Of Toadstools and Tennis Rackets

[pbyrne]

Hi all

Last night, November, 1, the skies were exceptionally clear, even from my light polluted back garden the stars sparkled.  It was time to hunt down some asterisms.

It's amazing the variety of asterisms out there, I saw a mini Cassiopeia, a mini Orion, a replica Delphinus and second coat hanger.  I observed a toadstool, it was upside down, a spatula and even ET.  Ursa Minor held an engagement ring, as well as the coat hanger, there is also a shark, though this beast eluded me.  Getting close to the season, there is a Christmas tree in Aquarius.  For the pipe smokers out there, Cepheus holds a sample, as does Cygnus.  Cygnus also presents a nice smiley face called Vultus Irrisore, no, I don't know what that means either.  The tennis racket is in Aquila, and it even has a ball.

In July I stumbled across an asterism that was not listed, here's the link:
https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/624795-asterism-in-vulpecula/

Asterisms are fun, some require a little imagination to see, others, such as mini Orion and mini Cassiopeia really are what they say they are.
 

[Nyctimene]

There are some more nice asterisms, all visible in binos: "Eddie's rollercoaster" in the north of Cassiopeia (starting near the oc Be 62); the "saxophone" in the Alpha Persei cluster; and, of course, my favourite: "Davis's Dog"; easy to find (just 2° north of the Hyades), two of it's "tail" stars are visible by naked eye, and it's unmistakable shape shows the most obvious similarity to a dog, compared to all the other way less conspicuous celestial dogs. Once spotted, you are asking yourself, why you haven't seen it before. And, guaranteed, you'll return to it each time you are visiting Pleiades and Hyades. Have a look:

Enjoy!

Stephan

 

[pbyrne]

Hi Stephan

 

I love Davis's Dog, you can almost hear the bark.

 

Paul