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12/30/2013 – Ephemeris – The tale of Gemini the twins
Ephemeris for Monday, December 30th. The sun will rise at 8:19. It’ll be up for 8 hours and 52 minutes, setting at 5:11. The moon, 2 days before new, will rise at 7:09 tomorrow morning.
The constellation Gemini, the Twins is visible in the east at 9 p.m. with the bright planet Jupiter interloping against its stars. The namesake stars of the two lads, will be on the left end of the constellation, nearly vertically aligned. Castor is on top, while Pollux, a slightly brighter star is on the bottom. Lines of stars from Castor and Pollux to the right delineate the lads. In Greek mythology Castor and Pollux were twins, and half brothers, Castor was fathered by a mere mortal, while Pollux was fathered by Zeus in the famous Leda and the swan affair. The brothers, however were inseparable, and when Castor was killed during the quest for the Golden Fleece, Pollux pleaded with Zeus to let him die also. Zeus placed them together in the sky forever.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Gemini with Jupiter and Orion near by at 9 p.m. on December 30, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
02/07/2013 – Ephemeris – The brother stars Castor and Pollux
Ephemeris for Thursday, February 7th. The sun will rise at 7:53. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 6 minutes, setting at 6:00. The moon, 3 days before new, will rise at 6:22 tomorrow morning.
At 9 p.m. the constellation of Gemini the twins will be seen high in the southeast. The namesake stars of the two lads are the two bright stars at the top of the constellation. Pollux the pugilist, or boxer, is the lower of the two, while Castor, the horseman, is the other star, or rather a six star system. In telescopes two close stars may be seen each is a spectroscopic binary, meaning the lines of two stars can be seen in the spectrum. A faint nearby spectroscopic binary also belong. Pollux, though a single star, does have at least one planet, one over twice the mass of Jupiter orbiting the star at a distance somewhat greater than Mars is from the sun. Pollux is 34 light years away while Castor is 50 light years away. Not too far away as stars go.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Gemini with Castor and Pollux. Created with Stellarium.
Addendum
02/05/2013 – Ephemeris – The bright stars Castor and Pollux of Gemini
Ephemeris for Tuesday, February 5th. The sun will rise at 7:56. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 1 minute, setting at 5:57. The moon, 2 days past last quarter, will rise at 4:42 tomorrow morning.
The constellation Gemini, the Twins is visible high in the southeast at 9 p.m. The namesake stars of the two lads, will be on the upper left edge of the constellation, diagonally aligned. Castor is to the upper right, while Pollux, a slightly brighter star is below left. Lines of stars from castor and Pollux to the lower right delineate the lads. In Greek mythology Castor and Pollux were twins, and half brothers, Castor was fathered by a mere mortal, while Pollux was fathered by Zeus in the famous Leda and the swan affair. The brothers, however were inseparable, and when Castor was killed during the quest for the Golden Fleece, Pollux pleaded with Zeus to let him die also. Zeus granted his wish, so both appear in the sky together forever.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Gemini and Orion. Created using Cartes du Ciel
02/23/2012 – Ephemeris – The star Castor in Gemini
Ephemeris for Thursday, February 23rd. The sun will rise at 7:30. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 50 minutes, setting at 6:21. The moon, 2 days past new, will set at 8:34 this evening.
High in the south southeast at 9 p.m. is the constellation of Gemini the twins. The heads of the two lads contain bright stars with their names. Brighter Pollux is below and Castor is above. Stars that delineate their bodies lie to the lower right of them stretching out in the direction of Orion. Castor is an interesting star because it is actually six stars. Two are easily seen. The two brightest component stars can be resolved in a small telescope. Each has a red dwarf companion detectable only by indirect means. The fifth and sixth stars makes a faint eclipsing binary of red dwarf stars some distance away and very faint. The Castor system resides some 50 light years away.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Gemini with the stars Castor and Pollux. Created using Stellarium.
01/23/2012 -Ephemeris – The constellation Gemini the twins
Ephemeris for Monday, January 23rd. The sun will rise at 8:10. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 27 minutes, setting at 5:38. The moon is new today, and won’t be visible.
The constellation of Gemini the twins appears high in the southeast. It appears to the upper left of Orion and the stars that portray his club raised high. Gemini’s two brightest stars are the namesakes of the twins. Castor above and Pollux below. From them there are two lines of stars that form the silhouette of the lads heading to the lower right. In Greek mythology these twins each had a different father, not unheard of in medical history, with Pollux being fathered by the god Zeus and thus immortal. Castor was not. But the brothers were inseparable, so when Castor was killed in the search for the golden fleece Pollux begged his father to let him die too and join his brother. His wish was granted and his devotion was so great that they were placed in the sky where we see them today.
* Times, as always are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan.
Addendum
Gemini and Orion. Created using Cartes du Ciel
04/26/11 – Ephemeris – Last chance to spot the winter constellations
Tuesday, April 26th. The sun rises at 6:40. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 59 minutes, setting at 8:40. The moon, 2 days past last quarter, will rise at 3:56 tomorrow morning
Lets face it we’re pretty sick of winter, what with all the relapses this month. But I’m never sick of the winter stars and constellations. With Leo and the other spring constellations taking over the skies from overhead to the south, the winter constellations are about to set in the west at 10 p.m. Orion’s rectangular torso is tipped to the right, his belt stars horizontal, 90 degrees from their rising orientation. The same is true of Castor and Pollux higher up which rose vertically and will set horizontally. The brightness and closeness of the stars here are a great contrast with the sparse numbers of stars visible overhead and to the south. That’s because the Milky Way runs through the winter stars and crosses to the north part of the sky.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Winter Stars Setting in Late April. Created using Stellarium.
02/24/11 – Ephemeris – The sextuple star Castor
Thursday, February 24th. The sun will rise at 7:28. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 54 minutes, setting at 6:23. The moon, at last quarter today, will rise at 2:41 tomorrow morning.
High in the southeast at 9 p.m. is the constellation of Gemini the twins. The heads of the two lads contain bright stars with their names. Brighter Pollux is below and Castor is above. Stars that delineate their bodies lie to the lower right of them stretching out in the direction of Orion. Castor is an interesting star because it is actually six stars. Two are easily seen. The two brightest component stars can be resolved in a small telescope with good optics and a steady atmosphere. Each has a red dwarf companion detectable only by indirect means. The fifth and sixth stars makes a faint eclipsing binary or red dwarf stars some distance away and very faint. The Castor system resides some 50 light years away.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 