1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,800 Howdy stargazers and welcome to this episode of Star Trails. 2 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:16,200 I'm Drew and I'll be your guide to the night sky for the week starting September 29th to 3 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:18,200 October 5th. 4 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:24,280 This week a new moon brings darker skies, a comet looms on the morning horizon and later 5 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:30,120 in the episode I'll examine the lore of the Big Dipper and why cultures across the globe 6 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:35,560 have seen this asterism as a big bear in the night sky for millennia. 7 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:41,720 So grab a comfortable chair under the night sky and let's get started. 8 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:46,800 This week the moon will begin in its waning crescent phase, gradually shrinking to a thin 9 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:50,280 sliver visible in the early morning sky. 10 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:55,880 On October the 2nd we'll experience a new moon, leaving the night sky free from moonlight 11 00:00:55,880 --> 00:01:00,620 and providing ideal conditions for deep sky observations. 12 00:01:00,620 --> 00:01:05,360 After that the moon transitions to a waxing crescent starting to grow again from just 13 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:13,200 1% illumination on October the 3rd to about 7% by October 5th when you can spot its delicate 14 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:16,400 crescent just after sunset. 15 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:21,520 Jupiter is putting on a brilliant show this week, rising in the east just before midnight 16 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:27,720 you'll find it in the constellation Aries where it shines brightly all night long. 17 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:32,600 If you have a small telescope you'll be able to spot Jupiter's cloud bands and its four 18 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:38,560 largest moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. 19 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:44,160 Meanwhile Saturn is also visible in the early evening located in Aquarius. 20 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:48,920 Its iconic rings are still on full display and with a telescope you can even catch a 21 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:52,360 glimpse of Saturn's largest moon, Titan. 22 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:59,080 Venus, the evening star, will be bright and beautiful near the western horizon after sunset, 23 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:03,920 though it sets quickly its dazzling appearance is unmistakable. 24 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:09,120 Mercury will be in superior conjunction with the sun on September 30th, so you won't be 25 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,520 able to see it for most of the week. 26 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,960 Night hunters will want to get up early this week. 27 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:23,320 Comet C-2023A3 will be visible in the hours before sunrise on four successive mornings 28 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:24,800 this week. 29 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:31,200 Further windows of naked-eye visibility in the evening sky could follow in mid-October. 30 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:39,640 Just a few days ago, C-2023A3 reached Parahelion, its closest point to the sun on its estimated 31 00:02:39,640 --> 00:02:42,840 80,000 year-long orbit. 32 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:47,440 Sky watchers in the Northern Hemisphere may be able to glimpse the comet a few degrees 33 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:54,040 above the east-southeast horizon about 30 minutes before sunrise until Wednesday, October 34 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:55,640 the 2nd. 35 00:02:55,640 --> 00:03:00,200 Monday morning could be a perfect time for spotting this comet while it's joined by 36 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,120 a delicate, waning crescent moon. 37 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:13,880 As always, comets are unpredictable, so we'll see what happens with this one. 38 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:18,960 In this episode, I want to highlight a couple of lesser-known star patterns that you might 39 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:23,160 not have heard of but which are visible at this time of the year. 40 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:28,720 These constellations may not be as famous as Orion or Pegasus, but they offer a rewarding 41 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:34,240 challenge for those looking to expand their knowledge of the night sky. 42 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:38,320 First up is L-Serta, also known as the Lizard. 43 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:43,480 It's a faint constellation located between the more prominent constellations of Cygnus 44 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:46,920 and Andromeda in the Northern sky. 45 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:52,620 L-Serta is shaped roughly like a zigzag or a lightning bolt, with no particularly bright 46 00:03:52,620 --> 00:03:56,880 stars to help guide you, making it a challenge to spot. 47 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:04,280 One feature you can look for within L-Serta is the open star cluster NGC 7243. 48 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:09,040 It's visible through binoculars or a small telescope and adds a bit of extra charm to 49 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,320 this underappreciated constellation. 50 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:17,640 The second constellation to explore is Iquellius, or the Little Horse. 51 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:23,520 It's the second smallest constellation in the sky, located near Aquarius, Delphinus, 52 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:25,080 and Pegasus. 53 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:30,840 Iquellius is made up of a small, somewhat squashed rectangle of stars and looks a bit 54 00:04:30,840 --> 00:04:33,720 like a faint version of Delphinus. 55 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:38,640 While it doesn't boast any major deep sky objects, it's a delight for anyone who enjoys 56 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:40,480 star hopping. 57 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:44,560 Because of its size, it's a great target for those who want to push their observational 58 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:46,920 skills a little further. 59 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:52,960 Both of these constellations, L-Serta and Iquellius, might not grab your attention at first glance, 60 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:57,280 but they offer a wonderful way to deepen your stargazing experience. 61 00:04:57,280 --> 00:05:08,080 Be sure to look for them next time you're out under the autumn sky. 62 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:13,160 As we continue exploring the night sky this week, let's talk about some deep sky objects 63 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:16,120 that are well positioned for observation. 64 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:20,720 These are some of the most beautiful and intriguing sights that can be seen with binoculars or 65 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:22,680 a small telescope. 