ORION A STELLAR SIGNPOST If you draw an imaginary line through Orion’s belt and extend it to the left you will reach Sirius, the dog star, the brightest star in the sky, and a member of the constellation canes major (the great dog). Extend this imaginary line from Orion’s belt out to the right and you will reach a bright orange star at the point of a v of stars. This orange star is known as Aldebaran and is in the constellation Taurus the bull. Continue the line and you will reach the “seven Sisters” star cluster. It looks like a mini version of “the plough” and is a spectacular sight in a pair of binoculars. Above and to the left of Orion is the Constellation Gemini, Above and to the right is the constellation Auriga. These constellations are amongst the brightest and most distinctive in the entire sky and hold a wealth of treasures for the absolute beginner and advanced astronomer. |
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Orion,
one of the most distinctive and brightest constellations (grouping of
stars ) and dominates the winter night sky . It is second only to the
plough or the great bear as a recognisable constellation. Orion is easily
found. Look south or southeast on a winters evening and you will see
three bright stars in a row, making a distinctive and unmistakable pattern.
You are now looking at Orion’s Belt. A map of Orion is below. Directly
under Orion’s belt is Orion’s sword, which contains one of
the most famous objects in the night sly, Orion’s Nebula. This
appears as a hazy patch of light where stars are being born. Turning
even a modest pair of binoculars towards this nebula will reveal a wealth
of detail. Orion acts a signpost to other constellations in the sky
and is an excellent starting point to learn your way around the sky.
