The expression "dog days" refers to the period
from July 3 through Aug. 11 when our brightest
night star, SIRIUS (aka the dog star), rises in conjunction* with the sun.
Conjunction, in astronomy, is defined as the apparent meeting or passing of two celestial bodies.
TAAS Fabulous FiftyA program for those new to astronomy
Friday Evening, July 20, 2018, 8:00 pm
All TAAS and other new and not so new astronomers are welcome.
What is the TAAS Fabulous 50 Program?
It is a set of 4 meetings spread across a calendar year in
which a beginner to astronomy learns to locate 50 of the most prominent night sky objects visible to the naked eye.
These include stars, constellations, asterisms, and Messier objects.
1. Meeting dates for each season in year 2018
Winter Jan 19
Spring Apr 20
Summer Jul 20
Fall Oct 19
2. Locate the brightest and easiest to observe stars and associated constellations
3. Add new prominent constellations for each season
Methodology
Tonight’s Schedule
8:00 pm – We meet inside for a slide presentation overview of the Summer sky.
8:40 pm – View night sky outside
The Midnight Sky: Familiar Notes on the Stars and Planets, Edward Durkin, July 15, 1869
Polaris North Star
A Good Way to Start – Find North
Polaris is about the 50th brightest star.
It appears isolated making it easy to identify.
Circumpolar Stars
Polaris
Horizon Line Albuquerque -- 35° N
Circumpolar Stars
The Circle of Perpetual Apparition
for Albuquerque
Capella the Goat Star
AS THE WORLD TURNS
Deneb
1 URSA MINOR
22 URSA MAJOR &
BIG DIPPER
5
6
3
4
1
5 CASSIOPEIA
6 Cepheus
3 Draco
4 Camelopardalis
Vega
Deneb
Capella the Goat Star
2
5
6
3
4
1
Ursa Major
Ursa Minor Draco
CamelopardalisCassiopeiaCepheus
A single map of the stars can show the places of the stars at different hours and months of the year in consequence of the earth’s two primary movements:
Daily ClockThe rotation of the earth on it's own axis amounts to 360 degrees in 24 hours, or 15 degrees per hour (360/24).
Monthly CalendarThe earth makes a full 360 degree annual revolution around the sun in 1 year which is 30 degrees per month (350/12).
Clock and Calendar
Constel lat ions Stars Messier Objects
LYRA (harp) VEGA
CYGNUS (swan) DENEB
ALBIREO
AQUILA (eagle) ALTAIR
SCORPIUS (scorpion) ANTARES M4 –Globular Cluster
SAGITTARIUS (archer) NUNKI M8 – Lagoon Nebula
The TAAS Fabulous Fifty Objects of Summer
What is a Constellation?
VA MODERN DAY CONSTELLATION is one of 88 precisely delineated regions of the celestial sphere with coordinate based* boundaries approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Image from The Astronomical Companion, Guy Ottewell, 1981
*right ascension -celestial longitudedeclination – celestial lattitude
Cassiopeia
These 5 stars range from 54 to 615 light years away. Distances shown here are not proportional.
The farthest naked eye star is 16,308 light years away.
The closest star is 4.2 light years away.
The star ICARUS is 9 billion light years away.
The fainter the star the higher number for magnitude.
The amount of brightness decreases by a factor of about 2.5.
A magnitude 6 star is 100 times fainter than a magnitude 1 star.
20 Brightest Stars
1 Sirius2 Canopus3 Rigil Kentaurus4 Arcturus5 Vega6 Capella7 Rigel8 Procyon9 Acherner10 Betelgeuse11 Hadar12 Altair13 Acrux14 Aldebaran15 Spica16 Antares17 Pollux18 Fomalhaut19 Deneb20 Mimosa
HISTORICAL FORM OF CONSTELLATIONS
Cygnus, Lacerta, and LyraJohann Elert Bode (1747-1826)
translation of John Lamb, 1848
The Constellation CYGNUS as Portrayed in the Phaenomena by Aratus
The Greek story of Leda and the Swan (aka Zeus / Jupiter) has stirred the imaginations of many famous artists including Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
From ritual vase, ca 330 BC
Star Locations based on Ptolemy’s original description recorded in the early 1st Century AD
CYGNUS Al Sufi
Late 1st Century AD
star on the beak
middle of the neck
bright star in the tail
northernmost of the 3 on the tip of wing feather
left knee
Modern ConstellationCygnus
Modern ConstellationCygnus Cygnus
What is an Asterism?
