Festivus for the rest of us! Elephant Trunk (2008 Dec 26)

[neufer]

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap081226.html

http://www.rc-astro.com/photo/id1031.html
http://starmatt.com/gallery/astro/ic1396.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:54345 ... ighres.jpg
------------------------------------------
"A Festivus for the rest of us!"
http://www.seinfeldscripts.com/TheStrike.htm
...................................................
FRANK Costanza: And at the Festivus dinner, you gather your family around, and you tell them all the ways they have disappointed you over the past year.

KRAMER: Is there a tree?

FRANK: No. Instead, there's a pole. It requires no decoration. I find tinsel distracting.

KRAMER: Frank, this new holiday of yours is scratching me right where I itch.

FRANK: Let's do it then! Festivus is back! I'll get the pole out of the crawl space.
...................................................
ELAINE: What is it? (Grabs the card from George, he tries to stop her, but fails. She reads it out loud.) "Dear son, Happy Festivus." What is Festivus?

GEORGE: It's nothing, stop it..

JERRY: When George was growing up..

GEORGE: (Interrupting) Jerry, No!

JERRY: His father..

GEORGE: No!

JERRY: Hated all the commercial and religious aspects of Christmas, so he made up his own holiday.

ELAINE: Ohhhh.. and another piece of the puzzle falls into place.

GEORGE: (pleading) Alright..

JERRY: And instead of a tree, didn't your father put up an aluminum pole?

(Elaine starts laughing uncontrollably - and continues to do so)

GEORGE: Jerry! Stop it!

JERRY: And weren't there a feats of strength that always ended up with you crying?

(Jerry joins in with Elaine's laughter)

GEORGE: I can't take it anymore! I'm going to work! ARe you happy now?! (Gathers his things, and runs out of the coffee shop. Elaine and Jerry laugh hysterically)
------------------------------------------

[orin stepanek]

I think this is a better view of the Elephant's trunk.
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap050908.html

Orin

[apodman]

Both the 2008 Dec 26 APOD and the 2005 Sep 08 APOD describe the constellation of Cepheus as "high and distant".

Regardless of the actual physical shape of the universe, I thought every point on the (non-physical) celestial sphere was the same "distance" from the observer. Strictly speaking, the constellations don't have distances (heights?) though their physical contents do. Other than Ursa Minor having the highest northerly declination (Cepheus is 2nd), precisely what attributes would make any of the 88 constellations any higher or more distant than another? Or is "high and distant" just poetry? Is Aquila high and Cetus low?

We can't put our finger on the most distant objects in each constellation, which also makes talking about an average distance difficult. That leaves us with measuring the distance to a constellation by its nearest star (our own sun which won't stay in one constellation doesn't count). That makes Centaurus the nearest constellation, and it makes Cepheus about the 20th closest. On that basis, what is the most distant constellation?

[ta152h0]

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap081226.html

this time I definitaly see the head and the trunk, along with the droopy sad eyes. Nice image along in line with showing the cosmos to mesmerise us mere mortals. Pass the beer and just sit here and gaze.....

[neufer]

Both the 2008 Dec 26 APOD and the 2005 Sep 08 APOD describe the constellation of Cepheus as "high and distant".

We can't put our finger on the most distant objects in each constellation, which also makes talking about an average distance difficult. That leaves us with measuring the distance to a constellation by its nearest star (our own sun which won't stay in one constellation doesn't count). That makes Centaurus the nearest constellation, and it makes Cepheus about the 20th closest. On that basis, what is the most distant constellation?

------------------------------------
BOTH the closest & the furthest stars of any constellation are extremely dim if not unknown stars
.......................................
http://www.solstation.com/stars/pc10.htm

<<[Astronomers] find more stars within 10 parsecs every year -- which is the mission of the Research Consortium on Nearby Stars (RECONS). Including Sol itself, over 375 celestial objects (including white and brown dwarfs) are currently believed to be located within 10 parsecs (pc) -- (32.6 light-years (ly) -- of Sol. While there are no bright blue stars of spectral "O" or "B" in the Solar neighborhood, most of the 74 nearby AFGK bright stars have probably been found, although a few dim, late orange-red K-type dwarfs may yet be identified. On the other hand, although over 260 very dim but nearby red dwarf stars (of spectral type "M") have a measured distance of roughly 10 pc from Sol, many more probably remain to be found. Similarly, at least 16 substellar and extremely faint, nearby brown dwarfs, have been found as of December 2008. Some astronomers believe, however, that the current count of 22 nearby white dwarf stellar remnants will not be significantly raised despite continuing observations.>>
------------------------------------
However, in the "spirit" of your question:
............................................
1) Cygnus has the furthest bright Alpha star in the sky:
. Deneb at 3000 light years away (the same distance as IC 1396).

