Idaho Skies Transcript for the week of October 21st

DAN

Welcome to Idaho Skies for the week of October 21^st. We’re your hosts, Dan…

BENJAMIN

…and Benjamin.

PAUL

Leo the Lion is a prominent spring-time constellation. However, early-rising stargazers will find that the Lion has lunar company on the morning of the 23^rd.

DAN

To identify Leo, look first for its brightest star, Regulus. Regulus, which is the brightest star below the moon is the 21^st brightest star. It’s a giant star that’s 79 light years away. Your binoculars will show two stars in place of the one your eye sees. A good telescope splits the second star into two stars.

BENJAMIN

Regulus is a giant star. It’s nearly four times more massive than the sun and three times wider. It also rotates more quickly than our sun. The sun, or Sol, takes 27 days to revolve once on this axis. Of course, this has nothing to do with the length of the month. Regulus, on the other hand, rotates once in 16 hours.

DAN

Rotating 41 times faster than the sun puts a strain on Regulus. So much in fact that the star bulges noticeably at its equator. If it rotated any faster, Regulus would tear itself apart. Its gravity would be unable to hold onto material at its equator. None of this is obvious in your binoculars, or course.

BENJAMIN

Once you’ve located Regulus, the rest of Leo is easy to find. Its mane is the backwards question mark of five stars above Regulus. The hind quarters of Leo are the three-star triangle to the left of Regulus. This means Regulus represents the heart of Leo. Maybe this is why Regulus means little king.

PAUL

So on Wednesday morning, take a few minutes to look for the moon and Regulus below it. The rest of Leo will be above and left of the moon.

DAN

That’s Idaho Skies for the week of October 21^st.

BENJAMIN

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

For Idaho Skies this is Benjamin…

DAN

…and Dan.

BENJAMIN

Dark skies and bright stars.