An asterism is prominent pattern or group of stars, typically having a popular name but smaller than a constellation.
The Big Dipper Asterism
Big Dipper Asterism
Vega 6th brigthest
Deneb 21st brightest
Altair 14th brightest
Summer Triangle
Vega 6th brightest
Vega & Lyra
Vega & Lyra
Two Birds of the
Summer Heavens
Cygnus, Deneb, and Albireo
DENEB19th Brightest
ALBIREO
“…perhaps the most lovely effect
of colour in the heavens.“Agnes Mary Clerke, 1889
Albireo Showpiece ProofWall Posters Now Available at AMAZON and WALMART!
Cygnus, Deneb, & Albireo
Aquila, Altair
ALTAIR 14th Brightest
Aquila & Altair
Summer Triangle
The Messier objects are astronomical objects first listed by French astronomer Charles Messier in 1771.
Messier was a comet hunter, and was frustrated by objects which resembled but were not comets,
He compiled a list of them to avoid wasting time on observing them
110 objects are in the catalog
Are the first deep space objects (outside of our solar system) that amateur astronomers will attempt to observe after observing the moon and the planets
All visible in small telescopes and many are observable in binoculars
Few visible to the naked eye
What Are the Messier Objects (M)?
The Messier objects are astronomical objects first listed by French astronomer Charles Messier in 1771.
Messier was a comet hunter, and was frustrated by objects which resembled but were not comets,
He compiled a list of them to avoid wasting time on observing them
110 objects are in the catalog
Are the first deep space objects (outside of our solar system) that amateur astronomers will attempt to observe after observing the moon and the planets
All visible in small telescopes and many are observable in binoculars
Few visible to the naked eye
Messier Objects
Galaxies
Globular Star Clusters
Open Star Clusters
Nebulas
Double Star
Stinger in the
Heavens
Scorpius & Antares
ANTARES 15th brightest
ANTARESis relatively big
SUN
Earth
ANTARES
Scorpius & Antares
Scorpius & Antares
M4 Globular Cluster
Messier 4Globular Cluster
Discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux in 1745
First globular cluster in which individual stars were resolved
Appears about the same size as the Moon in the sky
Number of stars >20,000
Apparent magnitude +5.9
The Southern Teapot Asterism
Sagittarius & Nunki
NUNKI
Kaus Australis
teaspoon
Sagittarius & Nunki
M8 - Lagoon Nebula
NUNKI
Kaus Australis
M8 -The Lagoon Nebula
Now Let’s Advance Using Star Charts
Astronomy Phone Apps are plentiful, very useful, most are free.
STELLARIUM An Extraordinary Free Computer Program!!!
STELLARIUM An Extraordinary Free Computer Program!!!
for the current month can be downloaded for free at
The Evening Sky Map
Back of Map
Location month time
Dat
es
of
cele
stia
l eve
nts
Outlines of the constellations
Magnitude (brightness) of the stars
Symbols for the various objects
General Info
Observing Tips
Astronomical Glossary
Visible with naked eye
Visible with binoculars
Visible with telescope
Locate the four cardinal directions:
a. Southb. Northc. Westd. East
How to use the Sky Map
As you observe, hold the chart so that the direction you are looking is at the bottom of the chart
FindingPolaris
Finding Sagittarius and Scorpius
Bushnell Xtra-Wide Fixed Focus 4x30mm Binoculars
Excellent for Constellation Viewing Assistance cost about $50
SUMMER FAB 50Checklist
How Do We Find Fab 50 Objects in the Night Sky?
1. Take a sky map & checklist with you to dark location
2. Look for Polaris (North Star)
1. Look from map – to – stars then stars – to – map
2. Begin with the brightest and easiest to find
3. When you get “lost”, revert to what you know and try again
GO FOR IT & HAVE FUN!
END
Last revised 071718