson who, during nearly 10 years in the role, has made an immense contribution to the charity. Read our press release for more information.
  • Cancer Research UK has extended its drug discovery collaboration with Merck, reported BioPortfolio. Together we hope to discover new cancer drugs targeting the Hippo pathway, which plays an important role in cell growth. Our press release has the details.
  • A decade has passed since the smoking ban came into force across the UK. The BBC reported on some of the benefits we have seen over the past 10 years. Our press release details the impact the policy has had following our successful petition and campaigning.
  • Our scientists revealed that more than a quarter of those women who don’t not attend cervical screening are unaware the programme exists. As BBC News and the Express explained, it’s not that these women are deliberately deciding not to attend, suggesting more needs to be done to raise awareness of cervical screening. Read our press release for more information.
  • Cancer Research UK, NHS England and the Met Office are in agreement: suntans are a sign of damaged skin, not a healthy glow. But, as reported by the BBC and Telegraph, a third of parents mistakenly believe going brown is good for children. Check out our sun protection myths blog for how to enjoy the summer safely.

And finally

  • The Independent and Medical News Today  featured research that targets the way cancer cells move. The study found that breaking cancer cells’ ‘legs’ – using tiny gold rods – reduced their ability to move. This could offer scientists and doctors a potential way to stop cancer spreading. The work is still in the early stages, so more research is needed before we can say if the approach would work in people.

Catherine



from Cancer Research UK – Science blog http://ift.tt/2tuFaQ5
  • For the first time, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is being used to guide ‘frozen needles’ to tumours in patients with prostate cancer. Using MRI will help improve how accurately these needles target tumours and destroy cancer cells, the Express reported.
  • Figures released by the NHS and reported by the Telegraph show that the prevalence of obesity and being overweight in people aged 16-24 has risen since 1993 and 2015. After smoking, obesity is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer. Read about the three main theories on how obesity causes cancer in our blog post and advice for keeping a healthy weight here.
  • WIRED featured a study by our researchers, who are looking at using microbubbles to deliver chemotherapy drugs more precisely. Read our press release and our website research feature to find out more.
  • A genetic test called MammaPrint, which analyses a specific genetic ‘signature’ in cells, could help work out which women with breast cancer are at a low risk of their cancer coming back after surgery. According to the US study, featured in the Telegraph, this could help spare many women chemotherapy they wouldn’t benefit from, and the side effects that come with it. But it remains to be seen if this test is better than current, cheaper methods.

Number of the week

10

The number of years the UK has been smokefree

  • We’re excited to announce that Professor Charles Swanton has been appointed as the new Cancer Research UK Chief Clinician. He will succeed Professor Peter Johnson who, during nearly 10 years in the role, has made an immense contribution to the charity. Read our press release for more information.
  • Cancer Research UK has extended its drug discovery collaboration with Merck, reported BioPortfolio. Together we hope to discover new cancer drugs targeting the Hippo pathway, which plays an important role in cell growth. Our press release has the details.
  • A decade has passed since the smoking ban came into force across the UK. The BBC reported on some of the benefits we have seen over the past 10 years. Our press release details the impact the policy has had following our successful petition and campaigning.
  • Our scientists revealed that more than a quarter of those women who don’t not attend cervical screening are unaware the programme exists. As BBC News and the Express explained, it’s not that these women are deliberately deciding not to attend, suggesting more needs to be done to raise awareness of cervical screening. Read our press release for more information.
  • Cancer Research UK, NHS England and the Met Office are in agreement: suntans are a sign of damaged skin, not a healthy glow. But, as reported by the BBC and Telegraph, a third of parents mistakenly believe going brown is good for children. Check out our sun protection myths blog for how to enjoy the summer safely.

And finally

  • The Independent and Medical News Today  featured research that targets the way cancer cells move. The study found that breaking cancer cells’ ‘legs’ – using tiny gold rods – reduced their ability to move. This could offer scientists and doctors a potential way to stop cancer spreading. The work is still in the early stages, so more research is needed before we can say if the approach would work in people.

Catherine



from Cancer Research UK – Science blog http://ift.tt/2tuFaQ5
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Moon near Jupiter and Spica on July 1

Tonight – July 1, 2017 – as the setting sun closes the curtains on the day, and the darkening skies bring out a myriad of far-off suns, let the moon introduce you to a very special star. The nearby bright star to tonight’s moon and the planet Jupiter is none other than Spica, the sole 1st-magnitude star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden.

The much brighter object in the vicinity of tonight’s moon and Spica is the giant planet Jupiter. Jupiter, the fifth planet outward from the sun, will remain in front of the constellation Virgo until mid-November 2017.

