{"id":11029,"date":"2022-03-22T19:00:10","date_gmt":"2022-03-22T18:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/?p=113621"},"modified":"2022-03-22T19:21:18","modified_gmt":"2022-03-22T18:21:18","slug":"how-to-use-the-plough-as-a-signpost","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/rss_feed\/how-to-use-the-plough-as-a-signpost\/","title":{"rendered":"How to use the Plough as a signpost"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Pete Lawrence\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 22 March 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Orion is a constellation representing a mythological hunter, while the Plough is an asterism \u2013 an unofficial pattern of stars within Ursa Major the Great Bear, and can be seen from mid-February and mid-March.<\/p>\n

All stars appear to rotate around two points representing the projection of Earth\u2019s rotational axis into the sky:\u00a0the North and South Celestial Poles (NCP and SCP).<\/p>\n

The NCP sits above the northern point on the UK\u2019s horizon at an altitude equivalent to your latitude. Stars close enough to the NCP will appear to orbit it without setting,\u00a0a\u00a0behaviour described as\u00a0\u2018circumpolar\u2019.<\/p>\n

The Plough is circumpolar from the UK and is known by many names:\u00a0the Saucepan (la Casserole in France), Charles\u2019s\u00a0Wain, the Big Dipper, the Big Rudder and more.\u00a0The\u00a0Plough and\u00a0the\u00a0Saucepan are the two most common descriptors in the UK.<\/p>\n

\""How\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The plough is one of the most instantly recognisable constellations in the night sky \u00a9 Pete Lawrence<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Being visible whenever it\u2019s dark and clear, the pattern is useful for star navigation. Imagining it as a saucepan, follow the line of the two stars farthest from the handle, Dubhe and Merak, up with respect to the pan to locate Polaris, the North Star. Polaris almost sits on the NCP and as far as the naked eye is concerned, appears stationary. Dubhe and Merak are known as \u2018the Pointers\u2019.<\/p>\n

Follow the natural arc of the handle away from the pan, and eventually, you\u2019ll arrive at the bright orange star Arcturus. You can remember this by using the mnemonic of \u201cfollow the arc to Arcturus\u201d.<\/p>\n

Follow the line of the two stars in the pan nearest the handle down with respect to the saucepan and you\u2019ll eventually arrive at Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion<\/a>; \u201ca hole in the bowl will leak on Leo\u201d.<\/p>\n

Finally, extend the top edge of the pan away from the handle to locate bright Capella in Auriga the Charioteer; \u201cfollow the cap to Capella\u201d.<\/p>\n

Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n