The Springtime Constellation Bootes and M3

Bootes, Arcturus and M3

Spring marks the arrival of the constellation Bootes and the brilliant orange giant star Arcturus. Looking east shortly after sunset, Arcturus is immediately visible as the brightest celestial object in that part of the sky, and Bootes is easy to spot alongside the star and bordering the Big Dipper.

Bootes is an ancient constellation named for a herdsman, and it's his twin brother that drives the plough in the Big Dipper (as the constellation is referred to as a plough in some cultures). Bootes himself is marked by the familiar pattern to the right, sometimes called an ice-cream-cone-shape or a kite with Arcturus at the tip of the tail of the kite.

One of the features of Bootes is that it is a quick guide to one of the most impressive globular clusters visible from the Northern Hemisphere, M3. This cluster is in the halo of the Milky Way galaxy and like its famous neighbor M13 (the Great Globular Cluster), is a densely packed region with half a million stars, 34,000 light years above the disk of the Milky Way. In binoculars or a telescope it is a marvelous sight and one that is a worthwhile endeavor to seek on a dark night.

Astro Bob has an excellent article on Bootes so enjoy his view for another perspective.

Image courtesy Astro Bob.

Brilliant Venus and the Pleiades

Venus and Pleiades

Venus is the dominant celestial object of the evening sky now and for the coming months. As its brilliant light pierces the western sky long after sunset, it is passing near to different areas of interest along the ecliptic, this week passing near the well-known star clusters the Pleiades and the Hyades. These open clusters of stars are very near the ecliptic and as a consequence has many visitors throughout the year. Binoculars bring out the best in the Pleiades and Hyades so if you have a moment look west after sunset and enjoy the spectacle.

Image courtesy Sky & Telescope.

Viewing Party for the April 4th Total Lunar Eclipse

Total Lunar Eclipse

The San Francisco Amateur Astronomers are hosting a public event to view the April 4th Total Lunar Eclipse at Ocean Beach in San Francisco. Details are found in this Press Release and on the SFAA website. And here is some great information and ideas about the eclipse from Sky & Telescope Magazine. We hope to see you in the early morning hours of Saturday April 4th.