Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Orion and the Winter Circle: February 2021


I've just published a new video entitled "Orion and the Winter Circle: February 2021."

February is an outstanding time of year to view Orion and the surrounding constellations during the hours after sunset, before the turning of the year starts to move Orion and friends into the west and out of the evening sky during March and especially April.

This short video illustrates a few of the notable stars and constellations surrounding Orion, beginning with the star Sirius in the constellation Canis Major (the Big Dog) and continuing around the "Winter Circle" to find the star Procyon in the constellation Canis Minor (the Little Dog), then on to Pollux and Castor in the Twins of Gemini, and then to the star Capella in the constellation Auriga the Charioteer.

We complete our brief tour with the "V-shape" of the Hyades, in the constellation Taurus the Bull, and end on the dazzling cluster of the Pleiades.

I hope that you can go outside to see them in person, if at all possible! When we gaze into the night sky, we are looking into the Infinite -- and the ancient myths teach us that what we see up there is inside each one of us as well.