Archive
04/05/2018 – Ephemeris – Hydra, a constellation for all of spring
Ephemeris for Thursday, April 5th. The Sun will rise at 7:16. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 59 minutes, setting at 8:15. The Moon, 3 days before last quarter, will rise at 1:41 tomorrow morning.
In the southern evening sky can be found the constellation of Hydra the water snake. Unlike the monster of the same name this Hydra has but one head, which is its most distinctive part. At 10 p.m. look to the south. The head of Hydra is located below a line from Gemini and Leo. It is directly below Cancer the crab, and left of the star Procyon. Hydra’s head is a small distinctive group of 6 stars that make a loop and the snake’s slightly drooping head. At that time the sinuous body of Hydra sinks below the horizon in the southeast. As it gets later in the evening the rest of Hydra will wend its way to eventually end beneath Libra the scales. This can also be seen in the next few months as Hydra slithers across the southern horizon.
The times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Hydra the water snake finder animation for 10 p.m. April 5th.. Hydra is the longest of all the constellations. Click on image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium and GIMP.
03/23/2017 – Ephemeris – a single headed Hydra
Ephemeris for Thursday, March 23rd. The Sun will rise at 7:39. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 19 minutes, setting at 7:59. The Moon, 3 days past last quarter, will rise at 5:48 tomorrow morning.
In the southern evening sky can be found the constellation of Hydra the water snake. Unlike the mythical monster Hercules fought of the same name this Hydra has but one head, which is its most distinctive part. At 9 p.m. look to the south. The head of Hydra is located directly to the left of Procyon the bright star in Orion’s little dog Canis Minor, and to the right of the star Regulus in Leo. Hydra’s head is a small distinctive group of 6 stars that make a loop and the snake’s slightly drooping head. At that time the sinuous body of Hydra sinks below the horizon in the southeast. As it gets later in the evening the rest of Hydra’s body will slither to just above the southeastern horizon below the planet Jupiter this year and the bright star Spica in the constellation of Virgo.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Finding Hydra animation for 9 p.m. March 23rd 2017. Created using Stellarium. Click on image to enlarge.
04/09/2013 – Ephemeris – Hydra the water snake
Ephemeris for Tuesday, April 9th. The sun will rise at 7:08. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 11 minutes, setting at 8:20. The moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 7:01 tomorrow morning.
In the southwest to southeastern sky at 11 p.m. can be found the constellation of Hydra the water snake. Unlike the monster of the same name this Hydra has but one head, which is its most distinctive part. After 10 p.m. look to the south to southwest. The head of Hydra is located below a line from the constellation Leo the Lion in the south and Gemini high in the west southwest. Hydra’s head is a small but distinctive group of 6 stars that make a drooping loop to the right. The rest of Hydra wends its way just above the southern horizon ending under Virgo below the star Spica and ends near Saturn. To astronomers constellations have distinct boundaries like congressional districts, and Hydra is one long Gerrymander*.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
* Gerrymander – A method of drawing Congressional Districts of supposed equal population so that it benefits the party in power at the time. Names after Governor Gerry of Massachusetts in 1812 when one of the districts he drew looked like a salamander. I checked Wikipedia and we ain’t the only ones. Actually Hydra is quite linear, being a snake. It is the longest constellation. Actually Eridanus and Draco are more crooked.
Hydra the water snake seen at 11 p.m. on April 9, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Below are the official boundaries of Hydra and the nearby constellations.
Hydra boundaries according to the International Astronomical Union. Created using Cartes du Ciel.
04/22/11 – Ephemeris – The constellation Hydra and public viewing tonight
Good Friday, Friday, April 22nd. The sun rises at 6:47. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 48 minutes, setting at 8:35. The moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 1:57 tomorrow morning.
Hydra the Water snake is the longest of the constellations. Its head is a group of five stars in a close group below a line between Leo the Lion and Gemini the twins in the southwest. Its stars drop down and skirt the horizon and end in the southeast. It takes a low southern horizon to follow its body. The Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers observatory will be open tonight starting at 9 p.m. for observation of the heavens and the front half of Hydra. The featured celestial object of the evening will be the ringed planet Saturn.. The viewing night will be hosted by the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society and the NMC Astronomical Association. There will be an alternate program if its cloudy.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Hydra via Stellarium for April 22, 2011 at 10 p.m.
03/21/11 – Ephemeris – The constallation of Hydra
Monday, March 21st. The sun will rise at 7:44. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 11 minutes, setting at 7:55. The moon, 2 days past full, will rise at 11:00 this evening.
In the south and southeastern sky at 10 p.m. can be found the constellation of Hydra the water snake. Unlike the monster of the same name this Hydra has but one head, which is its most distinctive part. At 10 p.m. look to the south. The head of Hydra is located below a line from the constellation Leo the Lion in the southeast and Gemini high in the south. Hydra’s head is a small but distinctive group of 6 stars that make a drooping loop to the right. The rest of Hydra wends its way to the southeastern horizon, and eventually ends near the spring and summer transitional constellation of Libra the scales. Over the next few months Hydra will slither across the southern skies.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Hydra Rising. Created using Stellarium a free planetarium program.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 