5 constellations in the sky that anyone can meet Easy to be a stargazer Just know how to find the brightest stars in the sky. Whether it’s the Andromeda constellation or canis major constellation
The night sky is so vast Where should we start? Let’s start by finding a constellation that includes star clusters and nebulae. Or a mysterious galaxy? These 5 constellations are the constellations that you can see throughout the season. just look up
Constellation Andromeda (The chained Maiden)
The constellation Andromeda above El Caputal in Yosemite National Park, California. which can be seen with the naked eye on clear nights from August to February.
Andromeda, or The Chained Maiden, is a constellation that appears from August to February. And is a large constellation that can be clearly seen in the northern hemisphere sky. Because it is close to the Pegasus constellation and has a member star connected to an outstanding star (Asterism), the square called The Great Square of the Pegasus constellation is Alpheratz, which is like girl’s head
This blue giant star is 97 light-years from Earth and is 200 times brighter than the sun. east with the star Mirach (Mirach) representing a woman’s hips And the star Almach is like a chained ankle. and despite the similar brightness But Mirak is a larger, reddish star and is 197 light-years distant compared to Alfiratz.
Although the constellation Andromeda is considered a constellation in the northern sky. But most of the stars in this constellation can be seen from the southern hemisphere. and always appears near the horizon Makes observing celestial objects in this constellation even more complicated. Especially the stars like The Andromeda Galaxy, or Messier 31, is the closest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way, only 2.5 million light-years away. the farthest that human beings can see in the universe It can be seen with the naked eye from the suburbs in the autumn when the sky is clear.
2. The constellation Canis Major.
Where is Sirius? The big dog was there. Just by looking for Sirius, Canis Major can be found. This picture is Sirius at Alqueva Dark Sky, Portugal.
Canis Major (Canis Major) is the great dog of the Orion Orion. or Orion constellation Canis Major is close to the feet of Orion. and can be found in almost every area on earth Because it is a constellation located below the celestial equator. In this constellation, Sirius is the brightest star in the sky.
by in the northern hemisphere Astronomers noticed that the bright star Sirius would rise and set with the Sun. It is believed that the power of the luminous sun And the combined two stars Sirius are the cause of the extreme heat in late summer. Thus was born the idiom Dog days of summer which means the hottest time of the year. Which is named after the dog star (Dog star) or Sirius star that Thai people call the thief star
Looking through binoculars and telescopes, it can be seen that Canis Major is comprised of many star clusters. The most prominent is the open star cluster M41, or Honeycomb, about 4 degrees south of Sirius. M41 contains about 80 stars and has a magnitude of 4, despite its 2,300 distance from Earth. light years, but still visible to the naked eye at night. The view of orange stars scattered within the M41 star cluster through a telescope in the backyard would be an unforgettable sight.
3. Orion constellation
Orion is seen above the Mammoth Lake forest in California. which is one of the oldest constellations that have many stories to tell
The constellation Orion, or Orion, is one of the oldest known constellations. and has been told for thousands of years It is a constellation that can be observed in all areas of the world. whether from the northern or southern hemisphere Because it is positioned on the equator line. It is also the constellation that contains the brightest stars.
There are many stories about Orion. or the great hunter in Greco-Roman legend The most famous story is that the hunter Orion was killed by a scorpion (Scorpius) during battle. This is why the two constellations are opposite each other in the sky. The constellation Orion includes both Betelgeuse and Rigel, with luminosity rank 1 as its left shoulder and right foot. With Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka forming Orion’s belt.
Beneath Orion’s Belt, between the three constellations, lies the Orion Nebula, or M42, the sword of Orion. If you look at it with the naked eye, you will see patches and patches, but you will see clearer details from the telescope. It will appear the nature of the rings arranged together. This shows the rapid formation of stars. In addition, Orion is also a constellation that borders the Milky Way Galaxy, which consists of many stars.
4. Southern Cross (Crux)
The Southern Cross is seen above an acacia tree in Amboseli National Park in Kenya.
The Southern Cross is the smallest constellation in the sky. And is the most well-known constellation among the constellations in the southern hemisphere. In which this constellation consists of 4 stars arranged in a cross shape in ancient times, before the movement of the Earth’s axis caused the stars to move south. The constellation can be seen on the European side. It wasn’t until the 17th century that European sailors sailing south noticed and recognized the cross arrangement of the four stars, resulting in the official constellation of the Southern Cross. Worlds north and south of Florida can also see this constellation. Although the southern sky constellation is most visible from the south of the equator,
The Southern Cross constellation straddles the southern part of the Milky Way Galaxy, which is filled with a wide variety of celestial bodies. The eastern part of this constellation is similar to a hole in the sky. This is a dark hole that has no stars at all, called the Coalsack Nebula, a large dark nebula that can be seen with the naked eye as a huge gas cloud contrasting with the many constellations of the Milky Way Galaxy.
5). Ursa Major (Ursa Major)
Ursa Major and Big Dipper at the entrance to the Roodafshan Cave in Iran.
Ursa Major is one of the most famous and well-known constellations in the northern hemisphere. Because there is a prominent constellation (Asterism) in the shape of a dipper called the Big Dipper (Big Dipper), which is the dorsal and tail with other stars. Weld into the nose and legs. Ursa Major moves around the North Star once a day, and it appears so close to the North Celestial Pole that it never appears below the horizon.
While the ancient Greeks saw this constellation as having the appearance of a big bear, in other civilizations I have a different imagination and vision. Whether seen as war horses, horses, wagons, or herds of cattle, Egyptians who probably had never seen a bear before saw this constellation as hippos. and in Native Americans or Indians believe The dipper’s stars and the dipper’s handle represent a bear and a warrior chasing the bear respectively.
For an unforgettable stargazing experience Choose a clear night stay away from the light And don’t forget to give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness. Then start searching for the stars!
By National Geographic Editorial (USA)
Translate Phawida Jongjoho
Cooperative Education Project Editorial staff of National Geographic magazine, Thai edition
