HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 2016-11-30, Page 5Wednesday, November 30, 2016 • Lucknow Sentinel 5
Star Column: Big Dipper is actually a cluster in the night sky
John Hlynialuk
Bluewater Astronomical
Society
Clusters of stars are not
that unusual in the night sky.
The most well-known
asterism, the Big Dipper
("Large Saucepan"), is actu-
ally a cluster, - it's just too
close and spread out.
If you plan to live another
100,000 years or so, you will
see the five inner stars of the
seven -star pattern moving
through space together.
Good luck with that.
If you have been watching
the Pleiades rising in the east
just after dark (7 p.m. or so),
then you have been looking
in the right direction to see a
pair of constellations which
host a total of four clusters.
All can be seen with the
naked eye, but they are
much more interesting in
binoculars. Perseus, the
constellation just above the
Pleiades contains three: Mel-
lotte 20, which is large and
easy to spot, and a "two-for-
one", the Double Cluster,
NGC 869/NGC 884 (NGC is a
New General Catalogue list-
ing). The fourth object is
next door in Cassiopeia,
NGC 457 and has been
called the Owl Cluster, but is
more commonly referred to
as the "ET Cluster': All who
have seen it have told me:
"Yes! that's ET!" Here's how
to find all four.
Starting with the Pleiades,
scan up and slightly to the
left to find the brightest star
of Perseus, Mirfak (see chart
provided). Don't get fooled
by Algol (more about her
next week). Mirfak is the
brightest star in Perseus and
surrounded by a stellar
group containing several
dozen stars that pop into
view in binoculars. On most
nights, Mellotte 20 is a bright
patch of stars across the
middle of Perseus, and can
be seen with the naked eye.
It is "only" 600 light-years
away.
Over ten times farther
(7,000 light-years) is the Dou-
ble Cluster, NGC 869/884,
still visible as a faint patch in
dark skies to the unaided eye.
Use the star map and try to
see a faint fuzz in what is the
head of Perseus about half-
way from Mirfak to the "W" of
Cassiopeia. Binoculars easily
reveal this object as two
patches of stars near each
other -a telescope at low
power shows hundreds of
stars in two groups.
One is actually about 300
light years farther, but this is
pretty close in astronomical
terms.
Continue your search for
clusters by continuing the
line from Mirfak, past the
Double Cluster an equal dis-
tance to the last of the four,
the ET Cluster. To the naked
eye it looks like a single star
so this tiny cluster is best
seen in a telescope. Every-
one who has seen the movie
"ET" immediately recog-
nizes it as a stick -figure ET
standing with his arms out-
stretched, two bright stars
for eyes.
It never fails to draw a
smile when seen for the first
time. I still smile even after
dozens of viewings.
Enjoy the views of the dark
skies of November and
December with your binocu-
lars or join us at the Nov 26
public viewing at the Fox
observatory. You'll get an ET
closeup, -clearly he made it
back to his home among the
stars.
For more information visit
www.bluewaterastronomy.
com
Lake Huron Steel Horse
Riders aid in new signage
to warn of curves on Con. 6
The Lake Huron Steel
Horse Riders and Smiley and
Company, took an approach
to help with motorcycle
awareness and safety by
committing to have signs
posted on the curves on
Huron/Kinloss Concession 6
east of highway 21.
"We feel that this will make
a difference for the safety of
all those who ride in this
area," said Lake Huron Steel
Horse Riders president Bren
Brown. "It seems like a small
step, but a step in the right
direction:'
With help from the local
newspaper the club was
able to bring awareness to a
dangerous situation and
worked towards a solution.
"We felt the need to make
riders aware that these
curves have had some seri-
ous consequences for local
and non local riders alike,"
said Brown.
With the cooperation of
Bruce County and the
Huron -Kinloss Township,
the club was recently able
to purchase the signs and
they are now installed.
Shared photo
Lake Huron Steel Horse Riders president Bren Brown and
vice president Steve Small, stand with Mike and Linda Smiley
owners of Smiley and Company next to the new signs warning
of curves on Huron -Kinloss Township Concession 6. The
club recognized Hugh Nichols, municipal workers and the
community for allowing the club to be a part of making the
riding area a safer place.
Lucknow
4-H Beef
Awards
The Lucknow 4-H Beef
Club recently held their
Achievement Day at the
Lucknow Fall Fair. Mem-
bers of the club competed
in showmanship and con-
formation classes to
achieve their club for this
year. Two more photos
were presented that were
missed last week.
Submitted
Champion Angus/Angus Cross
Sponsored by Sherdon Farms —
awarded to Sarah Durnin. Maggie
Durnin is accepting the award on her
behalf.
Champion Simmental Calf — Sponsored by Jamar Farms
— Presented to Meghan Metske
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Four clusters (including ET's) can be found looking East after dark
in November.
SUDOKU
THIS WEEK'S PUZZLE SPONSORED BY
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Level: Intermediate
To solve
a Sudoku puzzle, every number
from 1 to 9 must appear in:
• Each of the nine vertical columns
• Each of the nine horizontal rows
• Each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes
• Remember, no number can occur
more than once in any row, column
or box