01/21/22 – Ephemeris – A river in the sky, but not the Milky Way

This is Ephemeris for Friday, January 21st. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 23 minutes, setting at 5:36, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:11. The Moon, halfway from full to last quarter, will rise at 9:31 this evening.

One of the more obscure constellations around is Eridanus, which depicts a river. The river starts near the lower right corner of Orion, near the bright star Rigel and flows to the right then down near the southwestern horizon, then it meanders along the horizon to the south before turning below the horizon. One has to travel to the far south to see the southern terminus of the river, the bright star Achernar. Writers over the ages have seen here the Nile and the Earth circling river Ocean of the flat earth days. Achernar is actually two stars. And the brightest was discovered to be the flattest star known, due to its rapid spin. The dimensions of Achernar A has been determined to be twice as wide across its equator than from pole to pole. It’s 139 light years away.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EST, UT – 5 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

An animation of the constellation Eridanus, which is a river that flows from Rigel in Orion to the star Achernar below our southern horizon at latitude 45 degrees north. Create using Stellarium and GIMP.

A model of Achernar by the European Southern Observatory (ESO).

01/12/2021 – Ephemeris – The celestial river Eridanus

This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Tuesday, January 12th. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 7 minutes, setting at 5:25, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:17. The Moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 8:58 tomorrow morning.

One of the more obscure constellations around is Eridanus, which depicts a river. The river starts near the lower right corner of Orion, near the bright star Rigel and flows to the right then down near the southwestern horizon, then it meanders along the horizon to the south before turning below the horizon. One has to travel to the far south to see the southern terminus of the river, the bright star Achernar. Writers over the ages have seen here the Nile and the Earth circling river Ocean of the flat earth days. Achernar is actually two stars, the brightest was discovered to be the flattest star known, due to its rapid spin. The dimensions of Achernar A has been determined to be twice as wide across its equator than from pole to pole. It’s 139 light years away.

The event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.

Addendum

An animation of the constellation Eridanus which is a river that flows from Rigel in Orion to the star Achernar below our southern horizon at latitude 45 degrees north. Create using Stellarium and GIMP.

01/08/2019 – Ephemeris – The river at Orion’s feet

Ephemeris for Tuesday, January 8th. The Sun will rise at 8:19. It’ll be up for 9 hours exactly, setting at 5:19. The Moon, 3 days past new, will set at 7:55 this evening.

One of the more obscure constellations around is Eridanus, which depicts a river. The river starts near the lower right corner of Orion, near the bright star Rigel and flows to the right then down near the southwestern horizon, then it meanders along the horizon to the south before turning below the horizon. One has to travel to the far south to see the southern terminus of the river, the bright star Achernar. Writers over the ages have seen here the Nile and the earth circling river Ocean of the flat earth days. Achernar is actually two stars, the brightest was discovered to be the flattest star, due to its rapid spin. The dimensions of Achernar A has been determined to be twice as wide across its equator than from pole to pole. It’s 139 light years away.

The times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.

Addendum

An animation of the constellation Eridanus which is a river that flows from Rigel in Orion to the star Achernar below our southern horizon at latitude 45 degrees north. Create using Stellarium and GIMP.

01/15/2018 – Ephemeris – A river in the sky

Ephemeris for Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 15th. The Sun will rise at 8:16. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 11 minutes, setting at 5:28. The Moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 7:49 tomorrow morning.

There is a long and sinuous constellation that’s part of the winter sky. It is Eridanus, which depicts a river. The river starts near the lower right corner of Orion, near the bright star Rigel and flows to the right then down near the southern horizon, then it meanders below the horizon. One has to travel to the far southern United States or even farther south to see the southern terminus of the river, the bright star Achernar. Writers over the ages have seen here the Nile and the earth circling river Ocean of the flat earth days. One of its stars is close to us and famous. It’s Omicron 2 Eridani a triple star system and the fictional home to Mr. Spock and other Vulcans of the Star Trek franchise. No real planet has been found there. Yet.

The times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.

Addendum

An animation of the constellation Eridanus which is a river that flows from Rigel in Orion to the star Achernar below our southern horizon at latitude 45 degrees north. Create using Stellarium and GIMP.

Keid, Omicron 2 Eridani, fictional home of Mr. Spock. Created using Stellarium.

 

01/17/2017 – Ephemeris – Denial is not a river in the sky

Ephemeris for Tuesday, January 17th.  The Sun will rise at 8:14.  It’ll be up for 9 hours and 16 minutes, setting at 5:31.  The Moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 11:32 this evening.

