3 min read<\/p>\n
January\u2019s Night Sky Notes: Connecting the \u2018Dots\u2019 with Asterisms<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
by Kat Troche of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific<\/em><\/p>\n In our December Night Sky Notes<\/a>, we mentioned that the Orion constellation has a distinct hourglass shape that makes it easy to spot in the night sky. But what if we told you that this is not the complete constellation, but rather, an asterism<\/em><\/a>?<\/p>\n An asterism is a pattern of stars in the night sky, forming shapes that make picking out constellations easy. Cultures throughout history have created these patterns as part of storytelling, honoring ancestors, and timekeeping. Orion\u2019s hourglass is just one of many examples of this, but did you know Orion\u2019s brightest knee is part of another asterism that spans six constellations, weaving together the Winter night sky? Many asterisms feature bright stars that are easily visible to the naked eye. Identify these key stars, and then connect the dots to reveal the shape.<\/p>\n Try looking for these asterisms this season and beyond:<\/p>\n Tracing these outlines can guide you to objects like galaxies and star clusters. The Hyades, for example, is an open star cluster in the Taurus constellation with evidence of rocky planetary debris<\/a>. In 2013, Hubble Space Telescope\u2019s Cosmic Origins Spectrograph<\/a> was responsible for breaking down light into individual components. This observation detected low levels of carbon and silicon \u2013 a major chemical for planetary bodies. The Hyades can be found just outside the Winter Circle and is a favorite of both amateur and professional astronomers alike.<\/p>\n Learn more about how to stay warm while observing this Winter with our upcoming mid-month article on the\u00a0Night Sky Network page<\/a>\u00a0through NASA\u2019s website!<\/p>\n Powered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n Get The Details…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Have you ever noticed how some stars, when arranged, can form shapes in the night sky? Trace asterisms along with us during this month\u2019s Night Sky Notes! Continue reading Asterisms Through the Seasons<\/h3>\n
![\"Six](\"https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/wintercircle-a.png?w=1620\")
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![\"Orange](\"https:\/\/smd-cms.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/hyades2013report.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/figure>How to Spot Asterisms<\/h3>\n
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