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The Stars for October 2008
When you name
a star with us you can choose the constellation
(area of the night sky) in which your star is located.
The following chart shows which Name A Star Live constellations
are visible during the first few hours after sunset
this month:
| Your Location |
Constellations Visible This
Month |
| Europe, Northern US, Canada, Northern
China |
Andromeda, Aquarius, Capricorn, Cassiopeia, Ursa
Minor |
| Alaska (Anchorage and points south) |
Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Ursa Minor |
| Southern US, Hawaii, Japan, Southern
China, Northern Africa, Middle East, India |
Andromeda, Aquarius, Capricorn, Cassiopeia |
| Australia, Southern Africa, South
America |
Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius |
Best Time to View the Stars
The best time to view the stars is when
there is no moon out: Like the light pollution caused
by city lights, moonlight drowns out the faint celestial
objects otherwise visible through telescopes. In October
2008, it's best to view the stars during the first two
or three days of the month, and during the last 1 1/2
weeks of the month.
Aquarius |
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| Aquarius is a faint
constellation visible toward the south-southeast
shortly after sunset this month. Because it is so
faint, to view this constellation it's best to drive
into the countryside so that you observe the constellation
south of city lights. (That way, the city lights
will be behind you.) If you live in Australia, South
Africa, or other parts of the southern hemisphere,
Capricorn will appear quite high in the sky. |
How Other Cultures Have Viewed the
Stars
The constellation Aquarius — known
as the "water bearer" — was associated
with water in many ancient civilizations, most likely
because the rising of the sun in this constellation
each year coincided with the onset of the rainy season.
In classical mythology Aquarius, a.k.a. "Ganymede,"
was a mortal who was abducted by the order of Jupiter
(the king of the gods). Jupiter sent an eagle called
"Aquila" (after whom another constellation
is named) to carry Aquarius away from the Earth, so
that he might become cup bearer to the gods.
Aquarius was viewed by the Babylonians
as a man or boy pouring water from a bucket or an urn.
The Arabians called Aquarius "Al Dalw," meaning
"the well bucket." The Egyptians called the
constellation "Monius." They imagined that
the setting of Aquarius caused the rising of the Nile,
as he sank his huge urn in the river to fill it. This
constellation was the symbol of the Chinese emperor
Tchoun Hin, during whose reign a huge flood afflicted
China. In India Aquarius was associated with a storm
god, and (as in China) this constellation marked the
beginning of the zodiac.
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| M2, a globlular
cluster of about 150,000 stars in the constellation
Aquarius. The light in this image took approximately
37,500 years to reach Earth. |
The Planets This Month
Jupiter and Saturn are easily seen
this month with the naked eye. If you live in the northern
hemisphere of Earth (the US, Europe, China, etc.), Jupiter
is the very bright point of light you'll see toward the
southwest shortly after sunset. If you live in the southern
hemisphere (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, etc.),
Jupiter appears in the northwest shortly after sunset.
Jupiter is still in the constellation Sagittarius. (For
more information about Sagittarius, see "The
Stars for August 2008.") Saturn appears very
low in the eastern sky before sunrise: Saturn is in the
constellation Leo now. Venus is near the western horizon
shortly before sunset. If you have a clear view of the
western horizon (no mountain, trees, buildings, etc.),
you might see the planet Mars very low in the sky right
before sunset: It will appear beneath Venus.
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your location on any night of the year. We include this
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