What's Up! (Fact & Fantasy about the Winter constellations) by Stardancer

A silvery thread in the heavens, Eridanus, greatest of all rivers, winds slowly through vast fanciful forestlands. On its grassy banks stands a solitary, impressive figure dressed in hunting attire. The man's powerful arms are upraised; his right hand clutches a stout club, and the left holds aloft a shield made from the skin of a lion. His calm, steadfast gaze is directed at the fearsome visage of a deadly opponent: horns lowered, angry red eye glaring with the lust of combat, a great white Bull threatens to charge the hunter.

Through unending reaches of time and with inexhaustible patience, the "Great Hunter" Orion awaits his challenger, Taurus. Nearby crouch two faithful dogs who always accompany the hero on his exploits: Canis Major, the larger and more aggressive, and Canis Minor, smaller and more timid. At the Hunter's feet a little woodland Hare, Lephus, quietly watches the confrontation unafraid knowing that everyone's attention is focused on the charging Bull.

Attracted by the excitement, other forest dwellers occupy ringside seats near this fierce contest. Although Orion is a popular personality, Taurus, too, has his fans and supporters. These include a strange and wonderful mythical creature who finds his way through the crowd and settles down between the hunting dogs, close to Orion's side. Monoceros, the unicorn, anxiously awaits the outcome. Will Taurus overcome the dreaded Hunter that bragged there was no animal that existed he could not be defeat?

Nearby stand two young men whose deeds are celebrated in the ancient world of sports, Pollux and Castor. The famous twins known as Gemini rest from their own busy conquests while they observe the unfolding battle.

Cheering Taurus on to victory are the Seven Sisters known as the Pleiades. For years, the Great Hunter pursued the seven beautiful daughters of the Titan Atlas and the Oceanid Pleione with ill intent, until Zeus turned them into a cluster of seven stars to save them from Orion's intentions. To this day, Orion still continues his hot but hopeless pursuit, rising after the Pleiades in the eastern skies and following them across the heavens.

Despite the determination of Orion and Taurus, each maintains a respectable and safe distance from the other while this age old battle quietly moves through the celestial winter sky.

Have you ever looked up into the night sky and wondered how our ancestors selected various star patterns to depict their ancient legends? Well, so have I. But for me, that has always been part of the beauty and the mystery of those wonderful twinkling marvels that are sprinkled across the heavens. Winter is one of the best times to observe the stars as the sky is usually much clearer. Plus many of the winter constellations are the easiest to identify.

Orion dominates the southeastern winter sky. The Great Hunter is probably the best-known constellation and for most people, the easiest to pick out. His name is derived from an ancient name, meaning "The Light of Heaven." No other constellation looks so like its name or contains so many bright stars. Orion is easily identified by the three equally bright, evenly spaced white stars in a row that form his belt. Above Orion's belt are two stars that form his shoulders. Marking his left shoulder is the red supergiant Betelgeuse. Slightly above and between the 'shoulder stars' are a cluster that form Orion's head. Above Orion's left shoulder are a group of stars that form a 'V', which is Orion's club. Slightly upward of his right 'shoulder star' is an arc of stars forming Orion's shield. Hanging below Orion's belt in a downward direction is a row of stars that form his sword. And continuing down from Orion's belt spread wide, are the stars that complete the mighty Hunters stance. The bright star marking Orion's western knee is the blueish-white giant Rigel. The cluster of stars below Orion's feet that form an 'H' laying on its side is Lepus, the Hare.

A line drawn along the belt of Orion and extended to the west points roughly to the bright reddish star of the eye of Taurus. Continuing in that direction, you will find the Pleiades star cluster that actually look like a small dipper. A line extended from the belt to the east points toward the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, the Dog Star, in the constellation Canis Major.

Draw a line from Riegel through Orion's belt to Betelgeuse and extended northward points just north of Gemini, the Twins, and it's brightest stars Castor and Pollux. Between Gemini and Sirius lies the bright star Procyon, the star in Canis Minor, the Little Dog. Above Orion in the east is Capella, the star in Auriga, the Charioteer.

Now that you know all this great info about the winter night sky, make some hot chocolate or tea, bundle up in warm clothes and get out and see 'em.

Footnote: All observations discussed in this article originate from the East Coast of North America.

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