Our charts are set principally for the northern half of Earth. To see a exact view out of your location, attempt 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 pinnacle of Scorpius the Scorpion.
If you happen to look about 40 minutes earlier than dawn, extra of Scorpius is above the horizon, presumably together with the brilliant crimson star Antares, thought-about the Scorpion’s Coronary heart.
Stars within the Crown of Scorpius
When it’s fully above the horizon – as will probably 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 possible born collectively from a single cloud of gasoline and dust in space, they usually nonetheless transfer by way of space of our Milky Way galaxy in a loosely related group.
By the best way, the center star of the Crown – Dschubba – is a really intriguing star. It’s a well known variable star whose brightness you’ll be able to 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 nearly rival crimson Antares in brightness!
Backside line: A really previous 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
