RSPB column: Embrace the darkness – try stargazing this winter
Many of us find the short days a bit of a struggle at this time of year, but I try to take advantage of the darker evening skies by seeking out a bit of sparkle and heading outside to stargaze.
Some of the best constellations can be seen in our winter skies and I’d suggest that you look southwards and see if you can find Orion’s Belt – a line up of three stars running through the centre of the constellation Orion. Orion is the hunter who is often depicted with a club or sword held aloft and a shield or a lion’s head on his other arm. Orion includes both a red supergiant (Betelgeuse) an ageing star that is nearing the end of its life and a blue supergiant (Rigel) which is a younger, hotter star.
Follow the line of Orion’s belt downwards (to the left) and you’ll find Sirius or the Dog Star, the brightest star in Earth's night sky. Its brightness is due to a combination of its luminosity and its proximity to Earth. It is the most prominent star in the constellation Canis Major ‘The Great Dog’ who is one of Orion’s faithful hunting dogs. The association of this star with canines is not restricted to our culture – Sirius is also known as the Wolf Star by North American tribes and the Moon Dog by the Inuits of Alaska.
To the right of Orion you will find Aldebaran, the reddish star that represents the eye of Taurus the Bull. Then search for the Pleiades – or the Seven Sisters – a cluster of young bright stars, whom Taurus the Bull supposedly defends from the lascivious advances of Orion.
So pick a clear night, put on your woolly hat and gloves and head outside to embrace the darkness.