2) Orion is probably the furthest bright constellation as based
upon the geometric average distance of it's six brightest stars
(= 654 light years away).

Code: Select all

-------------------------------------
Orion's six brightest Stars ordered by distance
http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/stars.html

  1          2                     3               4     5      6     7        8          9     10      11    12    13
 No.                Star Names                   Equatorial    Galactic    Spectral      Vis    Abs    Prllx Err   Dist
                                                 Coordinates  Coordinates    Type        Mag    Mag                 ly
                                                   RA   Dec     l°    b°
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
26. Gamma Orionis             Bellatrix         05 25  +6.3  197.0 -16.0  B2III         1.64  -2.72   13.42 0.98   240
10. Alpha Orionis             Betelgeuse        05 55  +7.4  199.8  -9.0  M2Ib          0.55v -5.04v   7.63 1.64   430
07. Beta Orionis              Rigel             05 15  -8.2  209.3 -25.1  B8Ia          0.15v -6.72v   4.22 0.81   770
31. Zeta Orionis              Alnitak           05 41  -1.9  206.5 -16.5  O9.5Ib+B0III  1.75  -5.25    3.99 0.79   820
73. Delta Orionis             Mintaka           05 32  -0.3  203.9 -17.7  O9.5II+B2V    2.25e -4.99    3.56 0.83   920
29. Epsilon Orionis           Alnilam           05 36  -1.2  205.2 -17.3  B0Ia          1.69  -6.38    2.43 0.91  1300
-------------------------------------
The Brightest Alpha Stars ordered by distance
http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/stars.html

