Exploring more spring constellations

Jim Wesch of McCook wins the "Eagle Eye" award of the week for noticing that in the column printed on April 29 I had said we would be having equal day and night on the first day of summer June 21, the summer solstice.

In actuality, equal day and night occur at the spring and autumn equinox, not the solstice. Mr. Wesch was kind in mentioning it must have been a typo. No Mr. Wesch, it was no typo, just a case of fingers-not-being-attached-to-brain-while-typing syndrome. I have a chronic case.

Also I would like to thank Jeanette Munger of rural Imperial for sending a really great photo she took of the very close conjunction of the Moon and Venus right before last week's occultation. Really great photo, thanks Jeanette.

And now back to our regularly scheduled program. Let us continue with our review of the spring constellations. We know where Leo, the Lion is so let us begin there. After finding Leo (if you don't remember, find the Big Dipper, follow a line drawn between the two inside stars where the handle is attached down to find Leo), move down and to his left for a rather large, spread-out rectangular constellation, Virgo, the Maiden. The bright star Spica is in the lower left portion of Virgo.

Between the tail of Leo and Virgo is an amazing place called the "Realm of the Galaxies." Here are located thousands of galaxies, most of which take a very large telescope to see. However, a few may be seen with just binoculars as faint, fuzzy blobs from a very dark-sky place.

Another place you might want to check in the area is the small, three-star constellation of Coma Berenices, Berenice's Hair. All of Coma's stars are fourth magnitude thus not really bright. It is located just up and left of the back end of Leo. Or, find the bright star Arcturus in kite-shaped Bootes (pronounced Bo-oates) off the right. To find Arcturus locate the handle of the Big Dipper and follow the arc to Arcturus. If you like you can then continue, or "speed on" to Spica following the same arc.

Coma Berenice is located between Bootes and Leo. Here is a marvelous binocular star cluster, and a few more odd galaxies.

If you are having a good time, let's try for two more small constellations, Corvus, the Crow, and Crater, the Cup. Both are slightly rectangular in shape and are located just below Virgo close to the horizon almost due south at about 8 p.m. Corvus is on the left. Crater will have four stars slightly raised from the rectangle to form the cup shape. Corvus is the lazy crow that was supposed to bring Apollo some water in the cup Crater but was caught goofing off and both were placed in the sky as an example to not mess around with the gods.

SKY WATCH: Third quarter moon, Sunday, May 17. If you are an early riser, check out the conjunction of the moon, Jupiter, and Neptune about an hour before sunrise on the 17th. Look in the southeast for the moon just above and left of bright Jupiter.

Between them will be the much dimmer planet Neptune about a half-degree left of Jupiter. Beware of mistaking a fifth magnitude star, Mu Capricorni, also located between Neptune and Jupiter, for Neptune.

It will be masquerading as one of the moons of Jupiter just to the left of the giant planet. Early on May 19 we will again be able to use the moon as a helper in finding another of the gas giant planets of the outer solar system, very dim Uranus.

About an hour before sunrise in the east find a slightly crescent Moon located just above Uranus. The blue-green dot will be about four degrees directly below the moon.

NEXT TIME: More astronomical blathering.