Dec's Guide to the Night Sky for Amateur Astromomers - including Melbourne weather

Just looking back through the posts to try and understand what I saw in the sky last night. I saw those 3 stars last night @Owlunar! I want to Thank you for clearing up that what I was seeing was Orion's belt, not the Sword (I had it the wrong way around in my head). Because those 3 stars are definitely what I saw!

Yes Please, I would love to know the names of the 4 outer stars! 🙂 I'm thrilled to able to see these sparkling beauties for what they really are! 🙂 It gives me a real sense of proportion, my worries can almost disappear when I look at the really big picture 🙂

Hi Niqua

The stars move across the sky in about 12 hours and that's because of the revolving of the Earth so yes - you would need to be out to see the stars in Orion before they set - and right now - they do set in the west and quickly - because of the angle of the planet right now

No questions are silly - I have had two professions - one of them as a private tutor until I got a teaching certificate so to me - questions are necessary - we need to ask about what we don't understand

The Wolf/Dog Star follows Orion - and it is behind and slightly to the north right now- it's the brightest star in the night sky - but not as bright as Jupiter and Venus - but as time passes Orion will set in the evening and start rising in the morning and this is a spring-sign for us - and during summer nights it is really easy to follow the progress of Orion and the Dog/Wolf Star -

You definately saw the Southern Cross - wonderful - it is the easiest of the constellations to find and visible all night all year when the sky is clear -

And the moon was too bright to see anything near it last night - I had the same trouble myself - the moon was beautiful though

To see the objects I am talking about you don't need a telescope and most of the time not even binoculars - but it helps to find the smaller planets

I am having such a great time with this thread - I never knew anyone else would be so interested and this is terrific - some people give me a blank star when I talk about something I find exciting

But hey - in the unit I had before this one I was upstairs and my unit faced west. One night I could see the moon - it was past full and Mars - and over maybe an hour I saw Mars get closer and closer to the moon until it disappeared behind if for a short time and then appeared on the other side

I was stunned at how people I told didn't care - it was a fantastic high-point in my life - wow

It's fun yeah - I love it

Dec

@Former-Member

Just going back through the thread to help me understand what I saw in the sky last night. I want to Thank you @outlander for your pic and information 🙂 Now I know, not only did I see the 'Pointers' but their names are Rigil Kent and Hadar, and they're both Centauri - I'm a Centaur outlander! Born in December 🙂

I was wondering if anyone would be willing to feed my childish excitement and tell me how do I know which way is South and which is North, by using these stars?

I have to get off the Forum for a while and think about a mountain of pots and pans, or maybe picking up a broom - My Goodness, the things this Forum does for me! 😄 😄 😄

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Ah Niqua

Here are the names of the major 4 stars around Orion - from top left (Betelguese) - to top right (Bellatrix) - bottom right (Saiph) to bottom left (Rigel)

I lovd these names - I think they a beautiful -

Dec

@Former-Member

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Hi @outlander@Former-Member

Here's a little diagram to show how to find the South Pole from the pointers and the Southern Cross\

My father explained this to me when I was his little student - admiring and asking the impossible-to-answer questions

Sooooooooooooooooooo - I hope the diagram and the explanation helps because I will be danged if I find this easy

Dec

thanks @Owlunar

i think i have an idea but its not very clear lol

Europa

Ganymede

Callisto

These pics are of the three biggest moons around Jupiter - they all have different geography and so wonderful

I don't hink anyone know how many moons there are around Jupiter - but there are a lot - just as there are a lot around Saturn

Dec