-Stars-
Sagittarius
Principal Stars and Features:
Sagittarius is located on the Milky Way. It is one of the twelve constellations to make the Zodiac, the most distinctive aspect of Sagittarius is the group of stars within it, which look like a teapot, complete with spout and handle. Sagittarius is often thought to represent a centaur, half man, half horse.
The Mythology:
Sagitta represents the arrow shot by Hercules to kill Aquila, the eagle that ate Prometheus' liver. Zeus had chained Prometheus to Mount Caucasus as a punishment for giving fire to the mortals. During the day, the eagle ate his liver, which re grew during the night, and so his torture continued. Hercules saved Prometheus from eternal torture by shooting the eagle with the arrow.
October highlightsPhases of the Moon
New Moon: 11th
First quarter: 19th
Full Moon: 26th
Last quarter: 3rd
Don't Miss
The Orionids meteor shower on of the 21st.
October At this time of year the Milky Way arches overhead, with the brightest section plunging down to the south and then south-west as the evening progresses. Sitting high across this faint band of light are three bright stars that form the Summer Triangle. The top-left star of the trio is Deneb, the leading star of Cygnus, the Swan. Off to its right is the brightest member, Vega, in Lyra, the Harp. Finishing off the triangle lower down is Altair, the main star of Aquila, the Eagle.
If you can't see the Milky Way after waiting outside for a while and giving your eyes time to adjust, then the chances are your skies are too light-polluted. The full splendour of the heavens is probably a drive away.
Why Stars TwinkleStarlight can take billions of years to filter down to Earth from the furthest reaches of the Universe. With it arrives a plethora of information about the star's size, weight, chemical composition and age. Find out why a star's twinkle holds the clue to its cosmic character.
N6949 Spiral Galaxy
David Moth
(*isnt this beautiful*)