One of the more obscure constellations around is Eridanus, which depicts a river. At 9 p.m. the river starts near the lower right corner of Orion, near the bright star Rigel and flows to the right then zigzags down to the left, then down to the right near the southern horizon, then it heads south below the horizon. One has to travel to the far south to see the southern terminus of the river, the bright star Achernar.  Writers over the ages have seen here the Nile and the world circling river Ocean of the flat Earth days.  Achernar was recently discovered to be the flattest star known, due to its rapid spin.  The dimensions of Achernar have been determined to be twice as wide across its equator than from pole to pole.  It’s 139 light years away.

Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.

Addendum

An animation of the constellation Eridanus which is a river that flows from Rigel in Orion to the star Achernar below our southern horizon at latitude 45 degrees north. Create using Stellarium and GIMP.

A model of Achernar by the European Southern Observatory (ESO).

01/23/2014 – Ephemeris – The river Eridanus

Ephemeris for Thursday, January 23rd.  The sun will rise at 8:10.  It’ll be up for 9 hours and 28 minutes, setting at 5:38.   The moon, 1 day before last quarter, will rise at 1:31 tomorrow morning.

There is a long and sinuous constellation that’s part of the winter sky.  It is Eridanus, which depicts a river.  The river starts near the lower right corner of Orion, near the bright star Rigel and flows to the right then down near the southern horizon, then it meanders below the horizon.  One has to travel to the far southern United States or even farther south to see the southern terminus of the river, the bright star Achernar.  Writers over the ages have seen here the Nile and the earth circling river Ocean of the flat earth days.  One of its stars is close to us and famous.  It’s Omicron 2 Eridani a triple star system and the fictional home to Mr. Spock and other Vulcans of the Star Trek franchise.  No real planet has been found there.  Yet.

Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan.  They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Note:  In previous posts about Eridanus I had identified Epsilon Eridani and the fictional Mr. Spock’s home star.  It’s actually Omicron 2 according to Gene Roddenberry himself.

Speaking of Vulcan, Star Trek fans nominated Vulcan for one of the names for Pluto’s latest two satellites, apparently forgetting that Vulcan was borrowed from Roman mythology as the god of fire, and the history of astronomy.  Pluto and its satellites are some of the coldest bodies in the solar system, and the International Astronomical Union (IAU) had designated that the satellites carry on the Pluto and Hades or underworld theme.  Anyway, in the mid 19th century some astronomers thought they discovered a planet that resided inside the orbit of Mercury and named it appropriately, Vulcan.  If anything is ever found orbiting inside Mercury, it may get the name Vulcan.  As for the names of the latest two moons of Pluto, they are Styx named after the the River Styx; and Kerberos,  Greek for Cerberus the three headed dog that guards the entrance to Hades.  Harry Potter fans may know this creature better as “Fluffy”.

The constellation of the river Eridanus above and below the horizon for 9 p.m. on January 23, 2014. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).

12/14/2012 – Ephemeris – The constellation of the river Eridanus

Ephemeris for Friday, December 14th.  The sun will rise at 8:12.  It’ll be up for 8 hours and 50 minutes, setting at 5:02.   The moon, 1 day past new, will set at 6:58 this evening.

There is a long and sinuous constellation that’s part of the winter sky.  It is Eridanus, which depicts a river.  The river starts near the lower right corner of Orion, near the bright star Rigel and flows to the right then down near the southern horizon, then it meanders below the horizon.  One has to travel to the far southern United States or even farther south to see the southern terminus of the river, the bright star Achernar.  Writers over the ages have seen here the Nile and the earth circling river Ocean of the flat earth days.  One of its stars is close to us and famous.  It’s Epsilon Eridani host to at least two large planets and the home to the fictional Mr. Spock and other Vulcans of the Star Trek franchise.  Trouble is the star is too young and any earth-like planets would be in unstable orbits.

Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan.  They may be different for your location.

Addendum

The constellation Eridanus the river, both above and below the horizon. Created using Cartes du Ciel.

12/27/11 – Ephemeris – The constellation of Eridanus the river

Tuesday, December 27th.  The sun will rise at 8:18.  It’ll be up for 8 hours and 50 minutes, setting at 5:08.   The moon, 3 days past new, will set at 8:49 this evening.

One of the more obscure constellations around is Eridanus, which depicts a river.  The river starts near the lower right corner of Orion, near the bright star Rigel and flows to the right then down near the southwestern horizon, then it meanders along the horizon to the south before turning below the horizon.  One has to travel to the far south to see the southern terminus of the river, the bright star Achernar.  Writers over the ages  have seen here the Nile and the earth circling river Ocean of the flat earth days.  Achernar was recently discovered to be the flattest star, due to its rapid spin.  The dimensions of Achernar have been determined to be twice as wide across its equator than from pole to pole.  It’s 139 light years away.

* Times, as always are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan.

Addendum

The constellation Eridanus the river, both above and below the horizon. Created using Cartes du Ciel.

The light curved line with the directions SE and S s the horizon from Traverse City, MI.