Gemini

Do the names Castor and Pollux right any bells? The minor god twins who were immortalized in the night sky by their father Zeus? Well, it didn't for me until recently either. The stars Castor and Pollux did ring a bell, as I knew they were the two bright stars that are so close together that are thought to be twins. These stars are the basis of the northern sky constellation Gemini.

Gemini, or Latin for "twins", is often more widely known as an Astrological symbol for the people born during May 21 and June 20. The constellation was actually known before astrology claimed it. It was discovered by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy. Ptolemy discovered 44 of the modern 88 constellations that we know and recognize today.

The constellation Gemini is most easily found by first spotting the stars Castor and Pollux. The rest of the constellation is somewhat nondescript, which makes finding it somewhat challenging. Finding the constellation Taurus (which we will cover soon) will place you in the ball park for finding Gemini. Taurus can be found by looking east of Orion's Belt.
Star with Orion's Belt and move east, and you should find something like this below:

Happy stargazing!

December Moon Phases

I am sorry for being behind this month, but it is time for December's moon phase calendar. As I sit in my room and watch the small meteor shower outside of my window (most people call it snow), I think about how important the moon will be during this month. I shouldn't be silly though, as the next clear night, I'm heading back outside.

December moon phases

Now, I have a few interesting tidbits of knowledge for the fishermen and hunters reading this today. Did you know that the moon phase has an impact on hunting and fishing? If you are interested, please check out the links below!

Fishing by Moon Phase

Hunting by Moon Phase

Taking your own pictures of the stars

Have you ever looked at the beautiful pictures of the stars and thought, "That looks like a scene I saw one night!". I have on numerous occasions. It made me wish I had the capability to take pictures like those astronomers do. The great thing is, now a person like you and I can. All that is needed is a digital camera.

Check out this video from BBC Two. It will show you how to take pictures of planets, constellations, and so on, using digital cameras, and even webcams!
Another perk to this video: it is British. Awesome.
Enjoy, and start taking your own breathtaking pictures.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2pcXi1VL6Q