Star-Gazing Season Arrives

To me, the most interesting and enjoyable time of the year for star-gazing is arriving. Late fall to early spring is a great time for sitting outside in the evening, as far or shielded as possible from streetlights, and refamiliarizing myself with the spectacular patterns of the winter evening sky. The air where I live in Florida is usually dryer this time of the year, and this makes the stars much more brighter and beautiful than during the more humid mid-spring to early-fall period. Also, by this time, I don't have to contend with annoying mosquitoes sucking me dry of blood if I'm outside for more than a few minutes at a time. But most of all, this time of year brings out my favorite constellations (and old memories, going back to childhood, of staying up to see them).

More than anything, it's the night sky itself that draws me to it. The Pleiades, a.k.a. "the smudge", is the introduction to this great section of the sky as it rises due east in the early evening. In the northeast, I can see Capella, one of the brightest stars in the sky, while the Zodiac constellations of Taurus (with the first-magnitude star Aldebaran) and Gemini (with the stars Castor and Pollux) flank on each side the showcase constellation of the season: Orion. Orion is distinguished by the three bright second-magnitude stars in a close line lying within its center: the Belt. The northeast corner of Orion contains the famous star Betelgeuse, while the southwest corner contains the star Rigel (referred to in one of the old Star Trek episodes). If I point the Belt toward the northwest, the line I draw comes close to Aldebaran. If I go in the opposite direction, I end up near the brightest star (by far) in the night sky: Sirius, in the constellation Canis Major. Going north from Sirius leads me to Procyon, the brightest star in Canis Minor. At just about the time that Orion lies on the meridian, if I don't have anything blocking my view, I can look just above the southern horizon and see Canopus, the brightest (and northernmost) star in the constellation Carina. It is also right behind Sirius in being the second brightest star in the night sky. Canopus has been my "favorite" star for many years because seeing it during the evening hours usually means that the air is pleasantly cold and dry (so why do I live in Florida, I ask myself). Aside from the stars, there are usually a couple of planets hanging around to view (Mars is currently visible in Gemini). And although the moon's brilliance (when it is out) diminishes the view of the stars, its presence always provokes my imagination.

There's nothing quite like going out on a cold, still, winter night with the stars putting on their show and a cup of hot chocolate in my hand. To me, it's a rite of the passage of seasons, and I get a feeling of nostalgia reminiscent of some of Ray Bradbury's writings (especially his Dandelion Wine). You don't have to be a whiz in astronomy to pick up a cheap star-gazing guide, find the brightest stars, and enjoy this fun leisure activity as I do!