JAMES:
THE BIG DIPPER IS IN A GREAT LOCATION FOR
VIEWING ALL MONTH.
DEAN:
THAT'S RIGHT JAMES, AND THE LIGHT FROM SEVERAL
OF THE SEVEN BIG DIPPER STARS TAKE A LIFETIME
TO GET HERE.
JAMES:
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BIG DIPPER, WERE ACTUALLY
LOOKING BACK IN TIME.
IT TAKES YEARS FOR STARLIGHT TO REACH EARTH.
IN FACT, THE LIGHT WE SEE FROM THE CLOSEST
STAR IN THE BIG DIPPER, MEGREZ, LEFT 58 YEARS
AGO IN 1960.
DEAN:
ALIOTH AND PHECDA ARE BOTH ABOUT 83 LIGHT
YEARS AWAY SO THEY LEFT THOSE STARS BACK IN
1935.
JAMES:
MIZAR IS 78 LIGHT YEARS AWAY, AND THE LIGHT
WE SEE FROM ALKAID BEGAN ITS JOURNEY 104 YEARS
AGO.
DEAN:
THE LAST TWO STARS ARE DUBHE AND MERAK.
MERAK IS 80 LIGHT YEARS FROM EARTH, BUT DUBHE
IS A WHOPPING 123 LIGHT YEARS AWAY.
LOOKING AT THE BIG DIPPER AND THAT OLD, OLD
STARLIGHT CAN REALLY MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE A
TIME TRAVELER.
BOTH:
KEEP LOOKING UP!