Finding Your Way Among the Stars
WHO has not looked at the stars on a crystal-clear night and marveled at the wonders of the universe? Are you able to recognize any of the stars and star groups? Or does the night sky appear to you as a confusing jumble of specks of light, discouraging any effort to identify them?
It is more difficult to find your way in the sky than on the ground because the stars keep shifting position. But, it is an orderly movement, hour after hour throughout the night. Also, the aspect of the heavens changes from month to month throughout the year. These apparent motions result from the earth’s movement, the first from its daily rotation, the second from its annual journey around the sun.
Would you enjoy learning to find your way among the stars, developing ability to identify some of them? People in the northern hemisphere can use as their starting point the “Big Dipper.” This is a group of seven bright stars. Four of them outline the bowl of the dipper, and the other three form a bent handle. This star group is known in England as the “Plough,” or the “Wain” (Wagon), which resemblances are equally obvious.
Stars throughout the sky are grouped into constellations, many of them described since ancient times and viewed as forming pictures of people, animals or objects. Astronomers divide the sky into a total of eighty-eight constellations, but fewer than half of these include stars bright enough to attract the attention of the layman. The Big Dipper is part of a constellation called Ursa Major, or the Great Bear.
At first sight it might seem difficult, but, by using only a simple chart as a guide, it really is quite easy to find many of the stars and constellations. It takes only a few minutes, during two or three nights a year, to do this. Would you like to try?
Stars of the Summer Sky
Let’s start by using the Big Dipper to find the North Star. On a clear night during spring, summer, or fall, look for the dipper toward the north. To simplify matters, we will number the stars 1 through 7, starting with the bowl, and working out to the end of the handle, as shown in the accompanying charts.
Now imagine a line drawn from 2 through 1, and continued about the length of the dipper. This will lead to the North Star, Polaris, in the constellation Ursa Minor (the Little Bear). From the North Star you can trace the outline of the Little Dipper, curving back toward the Big Dipper. Continuing on from Polaris in the same direction, about the same distance brings you to the constellation Cassiopeia, recognizable by five bright stars in the form of a “W.”
You will find it interesting to watch these three constellations over a period of a few hours some evening. The Little Dipper will swing around the end of its handle. Likewise, the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia will move in counterclockwise circles around Polaris. The cause of this is the earth’s rotation on its axis.
If it is a summer night, the Big Dipper will be west of the Pole Star, with its handle pointing up. This can direct us on another path among the stars. Follow the curve of the handle on up, and at about a dipper’s length you will come to a bright star of orange hue, not close to any other bright stars. This is Arcturus, in the constellation Boötes. Continue along the same curve, about as far again, and you come to another lone star, Spica, in the constellation Virgo.
Now go back to the dipper, and, starting with star 1, extend a straight line through 4, a long line passing Arcturus and stretching clear across the sky. At length you will find the striking constellation Scorpius, with the bright “red giant” star Antares burning in the heart of the scorpion. This has a long tail that swings far down toward the southern horizon and curls up at its end. Some have likened this constellation to a kite with a long tail blowing in the wind. Antares is one of the largest stars known. It is so large that if its center were where our sun is, Antares would fill the inner solar system almost to the orbit of Mars. Our earth would be deep in the interior of Antares.
Now let’s get back to the dipper and take a fresh pathway. Start at 3, and follow the line through 4 over to the eastern sky, and you will come to Deneb, in Cygnus (the Swan). Deneb is at the top of the “Northern Cross,” which lies on its side this time of year. Six stars outline the cross, although the one in the middle of the upright is quite dim.
On the way to Deneb we passed an even brighter star, namely, Vega, in Lyra. Vega and Deneb form a large triangle with another bright star, Altair, in Aquila (the Eagle). Altair is accompanied by two dimmer stars, one on each side, in a straight line.
There you are! In a few minutes you have learned the principal stars and constellations of the summer sky. Once you have “met” them, there will be no need to start each time at the Big Dipper to find them again. The distinctive forms of the groupings make many of them instantly recognizable. Cassiopeia you know by the “W”; Scorpius by the kite; Deneb by the cross; Vega by the noticeable triangle, and so on. Each of them is unique in the sky.