66 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:27,400 Even if you're a beginner, they're not too difficult to find and they offer a great reward 67 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:29,880 once you've located them. 68 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:36,240 First up is the Dumbbell Nebula M27 in the constellation Volpecula. 69 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:41,360 This planetary nebula is one of the brightest of its kind and it has an easily recognizable 70 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:46,200 shape that looks like a glowing dumbbell or hourglass. 71 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:52,400 Through a telescope, you'll be able to see the shell of gas ejected by a dying star. 72 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:57,040 Next we have the Ring Nebula M57 in Lyra. 73 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:02,320 This is another planetary nebula, but instead of an hourglass shape, it appears as a small 74 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:06,080 but strikingly clear ring of gas. 75 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:11,200 Through a medium-sized scope, the glowing ring really pops out against the dark backdrop 76 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:16,520 of space, making it a favorite target for amateur astronomers. 77 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:22,280 Don't forget about the Hercules cluster M13, one of the brightest globular clusters 78 00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:24,680 in the northern sky. 79 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:29,880 Located in the constellation Hercules, this dense cluster contains hundreds of thousands 80 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:32,960 of stars packed tightly together. 81 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:38,720 A telescope will reveal its granular structure, making it a fascinating object to study. 82 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:43,600 Also, it's one of the best globular clusters to observe in the fall. 83 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:51,640 For galaxy hunters, try locating the Triangulum Galaxy M33 in the constellation Triangulum. 84 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:58,160 It's a face-on spiral galaxy and the third largest member of our local group of galaxies 85 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:01,960 after the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy. 86 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:08,400 Under very dark skies, it's even possible to see M33 with the naked eye, though binoculars 87 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:13,280 or a small telescope will really bring out its faint spiral structure. 88 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:18,280 All these deep-sky objects make excellent targets for your stargazing adventures this 89 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:19,280 week. 90 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:23,600 It's usable for much of the night, so take your time to explore the wonders hidden in 91 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:31,200 the cosmos. 92 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:37,440 This week, we're taking a deep dive into one of the most iconic constellations, Ursa Major, 93 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:38,960 the Great Bear. 94 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:43,240 But as we'll discover, this isn't just any constellation. 95 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:47,520 It's a star pattern that has captured the imagination of people around the world for 96 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:54,320 thousands of years, and interestingly, many of those people saw a bear in the stars. 97 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:56,240 But why a bear? 98 00:07:56,240 --> 00:08:02,200 The answer takes us back to ancient human history spanning continents and cultures and 99 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:06,760 maybe into the mysterious world of prehistoric bear worship. 100 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:10,000 Let's start with the constellation itself. 101 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:16,360 Ursa Major, or the Great Bear, is visible all year round in much of the Northern Hemisphere, 102 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:19,720 making it a trusty guide for stargazers. 103 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:25,960 The part you're probably most familiar with is the Big Dipper, an asterism formed by seven 104 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:29,000 bright stars within Ursa Major. 105 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:34,320 The handle of the Dipper is often meant to be the long tail of the bear, which is odd 106 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,360 because bears have short tails. 107 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:43,600 The cup of the Dipper is significant because two of its stars, Dubay and Marac, serve as 108 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:47,780 pointer stars to the North Star, Polaris. 109 00:08:47,780 --> 00:08:51,480 This was no small matter to ancient civilizations. 110 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:57,080 Before modern navigation systems, people relied on the stars to find their way, and the Big 111 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:01,600 Dipper was like a celestial compass, always pointing north. 112 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:07,400 Mariners, travelers, and even nomadic tribes would have looked up to this asterism to guide 113 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:08,760 their paths. 114 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:14,080 But as useful as it was for navigation, it was also the subject of deep mythology and 115 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:17,260 symbolism, and that's where the bear comes in. 116 00:09:17,260 --> 00:09:19,240 It seems like an odd choice. 117 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:24,740 The stars of Ursa Major are spread out, and it takes some imagination to turn that shape 118 00:09:24,740 --> 00:09:26,240 into a bear. 119 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:32,360 Yet incredibly, people all over the world, separated by time, geography, and culture, 120 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:34,600 came to the same conclusion. 121 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:40,200 From the ancient Greeks to Native American tribes and Siberian peoples. 122 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:46,000 In Greek mythology, the bear is connected to the story of Callisto, a nymph who was transformed 123 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:49,080 into a bear by the jealous goddess Hera. 124 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:55,400 Later, Callisto was placed in the sky by Zeus, immortalized as the constellation we know 125 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:56,640 today. 126 00:09:56,640 --> 00:10:02,760 The Romans inherited this myth, and the story continued to thrive throughout Europe. 127 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:05,840 But here's where things get even more fascinating. 128 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:11,400 On the other side of the world, Native American tribes like the Iroquois and the Algonquin 129 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:14,640 also saw a bear in these stars. 130 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:20,360 The Iroquois told stories of hunters chasing a great bear across the sky, with the bear's 131 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:25,440 death in the fall explaining the changing colors of the autumn leaves. 