Hey Stargazers, we’ve recently had a lot of stormy weather, awesome for the farmers but not so great for sky watchers. But Spring is just around the corner and springtime stargazing means the weather is warming up, the wildflowers are in bloom and it’s the perfect time to get out under country skies.
Spring is a great time to find the constellation Scorpius! Learning to point out constellations is lots of fun, and one of the easiest to find is Scorpius the Scorpion. It’s a lovely, large constellation that really does form the shape of a scorpion! It is currently visible throughout the evening, lying directly overhead at around 8 pm.
When and where to look: A great night to find Scorpio will be at 7.30 pm on the 10 September. Look for a brilliant conjunction of Venus and the crescent Moon in the west. Higher in the sky look for a reddish star, Antares that lies in the centre of the constellation, known as the heart of the scorpion. See if you can find the curve of Scorpio’s body and the sting in its tail stretching up to the centre of the sky!
Something Interesting: Antares is a super-giant red star several hundred times the diameter of our Sun and is about 600 light-years from Earth.
Enjoy nature’s astronomical wonders of the night sky.
Find more stargazing tips and country events at www.astrotourismwa.com.au.
If you’re a budding “astro-enthusiast”, check out… Stargazers Club WA’s telescope classes and astronomy events for beginners at: www.stargazersclubwa.com.au.
