Nightsky Friday: Inside Leo the Lion

[doublehelix]

<table border="0"><tbody><tr><td width="125" align="left" valign="top"><img src="http://a52.g.akamaitech.net/f/52/827/1d/www.space.com/images/080328-ns-InsideLeotheLion-01.jpg" border="0" alt="" />

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'> Inside Leo the Lion By Joe RaoSPACE.com Skywatching Columnistposted: 28 March 200806:34 am ET We're now more than a week into the spring season (even if, meteorologically, in some parts of the country it's still very much wintry), and high in our current evening sky the most famous stars of spring are to be found making up the constellation of Leo, the Lion.As the brightest star in Leo, first magnitude Regulus has been almost universally associated in ancient cultures with the concept of royalty and kingly power. This star lies in the handle of the so-called "Sickle of Leo," a star pattern resembling a large reversed question mark. Regulus is 77 light years distant; meaning that the light you see emanating from it tonight started on its journey toward Earth back in 1931, when Herbert Hoover was U.S. President, and Spain became a republic with the overthrow of King Alfonso XIII. The diameter of Regulus is estimated to be about five times that of the Sun; its luminosity 160 times greater.[more]&nbsp; <br />Posted by doublehelix</DIV></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I'll have to read the whole article later (time to go to dinner) to see if Joe mentioned it, but Saturn is right next to Regulas for the next month or so. It's about 1 magnitude brighter, and slightly creamier in color.<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#800000">&nbsp;I'll have to read the whole article later (time to go to dinner) to see if Joe mentioned it, but Saturn is right next to Regulas for the next month or so. It's about 1 magnitude brighter, and slightly creamier in color. <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Saturn appearing so close to Regulus is indeed quite a sight.</strong></font> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif" border="0" alt="Laughing" title="Laughing" /></p><p><strong><font size="2">Here are a few bits obout Regulus / Alpha Leonis.</font></strong></p><p><font size="2" color="#800080"><strong><u>http://www.solstation.com/stars2/regulus3.htm</u></strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#800000"><strong>http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-01/gsu-as011805.php</strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#800000"><strong>Below Regulus (large oblate one) compared to the Sun.</strong></font><br /><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/4/12/54da70dc-e6fa-45c5-ac23-4f1871e6c9bf.Medium.gif" alt="" /></p><p><font size="2" color="#800000"><strong>Andrew Brown.</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[weeman]

Thank you for the link. If there's anything that I'm the most terrible with in all of astronomy it's the constellations. <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-embarassed.gif" border="0" alt="Embarassed" title="Embarassed" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Techies: We do it in the dark. </font></strong></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>"Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity.</strong><strong>" -Albert Einstein </strong></font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Thank you for the link. If there's anything that I'm the most terrible with in all of astronomy it's the constellations. <br />Posted by weeman</DIV></p><p>Too bad you don't live near here. Our local adult education comission has a class called "Astronomy for Everyone" for a nominal fee. The members of the NJAA teach the classes. I of course do the meteor section <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-surprised.gif" border="0" alt="Surprised" title="Surprised" /></p><p>One whole session coveres constellations.</p><p>As well, on our public nights, if it's clear that's one thing I always do, it show the people the easier bright constellations as a tool to help folks learn their way around the sky. It's a great joy for me <br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[doublehelix]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>As well, on our public nights, if it's clear that's one thing I always do, it show the people the easier bright constellations as a tool to help folks learn their way around the sky. It's a great joy for me <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></p><p>This reminds me of a time many years ago, when some friends and I were hiking up a mountain in the middle of the night.&nbsp; I was probably 20 at the time.&nbsp; We came across this guy with a telescope and he struck up a conversation with us.&nbsp; He had a telescope that moved with the earth's rotation, which was very cool (sorry I don't have the name for this).&nbsp; He showed us many things, one of which was Mars, which was amazing.&nbsp; He showed us a couple of nebuli, the Pleadies, and I'm sure other things.&nbsp; It was so awesome.&nbsp; Such a nice guy, showing a handful of young adults he'd never met before, something so beautiful.</p><p>-dh </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#3366ff">doublehelix, Community Manager<br />Imaginova </font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>This reminds me of a time many years ago, when some friends and I were hiking up a mountain in the middle of the night.&nbsp; I was probably 20 at the time.&nbsp; We came across this guy with a telescope and he struck up a conversation with us.&nbsp; He had a telescope that moved with the earth's rotation, which was very cool (sorry I don't have the name for this).&nbsp; He showed us many things, one of which was Mars, which was amazing.&nbsp; He showed us a couple of nebuli, the Pleadies, and I'm sure other things.&nbsp; It was so awesome.&nbsp; Such a nice guy, showing a handful of young adults he'd never met before, something so beautiful.-dh <br />Posted by doublehelix</DIV></p><p>Well if you ewver get out to Jersey, I'm the one with the telescope on the front lawn. Or consider stopping by the NJAA...it's not that far from the city </p><p>We're open to the Public every Saturday night (and Sunday afternoon) after Momorial day.</p><p>Shameless Plug: <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-cool.gif" border="0" alt="Cool" title="Cool" /></p><p>http://www.njaa.org/</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>If you e-mail me, I'll even tell you the nights and days when I'm on duty!</p><p>BTW, that goes for anyone here at SDC. You're all welcome to stop by!!<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>