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The Stars for September 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, Capricorn, Cassiopeia, Ursa Minor |
| Alaska (Anchorage and points south) |
Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Ursa Minor |
| Southern US, Hawaii, Japan, Southern
China, Northern Africa, Middle East, India |
Capricorn, Sagittarius, Ursa Minor |
| Australia, Southern Africa, South
America |
Aquarius, Capricorn, Libra, Sagittarius, Scorpius |
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 September
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.
Capricorn |
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| Capricorn 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
In Greek mythology Capricorn was a goat.
The story of the Capricorn is that Typhon, a titanic
demon, was destroying all of the gods. To save themselves
the gods quickly changed themselves into all varieties
of animals. The God Pan was playing his pipes one afternoon
in the form of a goat when he was startled by the sudden
approach of Typhon. He went into a panic (the origin
of the word panic is derived from his name), dove into
a nearby river, and turned himself into a fish. But,
because of his panicked state only his rear end turned
into a fish and the front part of his body remained
in the form of a goat. When Pan emerged from the water
he saw that Typhon was attacking Jupiter and tearing
his muscles out of his arms and legs. Pan immediately
blew his pipes as loud as possible and thus scared Typhon
away. Upon hearing the loud pipes, Mercury, the swift
messenger with winged sandals, came down from Olympus.
Together the two tied Jupiter’s muscles back to
his body and helped Jupiter back to Olympus. With one
mighty blow from Olympus Jupiter was able to strike
Typhon with a lightning bolt. Out of gratitude Jupiter
eternalized Pan by putting him in the stars as a constellation.
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Jupter and one of its moons
(at about the 7 o'clock position). The Great Red
Spot is also visible.
Credit: NASA |
Early Hindu astrologers depicted this
constellation as a goat's head upon the body of a hippopotamus.
Water animal images are often seen in this constellation
because the Sun's passage through this section of the
sky coincided with the rainy season of ancient societies.
Symbolically Capricorn is also tied to
the worship of Ea, a Babylonian god who ruled over the
water, magic, as well as wisdom.
Capricorn was known as "The
Gate of Gods,” a portal through which souls of
the departed ascended to the afterworld.
The Planets This Month
Jupiter is the planet you can most
easily see with the naked eye this month. 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 south shortly after sunset. If you live
in the southern hemisphere (Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa, etc.), Jupiter appears in the north shortly after
sunset. Jupiter is still in the constellation Sagittarius.
(For more information about Sagittarius, see "The
Stars for August 2008.") Mars, Venus and Mercury
are very low on the western horizon shortly before sunset.
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Our Virtual
Planetarium™ astronomy software shows you
all the constellations and planets you can see from
your location on any night of the year. We include this
fascinating software in our Deluxe,
Framed, and Ultimate Gift Sets. Our planisphere
constellation finder is a great supplement to Virtual
Planetarium™: Consider adding a planisphere to
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