Winter Stargazing

For Orion, it seems that there is no rest for the weary. Even in the sky, we find the Hunter doing battle again, this time with Taurus the Bull. To locate Taurus, draw a line through Orion's belt and extend it to the upper right (northwest). You will come to the bright orange star Aldebaran, marking the Bull's eye. The head of Taurus is formed by a V-shaped group of stars nicknamed the Hyades. Imaginary lines extend to two stars above its head to create Taurus's long horns.

The story goes that Orion is trying to club the Bull over the head in order to save seven sisters who were kidnapped by Taurus. We can still see the sisters trapped in the sky, formed by the tiny cluster of stars known as the Pleiades. Most people can spot six or seven stars in this region, although on extremely clear nights, some can see up to 15. Binoculars and telescopes will reveal that nearly 100 stars form the Pleiades cluster.

Cosmic Canines
Returning to the belt of Orion, continue the line down toward the southern horizon and Sirius, brightest star of the nighttime sky. Sirius is also known as the Dog Star, as it belongs to the constellation Canis Major, the Large Dog. Can you see a dog among its stars? Take Sirius as a jewel on the dog's collar. The star Mirzam marks a front paw, Adhara a hind paw, and Aludra the tip of the hound's tail.

Canis Major is but one of Orion's two faithful companions. His small dog, Canis Minor, can be found to the north. Canis Minor is made up of only two easily visible stars, the brighter named Procyon. Most people have trouble seeing a dog here, except for, perhaps, a hot dog!

The Twins
Watching Orion and Taurus battle are the twin brothers Gemini. Their heads are marked by the bright stars Castor and Pollux, with their stick-figure-like bodies extending westward. According to myth, Castor was a famous horse trainer and soldier, while Pollux is remembered as Sparta's leading boxer. As members of the legendary Argonauts, these twin sons of Zeus followed Jason on his quest for the golden fleece, encountering adventure at every turn.

Milky Way
The twins appear to be standing on the hazy band of our Milky Way galaxy. Not as bright as the summer portion, the winter Milky Way nonetheless contains many fascinating sights when searched with binoculars or a telescope.