Having been introduced to these constellations, you will want to renew your acquaintance with them from time to time when you are out at night. As autumn sets in, they will be moving across the sky to the west. Eventually they will disappear, one by one, below the horizon. But the winter sky will feature new star groups out of the east. The second chart with this article will help you to identify these new stars.
The Winter Sky
In late winter the Big Dipper will be on the east side of Polaris, with its handle down. A line through stars 4 and 3 points to Regulus, in Leo (the Lion). Notice the “Sickle” with Regulus at the end of its handle. A line from 4 through 1 leads to Capella (the Little She Goat), with her three “Kids” close by. Use 3 and 2 to direct you to Aldebaran in Taurus (the Bull), at one tip of a V-shaped cluster called the Hyades. On the other side of the V is a cluster of faint stars called the Pleiades, also known as the “Seven Sisters.” Some say that this cluster resembles a small dipper. If you have never seen the Hyades, or the Pleiades, through binoculars, you are in for a pleasant surprise.
A diagonal line from 4 through 2 takes you to Gemini (the Twins), made up of Castor and his brighter brother Pollux. A long line through 5 and 4 leads past Gemini to Orion, the giant hunter, one of the most spectacular constellations. Orion is outlined by an irregular rectangle. Betelgeuse, in an upper corner, is another red giant like Antares. Rigel, in the opposite corner, is a brilliant blue-white star. Three stars in line mark the Belt of Orion. They point back to Sirius, the Dog Star in Canis Major (the Big Dog), the brightest fixed star in the sky. Between it and the Twins is Procyon, in Canis Minor (the Little Dog).
Would you believe that we have now considered a third of the important constellations, and more than half of the stars of first and second magnitude that can be seen from northern latitudes? But here is a word of caution. You may find, in following these paths in the sky, that you come across a bright star that doesn’t fit. This could be one of the planets. Jupiter and Venus, and sometimes Mars, are brighter than any of the fixed stars; Saturn also is bright. As an example, Jupiter will be about midway between Aldebaran and the Twins in the winter of 1977-1978, and Saturn then will be close to Regulus.
Have you and your family ever visited a planetarium? After you begin to get to know the stars, you will find it a rewarding experience. Planetariums can be found in many large cities. They provide varied programs, usually starting with the sky above you, but accelerating and making clear the movements of the sky. These presentations are interesting to persons of all ages. Also, you may wish to get an inexpensive guide to the stars that will help you to identify other stars and constellations. And if you have occasion for travel to countries of the southern hemisphere, don’t miss the opportunity to make new “friends” in the southern skies.
Finding your way among stars and constellations visible to the naked eye will enhance your appreciation of the Creator’s power and wisdom. Jehovah put the stars there. They reflect his glory and permit us to enjoy and marvel at his handiwork. If we gain some satisfaction from getting familiar with these constellations and a few dozen stars, we must not forget that there are millions upon millions of stars beyond our vision. And just think! Jehovah God knows the names of them all.—Ps. 19:1; Isa. 40:26.
[Chart on page 17]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
SOUTH
WEST
EAST
NORTH
SCORPIUS
Antares
VIRGO
Spica
BOÖTES
Arcturus
AQUILA
Altair
“Big Dipper”
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
LYRA
Vega
CYGNUS
Deneb
“Little Dipper”
Polaris
Cardinal points of north. south, east and west are as viewed when looking overhead
Summer Sky
July 10, 9 p.m.
Chart represents only a section of visible northern sky
[Chart on page 19]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
Winter Sky
March 1, 8 p.m.
SOUTH
WEST
EAST
NORTH
Rigel
ORION
Sirius
CANIS MAJOR
CANIS MINOR
Procyon
Betelgeuse
TAURUS
Aldebaran
GEMINI
Pollux
Castor
Regulus
AURIGA
Capella
“Big Dipper”
LEO
2
1
3
4
5
6
7
Polaris
CASSIOPEIA
Chart represents only a section of visible northern sky
Cardinal points of north, south, east and west are as viewed when looking overhead