- Stoke-on-trent, Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom
Science Of Using Telescopes.
Research Interests:
The introduction to this book is a particularly good place to establish some of the well-known facts regarding Sirius. Of all the fixed stars in the night sky, Sirius is by far the brightest—almost twice as bright as its nearest rival,... more
The introduction to this book is a particularly good place to establish some of the well-known facts regarding Sirius. Of all the fixed stars in the night sky, Sirius is by far the brightest—almost twice as bright as its nearest rival, the star Canopus, which resides too far south to be viewed over much of the northern hemisphere. Only the sun, the moon, and at times the planets Venus, Jupiter, and on rare occasions Mars, appear
brighter. Sirius, with its flashing brilliance, is a striking feature of the northern winter sky and has understandably drawn the attention of observers of the heavens for thousands of years. Sirius can be easily seen over most of the surface of the earth, except for a zone north of the Arctic Circle, where it never rises. Every year Sirius emerges from the glare of the sun in late July, and by year's end it hangs on the meridian at midnight. In late May it disappears from view, rejoining the sun for a period of slightly over two months. It was around this annual coming and going that certain ancient cultures and civilizations organized their religious year, and synchronized their calendars with the agricultural cycles. It was also surrounding Sirius that a host of elaborate legends and beliefs came into being.
brighter. Sirius, with its flashing brilliance, is a striking feature of the northern winter sky and has understandably drawn the attention of observers of the heavens for thousands of years. Sirius can be easily seen over most of the surface of the earth, except for a zone north of the Arctic Circle, where it never rises. Every year Sirius emerges from the glare of the sun in late July, and by year's end it hangs on the meridian at midnight. In late May it disappears from view, rejoining the sun for a period of slightly over two months. It was around this annual coming and going that certain ancient cultures and civilizations organized their religious year, and synchronized their calendars with the agricultural cycles. It was also surrounding Sirius that a host of elaborate legends and beliefs came into being.