How to see the ‘Horse and Rider’ in the Big Dipper’s handle this summer

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At approximately 10 pm, the local day in the warm evening of June, directed the north and searched the sky of the seven stars that make up the famous Dipper game. At this time of the year, it appears that the handle is almost straight while the bowl tends down; Drain its unknown contents to the right. Dipper is not a constellation itself, but it is a prominent pattern or a prominent group of stars, and it usually has a popular name, belonging to a specific constellation.

For most sky stores, Big Deber Perhaps it is the most important group of Stars In the sky. For anyone in the New York latitude (41 degrees north) or points north, it is never less than the horizon. It is one of the most well -known patterns in the sky, and therefore one of the easiest beginners to find it. It is important to the ability to use the large Dipper to locate Polaris, Northern star.

This is possible by the bright stars, which represent the external edge of the large Dipper container. These two stars – Dub and Mirac – are known as indicators, because they always refer to Polaris. You only need to draw a line, in your imagination, between these two stars and the lengthening of this line about 5 times, the way our map appears; This line will eventually collide with a mild bright star. it will be Polaris.

Even those who live well south of the equator can see the Great Deber now. During the fall in the southern hemisphere, it appears to be hovering upside down above the northern horizon of those who reach about 30 degrees south. This includes two -thirds of North South America and almost all of Africa. In a classic constellation guide, “The stars – a new way to see them,” The author, Hara Ray, drew a cute cartoons on page 24 of the Kangaroo and Joy Mother Above the Clear Name: “The Dipper?

However, for two -thirds of Northern Australia, during the month of April, May and June, Dipper is clearly visible hanging over the northern horizon.

Heavenly eye test

The middle star in the Dipper handle is Zeta Ursae Majeris; The Greek letter is the specific name, and the subject of the Latin name of the constellation. In this case The main OrcaThe Great Bear – the name of his family.

But this star is known as “Mizar”, derived from the Arab meaning of “wrapping” or “cover”.

With your own eyes only, if you look carefully, you will notice that Mizar seems to have a faint companion in the name of Alcor, also derived from the Arabic language, meaning “one faded”. Persian Kazwini stated during the thirteenth century that people “tested their eyesight by this star.”

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Mizar and Alcour were known as the “horse and the contestant” for the old Arabs and the Arab writer Al -Firuzabadi, in the fourteenth century, which referred to Alcour in the name of ADAC, “test” or “mystery”. Therefore, when the ancient Arabs noticed: “can see Alcour”, they were saminating a person with a natural vision. Why do not you test your sight by searching for tonight?

Alcor is a bright fifth like Mizar and the two stars are separated by about a third of the visible moon diameter. Both stars are about 83 years of age, and recent notes indicate that Alcor travels around Mizar in a wide orbit that takes 750,000 years.

Persons provide a better vision for this husband, but there is more than many Skywatch residents.

Two stars at one price

For example, Mizar, is in itself a real bilateral star. One of the first to be observed and identified as a bilateral husband by astronomers in the seventeenth century. The two -star is two or more stars that are physically associated with each other and “closed” or are connected to the attractiveness.

They actually revolve each other in a similar way to the Earth and the planets that revolve around the sun or the moon revolving around the Earth. To see Mizar’s companion, you will need a small telescope and lens that provide an enlargement of at least 50 force.

Ersz planet

Between Mizar, Alcor and Sity to South, there is an eighth star of the one who was one day wrong for a new planet. In December 1722, German Professor Johan George Lepkintht She announced that this object has just moved to its current location. Sidus Ludoviciana-Ludwig Star-to cancel the Sesse-DarMstadt sovereignty from Hese-DarMstadt, hops for the money to give money.

The object did not move again.

Liebknecht has disappeared in the cold of mockery, but surprisingly, the name “Fu” or “Ersatz” remains to this day!

A giant star and a big galaxy

If you drew the east of Mizar via ALCOR, you will coincide with a fifth star, glowing with a distinctive Rodi color. This is 83 Ursai Mark, a red giant star about 80 times larger and about 1300 times more luminous than Sun. It is located at a distance of 580 light years from us.

If you continue forward along the same line at about twice the distance between 83, it will reach the large Galaxy M101. Under the dark sky M101 it appears at 7 x 50 and larger perspectives in the same way as its discoverer, Pierre Michin, described in 1781: “Very mysterious and very large.” It is popularly known as “Galheel Galaxy”, and in 21 million light years, it is one of the spiral galaxies closer to the Milky Way. But in order to realize its spiral structure, you will need a fairly large telescope, a very dark sky and a low -energy lens.

Goodbye to Dipper

Finally, the familiar Dipper will not last forever. Among the seven stars that make up this style, it is clear that five belong to a swarm of the stars, all swing in space almost the same speed and the same direction. These five ranges in distances from 78 to 84 light years of land. However, two stars – Dubhe (Northern Index) and Alkaid (the star at the end of the handle) – are not part of the swarm and it seems that it rushes at greater speeds in the opposite direction. Alkaid is 101 years away, while Dube is 124 years old.

These opposition suggestions will slowly change the large Dipper shape. In short, the Dipper goes slowly to the pieces. The bent handle will be bend over time, while the bowl spreads. It is recognized that he will remain a somewhat convincing Debar for the next 25,000 years, but 50,000 years (or 2000 generation) from now will be unprecedented.

If you are looking for a telescope or perspectives to monitor the night sky, then our evidence Best perspectives of deals and The best telescope deals now It can help. Our evidence is on The best astronomical photography cameras and The best astronomical photography lenses It can also help you prepare to capture the next Skywatching scene.

Joe Rao works as a coach and guest lecturer in New York Hyden Bluecarium. Writes astronomy for Natural History Magazineand Heaven and telescope And other publications.