Archive
11/11/14 – Ephemeris – Something fishy in the stars
Ephemeris for Veteran’s Day, Tuesday, November 11th. The sun will rise at 7:33. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 45 minutes, setting at 5:18. The moon, 3 days before last quarter, will rise at 9:41 this evening.
High in the south at 9 p.m. are the four bright stars of the Great Square of Pegasus, the upside down flying horse. Lying along the left and bottom sides of the great square is the constellation of Pisces the fish, one of the 12 constellations of the Zodiac that lie along the path of the sun, moon and planets. Even though Pisces is called the fish, the fish themselves are not seen in the stars. What can be traced in the stars is the rope, that’s tied to their tails, anchored at the extreme southeastern part of the constellation far below and left of the lower left corner of the Great Square. The right end of Pisces is the asterism, or informal constellation, of the Circlet. It’s the loop of 5 stars, the rope around the tail of one of the two fish.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Pisces below the Great Square of Pegasus in the south at 9 p.m.
09/18/2014 – Ephemeris – The constellation Pegasus the aerobatic horse
Ephemeris for Thursday, September 18th. The sun will rise at 7:24. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 22 minutes, setting at 7:47. The moon, 3 days past last quarter, will rise at 3:02 tomorrow morning.
Rising in the east at as it gets dark around 9 p.m. can be found one of the great autumn constellations: Pegasus the flying horse of Greek myth. Its most visible feature is a large square of four stars, now standing on one corner. This feature, called the Great Square of Pegasus, represents the front part of the horse’s body. The horse is quite aerobatic, because it is seen flying upside down. Remembering that fact, the neck and head is a bent line of stars emanating from the right corner star of the square. Its front legs can be seen in a gallop extending to the upper right from the top star of the square. From the left star extend, not hind legs but the constellation of Andromeda, a fascinating constellation in its own right.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Pegasus at 9 p.m. Chart created using Stellarium.
09/05/2013 – Ephemeris – The constellation of Andromeda, the chained maiden
Ephemeris for Thursday, September 5th. The sun will rise at 7:09. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 1 minute, setting at 8:11. The moon is new today, and won’t be visible.
In the east at 10 this evening can be found a large square of stars, the Great Square of Pegasus the flying horse. The square is standing on one corner. What look like its hind legs stretching to the left from the left corner star is another constellation, Andromeda the chained maiden. She is seen in the sky as two diverging curved strings of stars that curve upward. She was rescued by the hero Perseus, a nearby constellation, riding his steed Pegasus. Andromeda’s claim to astronomical fame is the large galaxy seen with the unaided eye just above the upper line of stars, the Great Andromeda Galaxy, two and a half million light years away. To the unaided eye the galaxy appears as a small smudge of light. In binoculars the galaxy is a delicate spindle of light.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Andromeda and Pegasus images in the stars at 10 p.m. September 5, 2013. Created using Stellarium. Drawing by Johan Meuris.
The constellation lines in Stellarium omit the top strong of stars I see in Andromeda. I’m working on changing that.
09/03/2013 – Ephemeris – The constellation of Pegasus the flying horse
Ephemeris for Tuesday, September 3rd. The sun will rise at 7:07. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 7 minutes, setting at 8:14. The moon, 2 days before new, will rise at 6:20 tomorrow morning.
A reminder that the end of summer is approaching is located in the east around 10 p.m. It’s one of the great autumn constellations: Pegasus the flying horse of Greek myth. Its most visible feature is a large square of four stars, now standing on one corner. This feature, called the Great Square of Pegasus, represents the front part of the horse’s body. The horse is quite aerobatic, because it is seen flying upside down. Remembering that fact, the neck and head is a bent line of stars emanating from the right corner star of the square. Its front legs can be seen in a gallop extending to the upper right from the top star of the square. In Mythology Pegasus was born of the blood of Medusa, decapitated by the hero Perseus, seen as a constellation rising in the northeast.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Pegasus image in the stars at 10 p.m. September 3, 2013. Created using Stellarium. Drawing by Johan Meuris.
09/04/2012 – Ephemeris – The Great Square of Pegasus
Ephemeris for Tuesday, September 4th. The sun will rise at 7:09. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 3 minutes, setting at 8:12. The moon, half way from full to last quarter, will rise at 9:51 this evening.
Rising ever higher in the east at as it gets dark around 9:30 p.m. can be found one of the great autumn constellations: Pegasus the flying horse of Greek myth. Its most visible feature is a large square of four stars, now standing on one corner. This feature, called the Great Square of Pegasus, represents the front part of the horse’s body. The horse is quite aerobatic, because it is seen flying upside down. Remembering that fact, the neck and head is a bent line of stars emanating from the right corner star of the square. Its front legs can be seen in a gallop extending to the upper right from the top star of the square. From the left star extend, not hind legs but the constellation of Andromeda, a fascinating constellation in its own right. We’ll be checking out Andromeda this fall.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Pegasus at 9 p.m. Chart created using Stellarium.
09/19/11 – Ephemeris – Talk Like a Pirate Day and the constellation Pegasus
Arrrh! This is Cap’n Bob with Ephemeris for Talk like a Pirate Day, Monday, September 19th. I can’t keep this up. The sun will rise at 7:25. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 20 minutes, setting at 7:46. The moon, 1 day before last quarter, will rise at 11:35 this evening.
A reminder of the end of summer is located in the east around 9 p.m. It’s one of the great autumn constellations: Pegasus the flying horse of Greek myth. Its most visible feature is a large square of four stars, now standing on one corner. This feature, called the Great Square of Pegasus, represents the front part of the horse’s body. The horse is quite aerobatic, because it is seen flying upside down. Remembering that fact, the neck and head is a bent line of stars emanating from the right corner star of the square. Its front legs can be seen in a gallop extending to the upper right from the top star of the square. In Mythology Pegasus was born of the blood of Medusa, decapitated by the hero Perseus.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Pegasus at 9 p.m. Chart created using Stellarium.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 