  1          2                     3               4     5      6     7        8          9     10      11    12    13
 No.                Star Names                   Equatorial    Galactic    Spectral      Vis    Abs    Prllx Err   Dist
                                                 Coordinates  Coordinates    Type        Mag    Mag                 ly
                                                   RA   Dec     l°    b°
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
003. Alpha Centauri            Rigil Kentaurus   14 40 -60.8  315.8  -0.7  G2V+K1V      -0.29   4.06  742.12 1.40     4
.......................................................................................................................
001. Alpha Canis Majoris       Sirius            06 45 -16.7  227.2  -8.9  A1V          -1.46   1.43  379.21 1.58     9
008. Alpha Canis Minoris       Procyon           07 39  +5.2  213.7 +13.0  F5IV-V        0.36   2.64  285.93 0.88    11
012. Alpha Aquilae             Altair            19 51  +8.9   47.8  -9.0  A7V           0.77   2.21  194.44 0.94    17
018. Alpha Piscis Austrini     Fomalhaut         22 58 -29.6   20.6 -65.0  A3V           1.15   1.72  130.08 0.92    25
005. Alpha Lyrae               Vega              18 37 +38.8   67.5 +19.2  A0V           0.03   0.58  128.93 0.55    25
004. Alpha Boötis              Arcturus          14 16 +19.2   15.2 +69.0  K2III        -0.05  -0.31   88.85 0.74    37
006. Alpha Aurigae             Capella           05 17 +46.0  162.6  +4.6  G5III+G0III   0.07  -0.49   77.29 0.89    42
059. Alpha Ophiuchi            Rasalhague        17 35 +12.6   35.9 +22.6  A5III-IV      2.08   1.30   69.84 0.88    47
089. Alpha Cephei              Alderamin         21 19 +62.6  101.0  +9.1  A7IV          2.45   1.58   66.84 0.49    49
023. Alpha Geminorum           Castor            07 35 +31.9  187.5 +22.6  A1V+A2V       1.58   0.59   63.27 1.23    52
206. Alpha Circini                               14 43 -65.0  314.3  -4.6  F0V+K5V       3.18   2.11   60.97 0.58    53
264. Alpha Trianguli           Mothallah         01 53 +29.6  138.6 -31.4  F6IV          3.42   1.95   50.87 0.82    64
014. Alpha Tauri               Aldebaran         04 36 +16.5  181.0 -20.2  K5III         0.86v -0.64v  50.09 0.95    65
050. Alpha Arietis             Hamal             02 07 +23.5  144.5 -36.2  K2III         2.01   0.48   49.48 0.99    66
146. Alpha Hydri               Head of Hydrus    01 59 -61.6  289.4 -53.7  F0III         2.86   1.16   45.74 0.55    71
103. Alpha Serpentis           Unukalhai         15 44  +6.4   14.1 +44.1  K2III         2.63   0.87   44.54 0.71    73
067. Alpha Coronae Borealis    Alphecca          15 35 +26.7   41.9 +53.7  A0V+G5V       2.22e  0.42   43.65 0.79    75
105. Alpha Librae              Zubenelgenubi     14 51 -16.0  340.4 +38.0  A3IV+F4IV     2.64   0.77   42.25 1.05    77
084. Alpha Phoenicis           Ankaa             00 26 -42.3  320.2 -74.0  K0III         2.40   0.52   42.14 0.78    77
021. Alpha Leonis              Regulus           10 08 +12.0  226.3 +48.9  B7V           1.36  -0.52   42.09 0.79    78
054. Alpha Andromedae          Alpheratz         00 08 +29.1  111.6 -32.8  B9IV          2.07  -0.30   33.60 0.73    97
217. Alpha Pictoris                              06 48 -61.9  271.9 -24.1  A7III         3.24   0.83   32.96 2.14    99
192. Alpha Indi                Persian           20 38 -47.3  352.6 -37.2  K0III         3.11   0.65   32.21 0.75   101
030. Alpha Gruis               Alnair            22 08 -47.0  350.0 -52.4  B7IV          1.74  -0.72   32.16 0.82   101
130. Alpha Canum Venaticorum   Cor Caroli        12 56 +38.3  118.3 +78.8  A0IV+F0V      2.80v  0.16v  29.60 1.04   110
034. Alpha Ursae Majoris       Dubhe             11 04 +61.8  142.8 +51.0  K0III+F0V     1.80  -1.09   26.38 0.53   124
092. Alpha Pegasi              Markab            23 05 +15.2   88.4 -40.4  B9IV          2.49  -0.67   23.36 0.76   140
009. Alpha Eridani             Achernar          01 38 -57.2  290.7 -58.8  B3V           0.45  -2.77   22.68 0.57   144
242. Alpha Reticuli                              04 14 -62.5  274.3 -41.7  G8III         3.33  -0.17   19.98 0.45   165
230. Alpha Doradus                               04 34 -55.0  263.8 -41.4  A0IV+B9IV     3.30  -0.36   18.56 0.46   175
044. Alpha Pavonis             Peacock           20 26 -56.7  340.9 -35.3  B0.5V+B2V     1.93  -1.82   17.80 0.70   180
047. Alpha Hydrae              Alphard           09 28  -8.7  241.6 +29.1  K3II          1.98  -1.70   18.40 0.78   180
150. Alpha Tucanae                               22 19 -60.3  330.1 -48.0  K3III         2.87  -1.05   16.42 0.59   200
093. Alpha Ceti                Menkar            03 02  +4.1  173.3 -45.6  M2III         2.54  -1.61   14.82 0.83   220
198. Alpha Lyncis                                09 21 +34.4  190.2 +44.7  K7III         3.14  -1.02   14.69 0.81   220
071. Alpha Cassiopeiae         Schedar           00 41 +56.5  121.5  -6.3  K0II          2.24  -1.99   14.27 0.57   230
142. Alpha Arae                Choo              17 32 -49.9  340.8  -8.9  B2V           2.84  -1.51   13.46 0.95   240
284. Alpha Telescopii                            18 27 -46.0  348.7 -15.2  B3IV          3.49  -0.93   13.08 0.71   250
016. Alpha Virginis            Spica             13 25 -11.2  316.1 +50.8  B1V+B2V       0.97  -3.56   12.44 0.86   260
106. Alpha Columbae            Phact             05 40 -34.1  238.9 -28.8  B7IV          2.65  -1.93   12.16 0.60   270
114. Alpha Muscae                                12 37 -69.1  301.6  -6.3  B2V           2.69  -2.17   10.67 0.48   310
002. Alpha Carinae             Canopus           06 24 -52.7  261.2 -25.3  F0Ib         -0.73  -5.64   10.43 0.53   310
013. Alpha Crucis              Acrux             12 27 -63.1  300.2  -0.4  B0.5IV+B1V    0.79  -4.17   10.17 0.67   320
234. Alpha Herculis            Rasalgethi        17 15 +14.4   35.5 +27.8  M5III+G5III   3.31v -2.04v   8.53 2.80   380
042. Alpha Trianguli Australis Atria             16 49 -69.0  321.6 -15.3  K2Ib-II       1.92  -3.61    7.85 0.63   420
010. Alpha Orionis             Betelgeuse        05 55  +7.4  199.8  -9.0  M2Ib          0.55v -5.04v   7.63 1.64   430
048. Alpha Ursae Minoris       Polaris           02 32 +89.3  123.3 +26.5  F7Ib-II       1.99v -3.62v   7.56 0.48   430
078. Alpha Lupi                Men               14 42 -47.4  321.6 +11.4  B1.5III       2.30  -3.83    5.95 0.76   550
033. Alpha Persei              Mirfak            03 24 +49.9  146.5  -5.9  F5Ib          1.80  -4.49    5.51 0.66   590
015. Alpha Scorpii             Antares           16 29 -26.4  351.9 +15.1  M1Ib+B4V      0.95v -5.39v   5.40 1.68   600
164. Alpha Aquarii             Sadalmelik        22 06 -00.3   59.9 -42.1  G2Ib          2.95  -3.88    4.30 0.83   760
098. Alpha Leporis             Arneb             05 33 -17.8  221.0 -25.1  F0Ib          2.58  -5.40    2.54 0.72  1300
.......................................................................................................................
019. Alpha Cygni               Deneb             20 41 +45.3   84.3  +2.1  A2Ia          1.24  -8.74    1.01 0.57  3000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[apodman]

