Transcript for May 24 - 30

PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for the last week of May. We’re your hosts, Paul...

RACHEL
...and Rachel.

PAUL
You can find the heart of Leo the Lion above the moon on the 24th.

RACHEL
The star’s name is Regulus and it has a diameter about four times larger than the sun.

PAUL
One of the most amazing properties of Regulus is that it rotates once on its axis in just 16 hours.

RACHEL
That’s incredibly fast when you consider that the sun takes 30 days to rotate once.

PAUL
Because Regulus rotates 45 times faster than the sun, its poles are noticeably flattened.

RACHEL
And its equator budges outward.

PAUL
Straight above the moon on the 26th is the second brightest star of Leo the Lion.

RACHEL
The star’s name is Denebola, which means tail in Arabic.

PAUL
Denebola is a guidepost to a large, but sparse star cluster.

RACHEL
So get your binoculars out and trace a straight line from the moon to Denebola.

PAUL
Then extend that line the same distance again.

RACHEL
You’ll run smack dab into a very large and spread out star cluster.

PAUL
The name of the star cluster is MEL-111.

RACHEL
The star cluster is 280 light years away, so the light you see tonight left in the year 1735.

PAUL
There are at least 40 stars in the cluster and you should see at least half of them simultaneously through your binoculars.

RACHEL
You’ll notice that they form a distinctive V shape.

PAUL
The brightest star of Virgo is at the right side of the moon on the 29th.

RACHEL
That’s Spica, right?

PAUL
Yep. Unfortunately, there’s a problem here.

RACHEL
Is it because Virgo is a large and dim constellation?

PAUL
That’s correct. So this leaves Spica in a rather lonely region of the sky.

RACHEL
But have no fear, just look farther to the lower right of the moon.

PAUL
That’s where you’ll see a warped square of four stars.

RACHEL
These stars form the constellation of Corvus the Crow.

PAUL
The star in the upper left corner of Corvus is named Algorab.

RACHEL
That means the crow in Arabic.

PAUL
Look closely at Algorab and you’ll see a second star close to its upper left.

RACHEL
These two stars make Algorab look like a double star.

PAUL
However, they’re actually 30 light years apart and only appear close together in Earth’s sky.

RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the last week of May. Join us next month for the space and astronomy events for Idaho.

PAUL
Be sure to read our blog for additional information. It’s at idahoskies.blogspot.com.

For Idaho Skies this is Paul...

RACHEL
...and Rachel.

PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.