Download Mon Oct 22, 2012 MOON IN CAPRICORNUS The moon is waxing

Mon Oct 22, 2012
MOON IN CAPRICORNUS
The moon is waxing gibbous in the southeastern sky this evening. It’s among the stars of Capricornus the Sea Goat,
surely one of the strangest constellations of the night. The arrangement of stars here resembles a great wedge or
kerchief shape, but it’s meant to portray the goat god Pan, who changed his hindquarters into those of a fish, so that he
could escape down river from a monster that had snuck up behind him and caused Pan to panic. Capricornus is in a part
of the sky known as “the sea,” on account of all the water-related constellations you find there. To the east of the moon
is Aquarius, the water carrier. It is Aquarius’ water jug that supposedly spilled out into this region of the sky that has
given rise to its name. East of Aquarius is Pisces the Fish. There’s also a dolphin, named Delphinus, above Capricornus,
and still another southern fish, Piscis Austrinus, low in the south. And there’s a sea monster, Cetus, actually a great
whale in that celestial sea.
Tue Oct 23, 2012
THE SEA
The moon is in its waxing gibbous phase, and has entered a part of the sky known as “the sea.” A large part of the sky
has been designated as such because of all the watery constellations found there. In the zodiac there is Capricornus the
Sea Goat, followed to the east by Aquarius, the water carrier. It is his water jug that supposedly spilled out into this
region of the heavens that has given rise to its name. This evening the moon is located very near the four stars that
depicted the water jug in very old star charts. East of Aquarius is Pisces the Fish. There’s also a dolphin, named
Delphinus, above Capricornus, and still another southern fish, Piscis Austrinus, low in the south. And there’s a sea
monster, Cetus, actually a great whale. The sea is capped off to the north by the constellation Pegasus, the Flying Horse,
who according to mythology was born out of the sea. At this rainy time of the year, the Celestial Sea is aptly named.
Wed Oct 24, 2012
DEATH OF TYCHO
“Let me not seem to have lived in vain.” These were the last words of the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, who after
eleven bed-ridden days of suffering, died on October 24, 1601. Working before telescopes were invented, Tycho
accurately measured the positions of stars and planets, proved that comets were objects in outer space, and believed
that while some planets orbited the sun, the sun orbited the earth. A popular legend surrounding the death of Tycho is
that it was caused by his failure to go to the bathroom on time. Tycho was at a banquet, and did not wish to insult his
patron by leaving early. As a result, his bladder burst, which killed him. However, in 1993, Brahe’s body was exhumed,
and analysis of his hair revealed a high amount of Mercury. A recent book suggests he was poisoned by a rival
astronomer, but it’s more likely that he accidentally killed himself, as he was also an alchemist who had regular exposure
to this toxic metal.
Thu Oct 25, 2012
FARTHEST NAKED-EYE OBJECT
What’s the farthest thing you can see without a telescope? Off in the northeastern sky late this evening, you can find the
answer to this question, but only if the skies are very clear, and very dark, and you know just where to look. It’s a very
dim smudge of light that lies in the direction of the constellation Andromeda. But this small spot is neither little, nor
does it have any physical connection with the stars of Andromeda, which are merely trillions of miles away. It’s not even
a member of our Milky Way, but instead another galaxy, comprising 300 billion stars and approximately two and a half
million light years away. One light year, the distance light can travel in a year, is roughly six trillion miles. So when you
see the Andromeda Galaxy, you’re looking at something that is fifteen million trillion miles away – and that’s how far out
your eye can see.
Fri Oct 26, 2012
ALGOL, THE DEMON STAR
In the constellation Perseus the hero, there is a star named Algol; it’s over in the northeastern sky this evening. Algol is
not a particularly bright star – if you didn’t know just where to look for it, you’d probably not even notice it. But it is
quite an unusual star – three stars, actually. The name Algol derives from its arabic designation as “the head of the
demon,” and is also the basis of the word, “ghoul.” Algol is a trinary star system, and two of the stars are so aligned with
our planet that about every three days, we can observe one star pass directly in front of the other, an eclipsing binary.
When that happens, the light from this triple star dims. To the ancients, this was like the winking of a demon’s eye. Algol
was thus portrayed as the eye of the snaky-haired gorgon Medusa, whose glance could turn anyone who looked upon
her into stone.