The nearest star in Scutum is about 174 light years away.
The nearest star in Volans is about 108 light years away.
The nearest star in Norma is about 101 light years away.
The nearest star in Apus is about 94 light years away.
The nearest star in Musca is about 91 light years away.
The nearest star in Columba is about 86 light years away.
The nearest star in Crater is about 84 light years away.
The nearest star in Telescopium is about 76 light years away.
The nearest star in Octans is about 75 light years away.
The nearest star in Sculptor is about 71 light years away.
The nearest star in Ursa Minor is about 71 light years away.
The nearest star in Delphinus is about 68 light years away.
The nearest star in Caelum is about 66 light years away.
The nearest star in Crux is about 64 light years away.
The nearest star in Chamaeleon is about 64 light years away.
The nearest star in Vela is about 61 light years away.
The nearest star in Vulpecula is about 60 light years away.
The nearest star in Equuleus is about 60 light years away.
The nearest star in Camelopardalis is about 58 light years away.
The nearest star in Sagitta is about 58 light years away.
The nearest star in Corona Borealis is about 57 light years away.
The nearest star in Corona Australis is about 56 light years away.
The nearest star in Lynx is about 55 light years away.
The nearest star in Circinus is about 54 light years away.
The nearest star in Carina is about 53 light years away.
The nearest star in Phoenix is about 49 light years away.
The nearest star in Corvus is about 48 light years away.
The nearest star in Lupus is about 48 light years away.
The nearest star in Taurus is about 45 light years away.
The nearest star in Fornax is about 41 light years away.
The nearest star in Puppis is about 41 light years away.
The nearest star in Auriga is about 40 light years away.
The nearest star in Pyxis is about 40 light years away.
The nearest star in Triangulum Australe is about 40 light years away.
The nearest star in Reticulum is about 39 light years away.
The nearest star in Pegasus is about 38 light years away.
The nearest star in Dorado is about 38 light years away.
The nearest star in Leo Minor is about 37 light years away.
The nearest star in Serpens is about 36 light years away.
The nearest star in Triangulum is about 35 light years away.
The nearest star in Perseus is about 34 light years away.
The nearest star in Gemini is about 34 light years away.
The nearest star in Mensa is about 33 light years away.
The nearest star in Hydra is about 31 light years away.
The nearest star in Coma Berenices is about 30 light years away.
The nearest star in Capricornus is about 29 light years away.
The nearest star in Ara is about 29 light years away.
The nearest star in Tucana is about 28 light years away.
The nearest star in Hercules is about 27 light years away.
The nearest star in Canes Venatici is about 27 light years away.
The nearest star in Orion is about 26 light years away.
The nearest star in Lyra is about 25 light years away.
The nearest star in Hydrus is about 24 light years away.
The nearest star in Scorpius is about 23 light years away.
The nearest star in Boötes is about 22 light years away.
The nearest star in Pavo is about 20 light years away.
The nearest star in Cassiopeia is about 19 light years away.
The nearest star in Libra is about 19 light years away.
The nearest star in Lepus is about 19 light years away.
The nearest star in Aquila is about 17 light years away.
The nearest star in Lacerta is about 17 light years away.
The nearest star in Grus is about 16 light years away.
The nearest star in Sextans is about 15 light years away.
The nearest star in Pisces is about 14 light years away.
The nearest star in Antlia is about 13 light years away.
The nearest star in Cepheus is about 13 light years away.
The nearest star in Microscopium is about 13 light years away.
The nearest star in Pictor is about 13 light years away.
The nearest star in Aries is about 13 light years away.
The nearest star in Monoceros is about 12 light years away.
The nearest star in Horologium is about 12 light years away.
The nearest star in Indus is about 12 light years away.
The nearest star in Cancer is about 12 light years away.
The nearest star in Draco is about 12 light years away.
The nearest star in Cygnus is about 11 light years away.
The nearest star in Canis Minor is about 11 light years away.
The nearest star in Aquarius is about 11 light years away.
The nearest star in Virgo is about 11 light years away.
The nearest star in Piscis Austrinus is about 11 light years away.
The nearest star in Eridanus is about 11 light years away.
The nearest star in Andromeda is about 10 light years away.
The nearest star in Sagittarius is about 10 light years away.
The nearest star in Cetus is about 9 light years away.
The nearest star in Canis Major is about 9 light years away.
The nearest star in Ursa Major is about 8 light years away.
The nearest star in Leo is about 8 light years away.
The nearest star in Ophiuchus is about 6 light years away.
The nearest star in Centaurus is about 4 light years away.
You are here.

