Bob Drieslein

Aristotle (384-322 BC) and other early Greek astronomers thought that the Earth was stationary and at the center of the universe with the Sun and other planets rotating around it. Historians tell us that this so-called “geocentric” or earth-centered view of the universe was accepted as fact for over 1,500 years!

We can only wonder if Mars’ menacing, red color may have prompted the ancient Greeks to name it after their God of War. Actually, scientists tell us that the planet’s red color is due to the presence of iron oxide, silicon, and sulfur in its dusty surface layers.

As turkey hunting takes center stage among Outdoor News readers in coming weeks, there are several interesting things to see in the early morning sky.
When the birds aren’t gobbling, or haven’t started yet, here are some celestial features you might want to view during the last two weeks of April 2024.

Located just below Orion’s belt in the familiar constellation named by the ancient Greeks is a region of dust and gas where stars are forming. It falls within a grouping of stars often referred to as the “sword” of Orion.
NASA tells us this feature, known as the Orion Nebula, is 1,500 light-years away but is still the closest, large star-forming region to Earth.

One of the best-known and easiest-to-find constellations is Leo, which is Latin for lion. This is the animal the ancient Greeks saw when they viewed this group of 13 or so stars in our northern sky.

For those brave souls willing to venture out on clear, cold winter nights, there are some great star-gazing opportunities.
Some of my favorites, maybe because they’re easy to find, are the constellation Orion and the stars and constellations that surround it.

One of the best-known constellations in our northern sky is Cassiopeia, named after a queen of Ethiopia in Greek mythology. Although it contains no stars brighter than second magnitude, Cassiopeia’s distinctive shape makes it quite easy to find.

NASA tells us that Mercury is 39 million miles from the Sun compared to Earth’s 93 million miles and is able to complete its smaller orbit in only 88 days.