Sunday, June 26, 2011

Saturn *Almost Eclipses Porrima


Last night was a miss because of weather.  Tonight I'll be heading out a little bit after sunset at 10:15pm, to see Saturn eclipsing Porrima of Virgo in the Southwest sky, forming a super-bright point of light.  West of there, Leo will be chasing the place of the sunset.


Weather permitting, I will then at midnight ride out to a nearby hill with a good view where the Southern skyline is relatively low.  The claw of Scorpius, made up of Antares, a flickering burning orange star and its 3 accompanying stars, reaches up into the Southern sky and is one of the most distinguishable groups of stars in the Summer here.  However, this far North in the world, the lower half of the constellation usually never breaks the horizon.  I hope that the weather will be clear and that my vantage point will be good enough so that I can at least see the Scorpion’s tail, Shaula, which is the 25th brightest star and which I’ve never seen.  Nearby will be Kaus Australis of Sagittarius, also which I’ve never seen and never rises very high here.  We’ll have to wait and see if weather and the landscape permit a good show!

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