132 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:30,160 And in some versions of the story, the bear isn't just being pursued, it's wounded, with 133 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:33,360 its blood staining the trees. 134 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:39,200 These parallel myths suggest something deeper, something more ancient, and it might be linked 135 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:44,080 to the migrations of early humans across continents. 136 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:49,720 Anthropologists have suggested that early hunter-gatherers crossing the Bering land bridge from Siberia 137 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:55,160 into North America carried with them stories of the celestial bear. 138 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:58,880 As they spread across the continent, so did the legend. 139 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:05,020 This bear in the sky became a universal symbol for survival, strength, and perhaps even the 140 00:11:05,020 --> 00:11:07,320 changing of the seasons. 141 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:12,160 To possibly understand why the bear became such a powerful symbol, we need to go even 142 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:20,200 further back in time, tens of thousands of years, to the age of the Ice Age hunter-gatherers. 143 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:25,480 Evidence suggests that humans in Europe once revered and possibly even worshipped the cave 144 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:31,760 bear, a species that roamed the earth during the Pleistocene epic and when extinct around 145 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:35,160 24,000 years ago. 146 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:39,880 Archaeologists have uncovered bear remains in ancient caves across Europe that suggest 147 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:42,080 ritualistic treatment. 148 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:47,840 In some sites in Switzerland and France, skulls of cave bears were found carefully placed 149 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:50,080 in stone niches. 150 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:54,960 Other remains show evidence that humans might have revered these massive animals, which 151 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:59,440 could stand up to ten feet tall on their hind legs. 152 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:04,280 These cave sites are thought to have been places of bear worship, possibly linked to 153 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:09,760 the awe these prehistoric humans felt toward the bear's physical power and its ability 154 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:15,920 to seemingly die in hibernation and return with the spring thaw. 155 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:21,040 This seasonal rhythm mirrored the cycles of the natural world that were essential for 156 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:25,760 the survival, especially to those dependent on hunting and gathering. 157 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:31,680 It's not a stretch to imagine that the stories of the cave bear survived in oral traditions, 158 00:12:31,680 --> 00:12:37,080 eventually evolving into the myths and stories about a celestial bear we find in cultures 159 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:40,480 from Siberia to North America. 160 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:46,520 The stars of Ursa Major became the eternal bear, standing watch over the night, year 161 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:49,360 after year, season after season. 162 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:53,880 However, not every culture saw a bear in Ursa Major. 163 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:59,840 In medieval Europe, the Big Dipper was often seen as a plow, a fitting image for agrarian 164 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:01,340 societies. 165 00:13:01,340 --> 00:13:07,720 The Romans sometimes called it the Seven Oxen, referring to the Seven Stars as oxen pulling 166 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:09,400 a cart. 167 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:15,120 In England, the stars were imagined as Charles's wagon, named after Charlemagne, the great 168 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:17,040 medieval emperor. 169 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:21,480 In China, the Big Dipper had a very different cultural significance. 170 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:26,760 It was known as part of the Northern Dipper, which was closely tied to the emperor's role 171 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:28,840 as the Son of Heaven. 172 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:33,520 The movement of these stars were thought to reflect the stability and harmony of the 173 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:35,720 empire itself. 174 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:41,120 Despite these variations, the bear myth is the most widespread and enduring. 175 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:46,680 It's amazing to think that people separated by vast distances and thousands of years could 176 00:13:46,680 --> 00:13:50,800 look up at the same stars and tell similar stories. 177 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:55,800 Perhaps there's something primal about the bear that spoke to early humans, an animal 178 00:13:55,800 --> 00:14:02,000 that, like them, was powerful, resourceful, and connected to the cycles of nature. 179 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:09,200 As a top predator, the bear represented power and resilience, but the bear was also mysterious, 180 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:15,680 capable of both incredible ferocity and long periods of dormancy during hibernation. 181 00:14:15,680 --> 00:14:21,280 In many ways, the bear walked a fine line between life and death, a creature that seemed 182 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:26,600 to conquer the changing seasons in a way that humans wished they could. 183 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:31,960 By identifying a bear in the sky, ancient people could project their hopes, fears, and 184 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:36,680 understanding of the natural world onto the stars. 185 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:40,960 Perhaps when they looked at Ursa Major, they weren't just seeing stars, they were seeing 186 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:46,400 the cycle of life itself played out on a cosmic stage. 187 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:50,560 So when you look up at the Big Dipper, take a moment to reflect on the idea that you're 188 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:56,000 connected to a tradition that stretches back thousands of years, one that speaks to the 189 00:14:56,000 --> 00:15:00,360 deep relationship between humanity and the natural world. 190 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:07,920 And just like them, you can rely on the Great Bear to guide you through the night sky. 191 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,600 That's it for today's episode of Star Trails. 192 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:14,000 If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend. 193 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:20,160 The easiest way to do that is by visiting our website, startrails.show, where you can 194 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:26,120 find all of our episodes including transcripts, night sky maps, and more. 195 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:30,280 Until next time, keep looking up and exploring the night sky. 196 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:43,320 Clear skies everyone.