Starship Asterisk*

A Northern Winter Night

Explanation: Snow blankets the ground in this serene forest and sky view. Assembled in a 360 degree panoramic projection, the mosaicked frames were captured at January's end along a quiet country road near Siemiony, northeastern Poland, planet Earth. The night was cold and between trees reaching toward the sky shine the stars and nebulae of the northern winter Milky Way. Near zenith is bright star Capella, a mere 43 light-years above the tree tops. Alpha star of the constellation Auriga the Charioteer and part of the winter hexagon asterism, Capella is a well-studied double star system. Follow the Milky Way above and right of Capella and you might spot the familiar stars of Orion in the northern winter night.

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Lovely picture, but it's making me feel claustrophobic.

I hate snow. And there's snow, thick massive snow, all around that beautiful tiny opening of stunningly gorgeous space.

The snow is approaching the tiny opening from every direction, aided by those trees that are closing in on it like zippers about to be done up.

Ann

From the red dot near center-go left to blue dot,then white dot and in that line to the tree branches.Is that smudge Andromeda ?

Gorgeous!

251billyg wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 10:07 am From the red dot near center-go left to blue dot,then white dot and in that line to the tree branches.Is that smudge Andromeda ?

The relatively bright blue star at dead center in the image is Mirfak, Alpha Persei. Go left from Mirfak until you get to an elongated smudge skimming the treetops.

That's Andromeda.

Capella (brightest white star in the image), Mirfak and Andromeda form a horizontal straight line.

Ann

Ann wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 7:21 am Lovely picture, but it's making me feel claustrophobic.

I hate snow. And there's snow, thick massive snow, all around that beautiful tiny opening of stunningly gorgeous space.

The snow is approaching the tiny opening from every direction, aided by those trees that are closing in on it like zippers about to be done up.

Ann

+1 And it's cold too, but we we need it!

I really do not care much for these round photos, cause they are so
unreal! They are a nice artistic bit of work by the photographer
though; and I appreciate it for that!
Orion was easy to find; But I'm having trouble with Andromeda!

orin stepanek wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 2:31 pm Siemiony_las_31_01_2021_1024.jpg

I really do not care much for these round photos, cause they are so
unreal! They are a nice artistic bit of work by the photographer
though; and I appreciate it for that!
Orion was easy to find; But I'm having trouble with Andromeda!

1 = Orion
2 = Procyon
3 = Gemini with Pollux and Castor
4 = Capella
5 = Mirfak
6 = Andromeda
7 = The Pleiades
8 = The Hyades

Ann

Well, as long as we're identifying stars, which one would be Polaris, the north star? I've come to learn that the handle of the Little Dipper points to North Star. Can't seem to find the Dipper. Also found out that if you draw a straight line from Betelgeuse through (not Capella but the second bright star Beta Aurigae) seen here to the right of Capella, and continue the line about the same length you find Polaris. I figure that is the lone blue star by itself in the bottom portion around 6:30 o'clock. Is that right?

De58te wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 4:47 pm Well, as long as we're identifying stars, which one would be Polaris, the north star? I've come to learn that the handle of the Little Dipper points to North Star. Can't seem to find the Dipper. Also found out that if you draw a straight line from Betelgeuse through (not Capella but the second bright star Beta Aurigae) seen here to the right of Capella, and continue the line about the same length you find Polaris. I figure that is the lone blue star by itself in the bottom portion around 6:30 o'clock. Is that right?

You're right!

Ann

Ann wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 5:08 pm

De58te wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 4:47 pm Well, as long as we're identifying stars, which one would be Polaris, the north star? I've come to learn that the handle of the Little Dipper points to North Star. Can't seem to find the Dipper. Also found out that if you draw a straight line from Betelgeuse through (not Capella but the second bright star Beta Aurigae) seen here to the right of Capella, and continue the line about the same length you find Polaris. I figure that is the lone blue star by itself in the bottom portion around 6:30 o'clock. Is that right?

You're right!

Ann

The handle of the Little Dipper ends in Polaris, and the Big Dipper end of the bowl points to Polaris. As for where it is in this picture, I need help. Is this right?

johnnydeep wrote: ↑Sun Feb 07, 2021 4:08 pm

Ann wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 5:08 pm

De58te wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 4:47 pm Well, as long as we're identifying stars, which one would be Polaris, the north star? I've come to learn that the handle of the Little Dipper points to North Star. Can't seem to find the Dipper. Also found out that if you draw a straight line from Betelgeuse through (not Capella but the second bright star Beta Aurigae) seen here to the right of Capella, and continue the line about the same length you find Polaris. I figure that is the lone blue star by itself in the bottom portion around 6:30 o'clock. Is that right?

You're right!

Ann

The handle of the Little Dipper ends in Polaris, and the Big Dipper end of the bowl points to Polaris. As for where it is in this picture, I need help. Is this right?

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I don't think we can see the Big Dipper in the APOD. You can see Polaris (and your annotation is quite correct) as well as Pherkad and Kochab. They are the two moderately bright stars some distance away from Polaris.

I think the orientation of the image is such that the Big Dipper is off the frame of the APOD.

Ann

Thanks, Ann. Perhaps this is the Little Dipper?

johnnydeep wrote: ↑Sun Feb 07, 2021 6:55 pm Thanks, Ann. Perhaps this is the Little Dipper?

---

That's right!

Ann