Did you see the moon yesterday, on the evening of June 30? Note the moon’s change of position relative to Spica and Jupiter as darkness falls tonight, on July 1. The moon continually moves eastward in front of the backdrop stars of the zodiac at the rate of about one-half degree per hour or about 13o per day.

For a convenient measuring stick, the moon’s diameter approximates one-half degree of sky, and your fist at an arm’s length spans about 10o on the sky’s dome. Also, for reference, Jupiter shines to the west of Spica – or conversely, Spica resides to the east of Jupiter.

In a few to several more days, in fact, the moon will be farther east of Spica on the sky’s dome, and closer to the star Antares and the planet Saturn. When that happens, use the dazzling planet Jupiter as your guide “star” to Spica. Or next year, in 2018, when Jupiter is no longer close to Spica, you might find it helpful to “star-hop” to Spica instead, as shown on the sky chart below.

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If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, and you’re familiar with the Big Dipper, you can count on this famous pattern of stars to guide you to Spica. Simply extend the Big Dipper handle to arc to the brilliant yellow-orange star Arcturus and then to spike Spica, a blue-white gem of a star.

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, and you’re familiar with the Big Dipper, you can count on this famous pattern of stars to guide you to Spica. Simply extend the Big Dipper handle to arc to the brilliant yellow-orange star Arcturus and then to spike Spica, a blue-white gem of a star.

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, and you’re familiar with the Big Dipper, you can count on this famous pattern of stars to guide you to Spica. Simply extend the Big Dipper handle to arc to the brilliant yellow-orange star Arcturus and then to spike Spica, a blue-white gem of a star. (If you have difficulty discerning stellar color with the eye alone, try your luck with binoculars.)

Bottom line: Let the moon guide you to Spica on July 1, 2017, and then use the Big Dipper to locate Virgo’s brightest star, after the moon’s flirtation with Spica ends.

Donate: Your support means the world to us

EarthSky astronomy kits are perfect for beginners. Order today from the EarthSky store



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Tonight – July 1, 2017 – as the setting sun closes the curtains on the day, and the darkening skies bring out a myriad of far-off suns, let the moon introduce you to a very special star. The nearby bright star to tonight’s moon and the planet Jupiter is none other than Spica, the sole 1st-magnitude star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden.

The much brighter object in the vicinity of tonight’s moon and Spica is the giant planet Jupiter. Jupiter, the fifth planet outward from the sun, will remain in front of the constellation Virgo until mid-November 2017.

Did you see the moon yesterday, on the evening of June 30? Note the moon’s change of position relative to Spica and Jupiter as darkness falls tonight, on July 1. The moon continually moves eastward in front of the backdrop stars of the zodiac at the rate of about one-half degree per hour or about 13o per day.

For a convenient measuring stick, the moon’s diameter approximates one-half degree of sky, and your fist at an arm’s length spans about 10o on the sky’s dome. Also, for reference, Jupiter shines to the west of Spica – or conversely, Spica resides to the east of Jupiter.

In a few to several more days, in fact, the moon will be farther east of Spica on the sky’s dome, and closer to the star Antares and the planet Saturn. When that happens, use the dazzling planet Jupiter as your guide “star” to Spica. Or next year, in 2018, when Jupiter is no longer close to Spica, you might find it helpful to “star-hop” to Spica instead, as shown on the sky chart below.

Enjoying EarthSky so far? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today!

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, and you’re familiar with the Big Dipper, you can count on this famous pattern of stars to guide you to Spica. Simply extend the Big Dipper handle to arc to the brilliant yellow-orange star Arcturus and then to spike Spica, a blue-white gem of a star.

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, and you’re familiar with the Big Dipper, you can count on this famous pattern of stars to guide you to Spica. Simply extend the Big Dipper handle to arc to the brilliant yellow-orange star Arcturus and then to spike Spica, a blue-white gem of a star.

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, and you’re familiar with the Big Dipper, you can count on this famous pattern of stars to guide you to Spica. Simply extend the Big Dipper handle to arc to the brilliant yellow-orange star Arcturus and then to spike Spica, a blue-white gem of a star. (If you have difficulty discerning stellar color with the eye alone, try your luck with binoculars.)

Bottom line: Let the moon guide you to Spica on July 1, 2017, and then use the Big Dipper to locate Virgo’s brightest star, after the moon’s flirtation with Spica ends.

Donate: Your support means the world to us

EarthSky astronomy kits are perfect for beginners. Order today from the EarthSky store



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