If he were still alive, today would be my grandfather Nathan Silberman's 146th birthday. Unfortunately, he left us just over 50 years ago in December 1970, three months before what would have been his 96th birthday.
All through his life my grandfather said he was born on the first day of Spring. I cannot remember when the vernal equinox somehow stopped occurring on March 21st and started occurring on March 20th, but I read this week that because of time zone differences between North America and the place our days begin (the International Date Line in the middle of the Pacific Ocean), Spring would not begin on March 21st in North America at all during the remainder of this century.
Grandpa would be so disappointed.
In Charlestonese, the type of English spoken in parts of coastal South Carolina, people say that buds wobble in the sprang (translation: birds warble in the Spring). Well, buds ain't the only thang that wobbles.
Did you know that Earth's axis also wobbles like a top? Well, it does. The North Pole won't always point to Polaris. The wobble takes something like 26,000 years to complete one circuit. It's called 'axial precession' and you can read all about it 'rat cheer' (translation: right here).
In other news, the answer nobody on Jeopardy! knew on Friday evening was "What is a hunter?". The category was Biblical Occupations and the clue mentioned the book of Genesis and Nimrod. At least someone knew that the answer to "_________ were abiding in the field keeping watch on the night Jesus was born" was "What are shepherds?" and the clue didn't even include "over their flocks".
Until next time, T.T.F.N.
Showing posts with label Polaris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Polaris. Show all posts
Sunday, March 21, 2021
Monday, February 11, 2019
As Betelgeuse once said to Rigel, "You can't be Sirius!
When I was a young lad in Texas 70 years ago, my Dad introduced me to the glories of the night sky. He showed me The Big Dipper in the constellation Ursa Major (Big Bear) and how to draw a line through two of its stars to find Polaris, the North Star, which was at the end of the handle of The Little Dipper in the constellation Ursa Minor (Little Bear). He showed me how to look an equal distance beyond Polaris to find Cassiopeia, which according to Wikipedia "was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century Greek astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations today. It is easily recognizable due to its distinctive 'W' shape, formed by five bright stars. It is opposite the Big Dipper."
It is not really "opposite" the Big Dipper, but I know what Wikipedia was trying to say. My Dad said it better.
Speaking of my Dad, he also showed me Orion the Hunter, easily identified by the three stars in his belt; and Sirius, the Dog Star; and Leo the Lion; and red Antares in Scorpius (which really does look like a scorpion if your imagination is good enough).
He showed me Venus and Jupiter and Mars. He showed me the Milky Way. Anybody who does that can’t be all bad.
The Milky Way was easily visible in those days and stunning on the dark, flat plains of Texas. Today it cannot be seen from our urban and suburban areas because of all the man-made light near the ground.
Later I learned that Orion's right shoulder was the star Betelgeuse and his left knee was the star Rigel. I say "left" and "right" assuming Orion is facing toward us. If he is facing away from us, Betelgeuse is his left shoulder and Rigel is his right knee. I’m just saying.
(Image from stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/oricma-p.html)
This week I had a huge shock. I took my dog out for her last nightly walk before bedtime, looked up into the sky and saw bright Sirius, and glanced to the right to see my old friend Orion. There was Betelgeuse on his shoulder. There was Rigel on his knee.
I couldn't see his belt.
The macular degeneration in my eyes has reached the point that the only way I can see dimmer stars like the ones in Orion's belt any more is to look slightly to the right of them and pick them up in my peripheral vision, which isn't nearly as satisfying.
It's just more evidence that I am slowly going the way of all flesh.
It is not really "opposite" the Big Dipper, but I know what Wikipedia was trying to say. My Dad said it better.
Speaking of my Dad, he also showed me Orion the Hunter, easily identified by the three stars in his belt; and Sirius, the Dog Star; and Leo the Lion; and red Antares in Scorpius (which really does look like a scorpion if your imagination is good enough).
He showed me Venus and Jupiter and Mars. He showed me the Milky Way. Anybody who does that can’t be all bad.
The Milky Way was easily visible in those days and stunning on the dark, flat plains of Texas. Today it cannot be seen from our urban and suburban areas because of all the man-made light near the ground.
Later I learned that Orion's right shoulder was the star Betelgeuse and his left knee was the star Rigel. I say "left" and "right" assuming Orion is facing toward us. If he is facing away from us, Betelgeuse is his left shoulder and Rigel is his right knee. I’m just saying.
This week I had a huge shock. I took my dog out for her last nightly walk before bedtime, looked up into the sky and saw bright Sirius, and glanced to the right to see my old friend Orion. There was Betelgeuse on his shoulder. There was Rigel on his knee.
I couldn't see his belt.
The macular degeneration in my eyes has reached the point that the only way I can see dimmer stars like the ones in Orion's belt any more is to look slightly to the right of them and pick them up in my peripheral vision, which isn't nearly as satisfying.
It's just more evidence that I am slowly going the way of all flesh.
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