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Ephemeris: 04/25/2025 – The star that opened a World’s Fair

April 25, 2025 Comments off

This is Ephemeris for Arbor Day, Friday, April 25th. Today the Sun will be up for 13 hours and 59 minutes, setting at 8:40, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:39. The Moon, 2 days before new, will rise at 5:50 tomorrow morning.

High in the eastern sky at 10 tonight can be found the kite shaped constellation of Boötes the herdsman, chasing or herding the Great Bear Ursa Major of which the Big Dipper is the hind end, across the sky. The bright star at the base of the kite is the 4th brightest nighttime star, Arcturus. It can be found and name remembered by first locating the Big Dipper and by following the arc or curve of the handle to Arcturus. This star is an orange-colored giant star, 37 light years away. Its light was used to open the 1933 Chicago Worlds Fair believing its light left the star in 1893 the year of the previous Chicago Worlds Fair. It turns out that Arcturus is 3 light years closer than what they thought.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT – 4 hours). Times will be different for other locations.

Addendum

To find Arcturus follow the arc of the handle of the Big Dipper.
To find Arcturus follow the arc of the handle of the Big Dipper. Remember: Follow the arc to Arcturus. Created using my LookingUp app, LibreOffice Draw and GIMP.
Cartoon in the Chicago Tribune in 1933 on the light from Arcturus lighting up the Chicago World's Fair. Via Chicagology.com.
Cartoon in the Chicago Tribune in 1933 on the light from Arcturus lit up the Chicago World’s Fair. Via Chicagology.com.

For more on how they did it go to: https://chicagology.com/centuryprogress/1933fair54/

Categories: Constellations, Ephemeris Program, Stars Tags: , , ,