Autumn Skies 2012 Aileen O’Donoghue SLU, APO Aileen O’Donoghue SLU, APO.

Autumn Skies 2012Autumn Skies 2012

Aileen O’DonoghueSLU, APO

Aileen O’DonoghueSLU, APO

ConstellationsConstellations

International Astronomical Union/ Union Astronomique InternationaleInternational Astronomical Union/ Union Astronomique Internationale

Political Map of the sky Named for shapes, animals & mythological

charactersEg. Triangulum, Scorpius, Cassiopeia

Simplified to stick figures

88 Official ConstellationsDetermined by IAU

Political Map of the sky Named for shapes, animals & mythological

charactersEg. Triangulum, Scorpius, Cassiopeia

Simplified to stick figures

88 Official ConstellationsDetermined by IAU

ConstellationsConstellationsDesignate regions of the skyDesignate regions of the sky

Diagram from Guy Ottewell’s “Astronomical Companion”

Diagram from Guy Ottewell’s “Astronomical Companion”

www.celestialproducts.com

www.celestialproducts.com

Constellations Fill the SkyConstellations Fill the Sky

AsterismsAsterisms Subconstellations

eg. Big & Little Dippers

Subconstellations eg. Big & Little Dippers

Big Dipper in Ursa Major

Dubhe

Alkaid

Alcor & Mizar

Alioth

Megrez

Phecda

Merak

Pherkad

Kochab

Polaris

Little Dipper in Ursa Minor

Recognized patterns that

are not constellation

sSubconstellations:

The Dippers

Recognized patterns that

are not constellation

sSubconstellations:

The Dippers

Asterisms: Big & Little DipperAsterisms: Big & Little Dipper

Polaris

Looking NNW from Canton,

9 pm August 24

URSA MAJOR The Great Bear

URSA MINOR The Small Bear

Arcturus

Arc to … LITTLE DIPPER

BIG DIPPER

Pointer Stars

Point to …

Northern Sky TonightNorthern Sky Tonight

Arcturus

LITTLE DIPPER

BIG DIPPER

CORONA BOREALIS

BOÖTES

DRACO

CASSIOPEIA

HERCULES

Thuban

Guard Stars

The Losenge

The Keystone

Looking NNW from Canton

tonight

Polaris

URSA MAJOR

Pointer Stars

Arc to …

Point to …

AsterismsAsterisms

Recognized patterns that

are not constellationsSuperconstellations: Summer Triangle

Recognized patterns that

are not constellationsSuperconstellations: Summer Triangle

Deneb in Cygnus

Vega in Lyra

Altair in Aquila

The Summer Triangle

Asterisms: Summer TriangleAsterisms: Summer TriangleDeneb

Vega

AltairTarazed

CYGNUS The Swan

LYRA The Lyre

AQUILA The Eagle

Looking South from Canton,

9 pm August 26

AsterismsAsterisms Subconstellations eg. The Teapot

Subconstellations eg. The Teapot

The Teapot in Saggitarius

Antares

Scorpius

The Southern Sky

The Southern Sky

Antares

Deneb

Vega

Altair

Tarazed

CYGNUS The Swan

LYRA The Lyre

AQUILA The Eagle

SCORPIUS The

Scorpion

SAGGITARIUS The Archer

Looking South from Canton

tonight

BOÖTES The Eagle

Arcturus

The Summer Triangle

The Teapot

The Southern Sky

The Southern Sky

Antares

Deneb

Vega

Altair

Tarazed

CYGNUS The Swan

LYRA The Lyre

AQUILA The Eagle

SCORPIUS The

Scorpion

SAGGITARIUS The Archer

Looking South from Canton

tonight

Zubenelgenubi

Zubeneschamali

BOÖTES The Eagle

Arcturus

OPHIUCHUS The Snake

Bearer

The Lozenge

HERCULES

CORONA BOREALIS

The KeystoneThe

Summer Triangle

The Teapot

The Coffin

The Great

Square

CEPHEUS The King

CASSIOPEIA The Queen

PERSEUS The Hero

PEGASUS The Winged

Horse

LITTLE DIPPERGuard

Stars

Polaris

ANDROMEDA The PrincessAndromeda Galaxy

Looking East from Canton at 9

pm on Halloween

The Eastern SkyEnif

Algol

The Great

Square

CEPHEUS The King

CASSIOPEIA The Queen

PERSEUS The Hero

TAURUS, The Bull

PEGASUS The Winged

Horse

LITTLE DIPPERGuard

Stars

Polaris

AURIGA The Charioteer

The KidsARIES The Ram

ANDROMEDA The Princess

PISCES The Fishes

The Pleiades

Jupiter

Andromeda Galaxy

Looking East from Canton at 9

pm on Halloween

The Eastern SkyEnif

Aldebaran

Capella

Algol

The Ringlet

Cosmic Hockey Stick

The Great

Square

AURIGA

ANDROMEDA

PISCES

Capella

Algol

TAURUS

Aldebaran

Jupiter

GEMINI The Twins

ORION The Hunter

CANIS MAJOR The Big Dog

CANIS MINOR The Little Dog

PERSEUS

Looking south from Canton at 9 pm

on Christmas Eve

Sirus

Pollux

Castor

Rigel

Procyon

The Kids

ARIES

Asterisms: The Winter Hexagon

The Pleiades

The Great

Square

AURIGA

ANDROMEDA

PISCES

Capella

Algol

TAURUS

Aldebaran

GEMINI The Twins

ORION The Hunter

CANIS MAJOR The Big Dog

CANIS MINOR The Little Dog

PERSEUS

Looking south from Canton at 9 pm

on Christmas Eve

Sirus

Pollux

Castor

Rigel

Procyon

The Kids

ARIES

Asterisms: The Winter Hexagon

The Pleiades

Aldebaran

Jupiter

12/248/24

has moved!JupiterThe Pleiades

8/24

The Great

Square

AURIGA

ANDROMEDA

PISCES

Capella

Algol

TAURUS

Aldebaran

GEMINI The Twins

ORION The Hunter

CANIS MAJOR The Big Dog

CANIS MINOR The Little Dog

PERSEUS

Looking south from Canton at 9 pm

on Christmas Eve

Sirus

Pollux

Castor

Rigel

Procyon

The Kids

ARIES

Asterisms: The Winter Hexagon12/24

The Pleiades

Aldebaran

Jupiter8/24

1/30

4/29

Jupiter at opposition on December 3, 2012

has moved!JupiterThe Pleiades

8/24

… stargazing with the Adirondack Public Observatory!