That makes Scutum the most "high and far off".

All of those numbers are from the world's largest unverified source, the Wikipedia.

[NoelC]

It's a wonderful narrowband image. Lots of detail and contrast.

Bravo to the APOD guys for making sure its narrowband nature has been made clear in the text.

-Noel

[neufer]

The nearest star in Scutum is about 174 light years away.
The nearest star in Volans is about 108 light years away.
The nearest star in Norma is about 101 light years away.
.................................................................
The nearest star in Orion is about 26 light years away.
The nearest star in Lyra is about 25 light years away.
The nearest star in Hydrus is about 24 light years away.
The nearest star in Scorpius is about 23 light years away.
The nearest star in Boötes is about 22 light years away.
The nearest star in Pavo is about 20 light years away.
The nearest star in Cassiopeia is about 19 light years away.
The nearest star in Libra is about 19 light years away.
The nearest star in Lepus is about 19 light years away.
The nearest star in Aquila is about 17 light years away.
The nearest star in Lacerta is about 17 light years away.
The nearest star in Grus is about 16 light years away.
The nearest star in Sextans is about 15 light years away.
The nearest star in Pisces is about 14 light years away.
The nearest star in Antlia is about 13 light years away.
The nearest star in Cepheus is about 13 light years away.
The nearest star in Microscopium is about 13 light years away.
The nearest star in Pictor is about 13 light years away.
The nearest star in Aries is about 13 light years away.
The nearest star in Monoceros is about 12 light years away.
The nearest star in Horologium is about 12 light years away.
The nearest star in Indus is about 12 light years away.
The nearest star in Cancer is about 12 light years away.
The nearest star in Draco is about 12 light years away.
The nearest star in Cygnus is about 11 light years away.
The nearest star in Canis Minor is about 11 light years away.
The nearest star in Aquarius is about 11 light years away.
The nearest star in Virgo is about 11 light years away.
The nearest star in Piscis Austrinus is about 11 light years away.
The nearest star in Eridanus is about 11 light years away.
The nearest star in Andromeda is about 10 light years away.
The nearest star in Sagittarius is about 10 light years away.
The nearest star in Cetus is about 9 light years away.
The nearest star in Canis Major is about 9 light years away.
The nearest star in Ursa Major is about 8 light years away.
The nearest star in Leo is about 8 light years away.
The nearest star in Ophiuchus is about 6 light years away.
The nearest star in Centaurus is about 4 light years away.
You are here.

That makes Scutum the most "high and far off".

As well as one of the most obscure constellations.


<<Scutum is the only constellation that owes its name to a non-classical historical figure. It was created by Johannes Hevelius in 1683, who originally named it Scutum Sobiescianum (the shield of Sobieski) to commemorate the victory of the Polish forces led by King John III Sobieski in the Battle of Vienna, and thus refers to Sobieski's.>>
-----------------------------------------------------
Nearest Orion star: π3 Ori (26.3 ly)
the brightest star in the lion's hide (or shield) that Orion is holding

<<Pi3 Orionis (π3 Ori / π3 Orionis), formally designated Tabit, is a yellow-white dwarf star approximately 26 light-years away in the constellation of Orion. It is thought that the star may, in fact, be a binary star system. Though no extrasolar planets have been observed around Pi3 Orionis, the star is considered a prime location for planets as small as the Earth.>>
-----------------------------------------------------
Nearest Cygnus star: 61 Cyg (11.4 ly)

61 Cygni retains the distinction of having the largest proper motion of any star visible to the unaided eye.
-----------------------------------------------------
It is hard to think of Cygnus (or Orion) as "low and near" because of stars that are moving so fast that they probably won't be part of their old constellations for much longer.