that dragon and the Scorpion
hey there stargazers I'm Deanery guess a
stronger for the Cincinnati Observatory
and I'm james oberg director Kika
Silverpop planetarium in Gainesville
Florida
we're here to help you find your way
around the sky tonight
heeding what's scarier a dragon
or scorpion scorpion where where Scorpia
alright I forgot about your
deep-seated fear scorpions okay well
don't worry
the Scorpions hang out in the summer
stars up there
in the southern sky I and the dragon
must be the constellation Draco the
dragon who flies high in the northern
sky and some
yep plus will get you prepared for the
moon's close encounter with the ringed
planet
on July 7 let's show you the dragon and
the
scorpion it okay
we have our sky set for any night this
week at 11 p.m.
facing south Scorpius is one of the few
constellations that
actually looks like its namesake you
won't need to strain your imaginations
to see a scorpion in the stars
Scorpius cuddles just above the southern
horizon
as a long fish hook shape up stars the
curve marks the Scorpion's tail and
stinger
anymore imagination to see his body and
claws but
there's his red beating heart a red
supergiant star
and tarts Antares has inspired observers
for thousands of years
it means arrival at mars because it's
similar in color to the red planet
but its nothing like Mars first Antares
is a star
and mars as a planet second entire is
one of the largest known stars in the
galaxy
this is one in tires would look like
next our sup
mars to be too small to show on the
screen expects a huge star
mythology Scorpius was the Slayer a
variety course we all know about Orion's
belt at three stars
but Scorpius has three stars almost in a
row
you can find them at the head of the
Scorpion okay
they're not quite wind up like a Ryan
spell but still there easy to find
their names are if I S on the top shubha
in the middle and pie score PI on the
bot you just want to say to be dead
yeah it's definitely a fun starts a plus
Schubert is a variable star
that means changes its brightness from
time to time okay
now let's look to the northern sky and
go dragon hunting
trigger the dragon lurks in the north
with her tail beginning between the Big
Dipper
on the left and the Northstar right
there if you're having trouble finding
the North Star
use the brighter stars in the Big Dipper
to point the way shoot an arrow from the
two stars at the and Big Dipper spoon
and continued that to the right
and bingo you run into the North stock
the only a dark sky to see the dragon's
tail the corals around the Little Dipper
so let's zoom into the dragon's head
which holds the brightest stars in this
monster constellation 3 semi bright
stars markets head and Ani triangle
they are in order brightness L tannen
roster bon
and groom him and if you're in a darker
sky you might be able to make out of or
you just wanted to say rust abounded yep
I like my quirky star names
to the Babylonians draco was the she
dragon TMR
she said to have had a body seven miles
long and I'm out its biggest sky
along came a got a martyr who slew the
Great Beast with a bow and arrow
martic 10 fleiss the dragon and half 1/2
becoming the earth
and the other becoming the heavens about
okay
so now we fast forwarded in time to the
night of July 7 and the moon is just to
the right and the Scorpions clause
can I print star names this time sure
these are some good ones
okay above the moon is supernaturally
and below is
you been out to be yes and right next to
the moon is the ring planet Saturn bout
will be
really close together that night they'll
be about one degree part on July 7 and
maybe just maybe
you could see both the moon and Saturn
at the same time in a small telescope
so get out and see the action in the sky
this week
and don't forget to look for Scorpius in
the southern sky not at your feet stop
stop doing that and feed Rico in the
northern sky
keep looking up
me