Idaho Skies Transcript for December 16th to 18th

PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for December 16th, 17th, and 18th. We’re your hosts, Paul...

RACHEL
...and Rachel.

PAUL
The moon and Beehive star cluster are visible together in binoculars on the night of the 16th.

RACHEL
The Beehive star cluster is one of the few star clusters recorded by ancient civilizations.

PAUL
However, they didn’t know they consisted of stars.

RACHEL
That’s right. They could only see the them as fuzzy patches in the sky.

PAUL
Kind of like an out of focus star.

RACHEL
However, modern stargazers can easily see star clusters like the Beehive with their binoculars.

PAUL
First, aim your binoculars at the moon.

RACHEL
Then place the moon in the lower right edge of your binoculars.

PAUL
As you shift your binoculars, the Beehive star cluster will enter your view from the upper left edge.

RACHEL
Now the moon is going to be bright.

PAUL
That means its light will wash out many of the stars filling the Beehive.

RACHEL
So shift you binoculars away from the moon a bit more until only the Beehive remains.

PAUL
How many stars can you see in the Beehive?

RACHEL
In dark skies, you should see about a dozen stellar members of this cluster.

PAUL
To get an even better view, use averted vision.

RACHEL
That means shift your eyes to look away from the cluster slightly.

PAUL
That way the more sensitive part of your retina is focused on the star cluster.

RACHEL
This is an old trick that stargazers use to detect faint object.

PAUL
But it doesn’t let you see sharp details.

RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 16th, 17th, and 18th of December.

PAUL
Be sure to follow us on Twitter at Idaho Skies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps.

For Idaho Skies this is Paul...

RACHEL
...and Rachel.

PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.