Friday, September 16, 2011

Does the Libra constellation still exsist and if so where in the sky?

I have to help someone do a research paper and these are the 2 questions she can't find answers to.Any websites would be appriciated.|||Sure it exists. But you won't be able to see it at this time of year, because it's too close to the Sun. Summer is the best viewing season. Also, Libra is a fairly dim constellation, with no stars of first or second magnitude. That means you probably won't be able to see it from a city or town and you will need to take a trip to a rural area.





But if you're in a rural area when it gets to be summer, start at the Big Dipper (look north to find it) and follow the arc of the handle leftward around about 45 degrees or so to a bright star called Arcturus ("Take the arc to Arcturus"). Continue following the arc for another 45 degrees or so to another bright star, called Spica ("Take the arc to Arcturus, and speed on to Spica").





Spica is the brightest star in Virgo, and it is your first signpost. By now you will be looking roughly south or southwest.





Looking left from Spica, the next bright star you see is Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius. Antares has two smaller companions to the left and right, so it's easy to identify. Antares is your second signpost.





If you know your zodiac, you know that Libra is between Virgo and Scorpius. Spica and Antares are your signposts, and Libra lies halfway between them: a wide triangle of 3rd magnitude stars lying on its side (the long end of the triangle faces Scorpius). This triangle represents the bar of the scale, with the two dishes "hanging" from the ends, "down" (actually left) toward Scorpius.|||Libra still exists. You can find it towards the East if you look near the feet of Virgo, and slightly to the Northwest of Scorpio. Hydra is also slightly Southeast of the Hydra. It is a somewhat Southern Hemisphere consellation, located between -10 degrees and -30 degrees on the Celestial Globe.|||As far as I know nobody has moved it. As for exactly where it is in the sky, you'll have to go to a star chart. But there are a ton of those on-line.





Doug

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