A little ramble through You Tube - Capricornus the Sea Goat

 https://youtu.be/iHZ2FKcx5L0

In the south quite low down in the sky in the south in late summer and early autumn is one of the constellations that form the zodiac. This is Capricornus the Sea Goat. Although there are no particularly bright stars in Capricorn it has some of the oldest mythological legends attached to it.

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There are 88 constellations in the night sky, 48 are regarded as classical in that they were known to the astronomers living thousands of years ago. The other 40 are called modern. These were added during the 1500s, 1600s and 1700s.Many are in the southern hemisphere which were unknown to Europeans.

People tend to use the Greek myths and legends with the classical constellations; the modern ones have no myths or legends attached to them.

Most of the star names used are Arabic 

Cooke Telescope Tales - Transit of Mercury observed in Australia in 1940

 On November 11^th 1940 a transit of Mercury was visible for Britain that same transit was also visible from Australia on November 12^th due to the different time zones. 

A transit of Mercury occurs when the planet passes if front of the Sun as seen from Earth. Mercury can then be seen as a dark spot slowly moving across the Sun. Although not as scientifically important as transits of Venus, transits of Mercury still attract a lot of attention. The most recent was in 2019 the next will be in 2032. 

The Transit of November 12^th 1940 was seen by Mark Howarth at the Grange Mount Observatory, Newcastle New South Wales, Australia. A Cooke 4.5 inch telescope was used with a solar diagonal of power x 80. Weather conditions were good, especially at times of the beginning and ending of the transit.   

A slight haze made it impossible to obtain satisfactory photographs. The temperature at the time of the transit was 92 degrees F. or if you prefer 33 degrees C. 

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A little ramble through You Tube - Canis Minor the Lesser Dog

 https://youtu.be/PrP5hxad1Sg

In modern mythology Canis Minor is the Lesser Dog constellation that together with Canis Major follows Orion the Hunter across the sky.

It appears not to have been known to the classical Greek astronomers it was simply referred to as rising before his companion star. It is about the time of Ptolemy c100-170 CE that it appears as a separate constellation and is therefore included in the 48 classical constellations.

@https://www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

@https://www.ramblingastronomer.bsky.social

@https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-lunn-mbe-fras-45383831/

@https://theramblingastronomer.blogspot.com/

@https://open.spotify.com/show/0Q56h7UWOw3qOgKnXsOqnb

There are 88 constellations in the night sky, 48 are regarded as classical in that they were known to the astronomers living thousands of years ago. The other 40 are called modern. These were added during the 1500s, 1600s and 1700s.Many are in the southern hemisphere which were unknown to Europeans.

People tend to use the Greek myths and legends with the classical constellations; the modern ones have no myths or legends attached to them.

Most of the star names used are Arabic

A little ramble through You Tube - Canis Major the Greater Dog

 https://youtu.be/TfQrZFH8FFY

Canis Major is a stunning constellation with many bright stars and clusters, unfortunately for observers in Britain it is always low in the sky, so we never see it at its best. It represents one of the two dogs the other being Canis Minor that follows at the heels of Orion the Hunter.

@https://www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

@https://www.ramblingastronomer.bsky.social

@https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-lunn-mbe-fras-45383831/

@https://theramblingastronomer.blogspot.com/

@https://open.spotify.com/show/0Q56h7UWOw3qOgKnXsOqnb

There are 88 constellations in the night sky, 48 are regarded as classical in that they were known to the astronomers living thousands of years ago. The other 40 are called modern. These were added during the 1500s, 1600s and 1700s.Many are in the southern hemisphere which were unknown to Europeans.

People tend to use the Greek myths and legends with the classical constellations; the modern ones have no myths or legends attached to them.

Most of the star names used are Arabic

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - zodiacal light in 1877

 Nature February 8^th 1877

The Zodiacal Light

This phenomenon was conspicuous in the neighbourhood of London on the evening of the 4^th February. At 6h 35m, the light was very much stronger than that of the Via Lactea in the brightest part above the horizon, and totally different in colour, being a pale yellow in the more elevated position, with a ruddy tinge nearer the horizon.

It was not distinctly traceable much beyond zeta Pisces.

                                                         www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through You Tube - Cancer the Crab

 https://youtu.be/z0_qitcLO2A

The area between the stars Castor and Pollux in Gemini and Regulus in Leo the Lion appears  very dull and featureless. It is occupied by Cancer the celestial crab. All of these three groups are part of the zodiac.

@https://www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

@https://www.ramblingastronomer.bsky.social

@https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-lunn-mbe-fras-45383831/

@https://theramblingastronomer.blogspot.com/

@https://open.spotify.com/show/0Q56h7UWOw3qOgKnXsOqnb

There are 88 constellations in the night sky, 48 are regarded as classical in that they were known to the astronomers living thousands of years ago. The other 40 are called modern. These were added during the 1500s, 1600s and 1700s.Many are in the southern hemisphere which were unknown to Europeans.

People tend to use the Greek myths and legends with the classical constellations; the modern ones have no myths or legends attached to them.

Most of the star names used are Arabic

The Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio

 Join me, Martin Lunn MBE every Monday evening from 7.00 pm-9.00 pm on the award-winning Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio, probably the only regular astronomy show on any radio station in the country. 

I will take my weekly look at the night sky and look at all the latest news in astronomy. There will be the astronomical anniversaries this week plus the latest news from the astronomical societies in the north of England.

The Astronomy Show every Monday evening only on Drystone Radio live online at www.drystoneradio.com DAB radio in Bradford and East Lancashire, or 102 and 103.5 FM and can also be heard later on the Drystone Radio Podcast.