APOD: A Northern Winter Night (2021 Feb 06)

Comments and questions about the APOD on the main view screen.
Post Reply
User avatar
APOD Robot
Otto Posterman
Posts: 5344
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 3:27 am
Contact:

APOD: A Northern Winter Night (2021 Feb 06)

Post by APOD Robot » Sat Feb 06, 2021 5:07 am

Image A Northern Winter Night

Explanation: Snow blankets the ground in this serene forest and sky view. Assembled in a 360 degree panoramic projection, the mosaicked frames were captured at January's end along a quiet country road near Siemiony, northeastern Poland, planet Earth. The night was cold and between trees reaching toward the sky shine the stars and nebulae of the northern winter Milky Way. Near zenith is bright star Capella, a mere 43 light-years above the tree tops. Alpha star of the constellation Auriga the Charioteer and part of the winter hexagon asterism, Capella is a well-studied double star system. Follow the Milky Way above and right of Capella and you might spot the familiar stars of Orion in the northern winter night.

<< Previous APOD This Day in APOD Next APOD >>

User avatar
Ann
4725 Å
Posts: 13372
Joined: Sat May 29, 2010 5:33 am

Re: APOD: A Northern Winter Night (2021 Feb 06)

Post by Ann » Sat Feb 06, 2021 7:21 am

Lovely picture, but it's making me feel claustrophobic.

I hate snow. And there's snow, thick massive snow, all around that beautiful tiny opening of stunningly gorgeous space.

The snow is approaching the tiny opening from every direction, aided by those trees that are closing in on it like zippers about to be done up.

Ann
Color Commentator

251billyg
Asternaut
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2014 9:56 am

Re: APOD: A Northern Winter Night (2021 Feb 06)

Post by 251billyg » Sat Feb 06, 2021 10:07 am

From the red dot near center-go left to blue dot,then white dot and in that line to the tree branches.Is that smudge Andromeda ?

Puddock
Ensign
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 8:57 am
Location: The Highlands of Scotland
Contact:

Re: APOD: A Northern Winter Night (2021 Feb 06)

Post by Puddock » Sat Feb 06, 2021 10:56 am

Gorgeous!

User avatar
Ann
4725 Å
Posts: 13372
Joined: Sat May 29, 2010 5:33 am

Re: APOD: A Northern Winter Night (2021 Feb 06)

Post by Ann » Sat Feb 06, 2021 11:17 am

251billyg wrote: Sat Feb 06, 2021 10:07 am From the red dot near center-go left to blue dot,then white dot and in that line to the tree branches.Is that smudge Andromeda ?
The relatively bright blue star at dead center in the image is Mirfak, Alpha Persei. Go left from Mirfak until you get to an elongated smudge skimming the treetops.

That's Andromeda.

Capella (brightest white star in the image), Mirfak and Andromeda form a horizontal straight line.

Ann
Color Commentator

User avatar
orin stepanek
Plutopian
Posts: 8200
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:41 pm
Location: Nebraska

Re: APOD: A Northern Winter Night (2021 Feb 06)

Post by orin stepanek » Sat Feb 06, 2021 2:17 pm

Ann wrote: Sat Feb 06, 2021 7:21 am Lovely picture, but it's making me feel claustrophobic.

I hate snow. And there's snow, thick massive snow, all around that beautiful tiny opening of stunningly gorgeous space.

The snow is approaching the tiny opening from every direction, aided by those trees that are closing in on it like zippers about to be done up.

Ann
+1 And it's cold too, but we we need it! :shock:
Orin

Smile today; tomorrow's another day!

User avatar
orin stepanek
Plutopian
Posts: 8200
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:41 pm
Location: Nebraska

Re: APOD: A Northern Winter Night (2021 Feb 06)

Post by orin stepanek » Sat Feb 06, 2021 2:31 pm

Siemiony_las_31_01_2021_1024.jpg
I really do not care much for these round photos, cause they are so
unreal! They are a nice artistic bit of work by the photographer
though; and I appreciate it for that! 🙄
Orion was easy to find; But I'm having trouble with Andromeda! :?
Orin

Smile today; tomorrow's another day!

User avatar
Ann
4725 Å
Posts: 13372
Joined: Sat May 29, 2010 5:33 am

Re: APOD: A Northern Winter Night (2021 Feb 06)

Post by Ann » Sat Feb 06, 2021 3:19 pm

orin stepanek wrote: Sat Feb 06, 2021 2:31 pm Siemiony_las_31_01_2021_1024.jpg

I really do not care much for these round photos, cause they are so
unreal! They are a nice artistic bit of work by the photographer
though; and I appreciate it for that! 🙄
Orion was easy to find; But I'm having trouble with Andromeda! :?
Siemiony_las_31_01_2021_1024[1].jpg
The Winter Hexagon annotated.png
1 = Orion
2 = Procyon
3 = Gemini with Pollux and Castor
4 = Capella
5 = Mirfak
6 = Andromeda
7 = The Pleiades
8 = The Hyades

Ann
Color Commentator

De58te
Commander
Posts: 583
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2013 6:35 pm

Re: APOD: A Northern Winter Night (2021 Feb 06)

Post by De58te » Sat Feb 06, 2021 4:47 pm

Well, as long as we're identifying stars, which one would be Polaris, the north star? I've come to learn that the handle of the Little Dipper points to North Star. Can't seem to find the Dipper. Also found out that if you draw a straight line from Betelgeuse through (not Capella but the second bright star Beta Aurigae) seen here to the right of Capella, and continue the line about the same length you find Polaris. I figure that is the lone blue star by itself in the bottom portion around 6:30 o'clock. Is that right?

