Mid and late spring evenings often bring back youthful memories of gazing at the Big Dipper. Relive those times by heading to a dark area on a clear moonless night.
Lie on a blanket with your feet pointing north and look nearly overhead. You will easily spot the Big Dipper with its seven major stars pouring its imaginary water over the northern horizon. Trace a straight line northward beginning at the two stars at the end of the bowl, then striking Polaris, the North Star. Since it lies almost directly above Earth’s north pole, it marks the direction of true north at any time of night, on any evening of the year.
Spin yourself around so you now face south, with the Dipper and North Star behind you. Direct your gaze down the arc of the handle of the Dipper toward the southeast until you bump into the brightest star in the spring sky, Arcturus. Continue following that arc until your eyesight hits Spica, an easily seen star. To their west shines another star, somewhat dimmer than Spica. Denebola, Spica, and Arcturus form the attractive equilateral configuration known by stargazers as the “Spring Triangle.”
These stars are the same stars seen in your youth. These are the same twinkling lights that will be seen by your grandchildren and your grandchildren’s grandchildren. Make sharing the night sky an intergenerational experience!
The story above first appeared in our May/June 2021 issue.
