Idaho Skies Transcript for January 26th, 27th, and 28th

RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for January 26th, 27th, and 28th. We’re your hosts, Rachel...

PAUL
...and Paul.

RACHEL
After it gets dark on the 26th, go outside with binoculars and look for the moon.

PAUL
Stargazers will find the moon skirting the edge of the Hyades star cluster.

RACHEL
The Hyades is V shaped and its represents the face of Taurus the Bull.

PAUL
The bull’s eye is the orangish star Aldebaran, which appears at one tip of the Hyades.

RACHEL
The moon slowly approaches this star all night long.

PAUL
Or at least until 3:00 AM when the moon sets.

RACHEL
Binoculars aimed at the Hyades will fill with a wide scattering of stars.

PAUL
And the moon will be perfectly placed to form the vertex of the sideways V of stars.

RACHEL
The next night, the 27th, the moon will appear above Orion the Hunter.

PAUL
Orion is a large and bright constellation.

RACHEL
Which appears as a rectangle of stars below and right of the moon.

PAUL
Then on the 28th, stargazers will find the moon at the feet of Gemini the Twins.

RACHEL
Gemini consists of two parallel rows of stars and they’ll be visible on the left side of the moon.

PAUL
Why is this region of the sky filled with so many bright stars?

RACHEL
Astronomers have asked the same question.

PAUL
They found that these stars are part of a bright ring of stars between 1,500 and 2,400 light years wide that circles the solar system.

RACHEL
Astronomers have given the ring the name Gould’s Belt and it’s at least 30 million years old.

PAUL
Whatever caused it, resulted in additional bright stars including those in Scorpius the Scorpion.

RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 26th, 27th and 28th of January.

PAUL
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @IdahoSkies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps.

For Idaho Skies this is Paul...

RACHEL
...and Rachel.

PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.