User avatar
Ann
4725 Å
Posts: 13372
Joined: Sat May 29, 2010 5:33 am

Re: APOD: A Northern Winter Night (2021 Feb 06)

Post by Ann » Sat Feb 06, 2021 5:08 pm

De58te wrote: Sat Feb 06, 2021 4:47 pm Well, as long as we're identifying stars, which one would be Polaris, the north star? I've come to learn that the handle of the Little Dipper points to North Star. Can't seem to find the Dipper. Also found out that if you draw a straight line from Betelgeuse through (not Capella but the second bright star Beta Aurigae) seen here to the right of Capella, and continue the line about the same length you find Polaris. I figure that is the lone blue star by itself in the bottom portion around 6:30 o'clock. Is that right?
You're right!

Ann
Color Commentator

User avatar
johnnydeep
Commodore
Posts: 2780
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:57 pm

Re: APOD: A Northern Winter Night (2021 Feb 06)

Post by johnnydeep » Sun Feb 07, 2021 4:08 pm

Ann wrote: Sat Feb 06, 2021 5:08 pm
De58te wrote: Sat Feb 06, 2021 4:47 pm Well, as long as we're identifying stars, which one would be Polaris, the north star? I've come to learn that the handle of the Little Dipper points to North Star. Can't seem to find the Dipper. Also found out that if you draw a straight line from Betelgeuse through (not Capella but the second bright star Beta Aurigae) seen here to the right of Capella, and continue the line about the same length you find Polaris. I figure that is the lone blue star by itself in the bottom portion around 6:30 o'clock. Is that right?
You're right!

Ann
The handle of the Little Dipper ends in Polaris, and the Big Dipper end of the bowl points to Polaris. As for where it is in this picture, I need help. Is this right?

Is This Polaris?
Is This Polaris?
--
"To B̬̻̋̚o̞̮̚̚l̘̲̀᷾d̫͓᷅ͩḷ̯᷁ͮȳ͙᷊͠ Go......Beyond The F͇̤i̙̖e̤̟l̡͓d͈̹s̙͚ We Know."{ʲₒʰₙNYᵈₑᵉₚ}

User avatar
Ann
4725 Å
Posts: 13372
Joined: Sat May 29, 2010 5:33 am

Re: APOD: A Northern Winter Night (2021 Feb 06)

Post by Ann » Sun Feb 07, 2021 5:59 pm

johnnydeep wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 4:08 pm
Ann wrote: Sat Feb 06, 2021 5:08 pm
De58te wrote: Sat Feb 06, 2021 4:47 pm Well, as long as we're identifying stars, which one would be Polaris, the north star? I've come to learn that the handle of the Little Dipper points to North Star. Can't seem to find the Dipper. Also found out that if you draw a straight line from Betelgeuse through (not Capella but the second bright star Beta Aurigae) seen here to the right of Capella, and continue the line about the same length you find Polaris. I figure that is the lone blue star by itself in the bottom portion around 6:30 o'clock. Is that right?
You're right!

Ann
The handle of the Little Dipper ends in Polaris, and the Big Dipper end of the bowl points to Polaris. As for where it is in this picture, I need help. Is this right?



I don't think we can see the Big Dipper in the APOD. You can see Polaris (and your annotation is quite correct) as well as Pherkad and Kochab. They are the two moderately bright stars some distance away from Polaris.

I think the orientation of the image is such that the Big Dipper is off the frame of the APOD.

Ann
Color Commentator

User avatar
johnnydeep
Commodore
Posts: 2780
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:57 pm

Re: APOD: A Northern Winter Night (2021 Feb 06)

Post by johnnydeep » Sun Feb 07, 2021 6:55 pm

Thanks, Ann. Perhaps this is the Little Dipper?

Little Dipper?
Little Dipper?
--
"To B̬̻̋̚o̞̮̚̚l̘̲̀᷾d̫͓᷅ͩḷ̯᷁ͮȳ͙᷊͠ Go......Beyond The F͇̤i̙̖e̤̟l̡͓d͈̹s̙͚ We Know."{ʲₒʰₙNYᵈₑᵉₚ}

User avatar
Ann
4725 Å
Posts: 13372
Joined: Sat May 29, 2010 5:33 am

Re: APOD: A Northern Winter Night (2021 Feb 06)

Post by Ann » Sun Feb 07, 2021 7:38 pm

johnnydeep wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 6:55 pm Thanks, Ann. Perhaps this is the Little Dipper?


That's right!

Ann
Color Commentator

Post Reply