Our charts are set largely for the northern half of Earth. To see a exact view out of your location, strive Stellarium Online.
Moon close to Crown of Scorpius
On the morning of December 21, 2022, look ahead to the waning crescent moon to pair up with the three stars often called the Crown of Scorpius. These stars marks the top of Scorpius the Scorpion.
When you look about 40 minutes earlier than dawn, extra of Scorpius is above the horizon, probably together with the brilliant crimson star Antares, thought of the Scorpion’s Coronary heart.
Stars within the Crown of Scorpius
When it’s completely above the horizon – as it will likely be earlier than daybreak a month or so from now – Scorpius the Scorpion is among the best constellations to see within the sky. That’s as a result of it resembles a big fishhook or J-shaped determine. The hook within the J is the Scorpion’s Tail. The Crown of the Scorpion or Scorpion’s Head is on the alternative finish of the constellation from the Tail. It’s a barely curved arc of three stars: Acrab, Dschubba, and Fang.
The higher a part of the Scorpion – Antares on the Coronary heart, and the three stars on the Crown – have a real gravitational connection in space. They’re all a part of a grouping of younger stars often called the Scorpius–Centaurus Association. These stars had been doubtless born collectively from a single cloud of fuel and dust in space, and so they nonetheless transfer by way of space of our Milky Way galaxy in a loosely related group.
By the way in which, the center star of the Crown – Dschubba – is a really intriguing star. It’s a widely known variable star whose brightness you possibly can simply observe with the unaided eye. At it’s brightest, it might actually change the looks of Scorpius. Nevertheless, Antares can also be variable, so at instances Dschubba can virtually rival crimson Antares in brightness!
Backside line: A really outdated waning crescent moon joins the three stars that make up the Crown of Scorpius on the morning of December 21, 2022. The beautiful glow on the moon is earthshine.
For more great observing events in the coming weeks, visit EarthSky’s night sky guide
