We get more than our share of 'longest days'

While we were off lollygagging around all the planets that were -- and still are -- visible in the early evening, we missed a milestone for the year, the Summer Solstice (the first day of summer).

Solstice is Latin for "Sun stands still," and while it doesn't actually, it would appear to do so for anyone who was watching the rising and setting times and locations each day.

On the solstice, the Sun reaches the farthest point north it will travel for the year, the Tropic of Cancer, about 23.5 degrees north of the equator. Since the Northern Hemisphere is now leaning toward the Sun we are getting more direct--and warmer sunlight.

The solstice was on Monday, June 20 at 1634 MDT. Normally it is thought of as the longest day of the year but that isn't always the case. It just depends on where you live.

For example, for us good folks living along the 40th parallel (the Nebraska/Kansas state lines) we are blessed with nine "longest days." From June 17 through June 25 we will be receiving 15 hours and one minute of daylight for each of those days.

But, for the good folks in and around Denver there will be only five days lasting 15 hours.

However, with the daytime temperatures reaching the 90+ degree mark for most of last week, we were beginning to think perhaps summer had come early.

Now, I have been trying to get to a discussion of the constellation Bootes (pronounced Bo-Oates, each "O" is pronounced) for two weeks, so let's put it in here.

Bootes, The Herdsman, or Ox Driver, or Bear Driver is shaped like a big kite flying almost directly overhead these early summer evenings. It is anchored by the bright star Arcturus (the name is from the Greek meaning "Bear Driver")

Arcturus -- the fourth brightest star in the night sky -- is located almost directly overhead and is easily found by first finding the Big Dipper in the northwestern sky. Locate the handle, and follow the curve, or arc, in the handle about three fist-widths to the left to the first really bright star you see, that's Arcturus.

As the old saying goes, "Arc to Arcturus."

Once you have found Bootes and Arcturus, slide your view up along the left side of the kite until you find the second magnitude star Epsilon Bootes, or Izar in the common language.

Izar is a wonderful double star that can be easily separated in binoculars -- if you are in a dark-sky location. They are noted for their color contrast.

There is another nice double star nearby in the lopsided square of the head of Draco, the Dragon. Draco winds around and between the two dippers just above and left of Vega, and straight left of Hercules.

The double star is Nu Draconis, located in the upper left corner of the head. In binoculars they look like a pair of headlights.

There are many more double stars worth locating, but they will need to wait until next week.

SKY WATCH: The moon was full on Monday, June 20, the same day as the summer solstice. We can tell it is summer (and not just from the temperature) because the Summer Triangle of Vega, Deneb, and Altair are above the eastern horizon in the early evening and Scorpius is also above the southeastern horizon.

NEXT WEEK: Fun with double stars, and more astronomical blathering.