My Starlight Writing

My Backyard Stargazing.

I am lying on my back staring at the twinkling pinpoints in the night sky. I make out the southern cross, the two Pointers, some of the Jewel box cluster, Centaurus, Carina, Puppis and Vela I remember that I am looking into history because the light from the stars takes a long time to get to earth.

I run inside and grab my new telescope. Sadly my telescope is not exactly high technology but it will do. I set it up on the lawn and focus it. I zoom in on the Jewel box cluster.

The Jewel box cluster is an open cluster in the southern cross. 7 stars in the cluster make an A shape. The Jewel box cluster was discovered by Sir John Herschel. The Jewel box is one of  the youngest clusters estimated at 14 million years of age.

Being the sailors compass I focus my telescope on the

Southern Cross also known as the constellation Crux. The Southern Cross is the smallest yet one of the most recognisable of the 88 modern constellations. The southern cross was once part of the Centaurus but people thought it was enough to be a constellation on its own.

After  numerous minutes of studying  the Southern Cross I decide to move on. Next on my list are the 2 pointers. Personally I think the pointers are really cool. They are so bright. They point towards the southern cross with an imaginary line.The two stars in the pointers are Alpha Centauri and Agena. The pointers are in the constellation Centauri.  

Now I centre on to Centaurus. Centaurus is a very large constellation.  Centaurus  has 281 stars above magnitude 6.5 this  means it is powerfully visible to the naked human eye.

I decide to go to sleep for the night, The time is approaching  10:30 pm and I am cold and tired. I scramble inside and into bed for well needed sleep. My plan is to come out again tomorrow night and try to see at least another 3 constellations.

The next day I plan my night carefully I will go out at 9:30 pm and stay until 10:30 pm. I will try to fit in Carina, Puppis and Vela and then I will just look at individual stars.

It is 9:40 pm and I am studying Carina. Carina was discovered by  French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1751. Carina used to be a part of the constellation Argo Navis, but Argo Navis ended up being divided into 3 constellations, Carina, Puppis and Vela. When Carina was in Argo Navis Carina was the keel of the ship. It is also a modern constellation.

I move on to Puppis. Puppis is one of the 88 modern constellations. Puppis was the poop deck in Argo Navis before dividing in 1752. Puppis is the biggest of the 3 constellations that Argo Navis was divided into.

Now it is Vela’s turn. Vela’s name is Latin for the sails of a ship.

Vela’s brightest star is Gamma Velorum. Gamma velorum has a magnitude of 1.81 making it slightly visible to the naked eye. Vela is one of the 88 modern constellations.

Now I’m Tired, It is 10:30 pm and I have seen lots of amazing constellations. When I go to bed that night an idea hits me - I should write.something about the stars and constellations I have seen. The next morning I get to work first thing the next morning and this is my masterpiece I have written. You just finished reading it!!!