If you can get away from the city and have a dark sky use the constellation of Cassiopeia to help you find the Double Cluster in Perseus. Cassiopeia is the constellation that looks like the letter “W” turned on its side. Two of the stars in the pattern point right to the Double Cluster in question.
The Double Cluster is made up of H & Chi Persei. These are open clusters that have about 300 to 400 stars in each. If you have a telescope or a set of binoculars use them to magnify this beautiful sight. They’ll be in the northwest in the evening.
The Last Quarter Moon will arrive on Thursday. It’ll officially be here at 12:38 p.m. Early risers will be able to enjoy the near half-moon if they’re heading out before sunrise on the fourth.
Speaking of the Moon – it has a date with Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius, on Saturday morning. Antares is huge, it’s known as a red supergiant. In fact if it were to sit where our sun is it would stretch out past the orbit of the planet Mars! And like Mars it also has a reddish hue when it twinkles in the sky. Happy hunting!
