Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Delving into the Dipper (late evening)

The Big Dipper sits near the zenith in late evening in early April. Its seven bright stars are only a portion of a large constellation called Ursa Major,
the Big Bear. Fainter stars located east of the dipper form the bear's head
and neck, and its front and rear legs. The bowl of the dipper resembles a saddle on the bear's back. The dipper's handle doubles as the bear's tail. Astronomers believe that five of the stars in the dipper - Mizar, Alioth, Merak, Megrez, and Phecda, formed together about 300 million years ago, and
are still travelling through space together as siblings - hence their similar distances of about 80 light-years from Earth.

(Data Courtesy of Starry Night)
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* Origin: CJ's Place, Orange City FL > cjsplace.thruhere.net (954:100/61)