The Quadrantids is an above average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour at its peak. It is thought to be produced by dust grains left behind by an extinct comet known as 2003 EH1, which was discovered in 2003. The shower runs annually from January 1-5. It peaks this year on the night of the 3rd and morning of the 4th.
Continue readingThere are two prominent, winter hunting hounds you can find in your sky. The greater of the two is known as Canis Major, the great dog. It’s a common misconception that both Canis Major and Canis Minor are two hunting hounds of Orion the hunter. But actually, the origins of these two dogs are a little different than what you’d think.
Continue readingWith every myth there’s a degree of variation in how the stories are told. With Orion the Hunter, there is no exception.
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So far we’ve explored a nice array of constellations that can be found in your Summer night sky. In the last video, we took a look at Sagittarius and how the centaur was set to aid Orion in case he was attacked by Scorpius the Scorpion. After all, the arrow in Sagittarius is aimed right at the star Antares, also known as “the heart of the scorpion.” So, that’s what we’re going to look at today, Scorpius the Scorpion.
Welcome back to yet another edition of the Lore of the Constellations. We are in the season of Summer and so far we have covered three constellations: Aquila the Eagle, Lyra the Harp, and Cygnus the Swan. Three constellations part of something called the Summer Triangle. Now, if you’ve been following these videos you’re aware of how Aquila the Eagle was the pet of Zeus and each day was set up Prometheus to torment him for stealing fire. Well, today we’re going to go over Sagittarius and how this constellation is connected in the ancient Greek myth with Aquila.
Last season, we took a look at some of the more notable constellations that can be found in your seasonal Spring sky. We’re now in the season of Summer, so let’s take a deep dive into your favorite constellations you can now find from your very own backyard. You may have heard of the constellation Aquila the Eagle, but did you ever wonder why we recognize that batch of stars with that particular name? What is it named after? How long ago was this? Why is this eagle so special. Well, in these upcoming Lore videos, we’re going to explore how some of your favorite Summer constellations got their names.
In our last video, Jay Lamm, Planetarium Producer and Technical Manager at the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium in the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, will tell you a little bit about the crown in our sky: Corona Borealis, or, the Northern Crown.
In part 2 of this special video series, Jay Lamm, Planetarium Producer and Technical Manager at the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium in the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, will take you on a historical dive into how Virgo the Maiden got her name.
In this special video series, Jay Lamm, Planetarium Producer and Technical Manager at the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium in the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, will take you on a historical stroll through how some of the most notable Spring constellations got their names. After all, have you ever wondered what “Boötes” meant or why we honor “Virgo” with a special group of stars? There will be four videos for four notable constellations. The first involves the easy to find Leo, the Lion. Continue reading
The first time I ever went to a planetarium was when I was in second grade. It was on a field trip and I remember the show dealt with a private detective investigating something dealing with the stars. I remember this because I had always wanted to have a job like Sherlock Holmes. So, when I got a job at the planetarium I assumed that all the shows would revolve around a static star field and maybe a half-hour presentation on some of the planets you can find from your backyard. How wrong I was.
Irene W. Pennington Planetarium 