Do you know? How to find and see the constellations that can be seen in the summer?
In the city, surrounded by tall buildings and bright neon lights, it can be quite difficult to clearly find constellations.
In contrast, at campsites with little surrounding light, you can see beautiful stars.
As we enter the height of summer, what kind of constellations can be seen during this season?
What are the points to enjoy the starry sky while camping?
Star gazing is generally said to be clearer in winter when the air is crisp, but for example, the Milky Way can be seen more vividly and beautifully in summer, so you can fully enjoy star gazing on summer nights as well. When observing the starry sky, it is best to do so on a clear night without the moon, as the brightness of the moon makes it difficult to see the stars.
As for the environment, places with little fog or haze and clear air are ideal, and it is said that higher elevations make it easier to see well. It is best to observe in locations where the view is open and trees are not densely grown.
The starry sky can be beautifully seen with the naked eye in a pitch-dark environment with little light. For those who want to observe more carefully, it might be good to prepare binoculars or a telescope. Also, having a star chart allows you to accurately identify the positions of constellations. Additionally, since it is often very dark around, it is advisable to bring a flashlight to illuminate your feet.
When looking at the stars, turn off the flashlight, let your eyes adjust to the darkness, and look up at the sky for a while in a place without light. It is recommended because your eyes will get used to the dark and you will be able to see more stars.
What constellations color the summer night sky?
How do you find them?
So, what constellations can be seen in summer? One of the representative constellations of summer is the "Summer Triangle." This constellation is a large triangle drawn in the night sky by three 1st place stars: "Vega," "Altair," and "Deneb." The "Orihime" and "Hikoboshi" who appear in the Tanabata festival correspond to "Vega" and "Altair," respectively. Since it is located almost directly overhead from August to September during summer, it is considered an easy constellation to find.
To find the Summer Triangle, first look for the large "cross" roughly overhead. This large cross is the "Cygnus" constellation, and the brightest star within it is "Deneb," one of the three stars forming the Summer Triangle. Deneb, located at the tail of the swan, means "hen's tail" in Arabic. According to legend, Cygnus represents the form Zeus took to seduce a queen in Greek mythology.
Once you have found Deneb in the Cygnus constellation, next try to find the smaller “cross” a little to the south. This smaller “cross” is the Aquila constellation, whose brightest star is Altair, the second star forming the Summer Triangle, known as “Hikoboshi.” In Greek mythology, Aquila is famously known as the form Zeus took when he transformed to carry a beautiful young prince to the heavens.
Finally, starting from the found Deneb and Altair, if you look westward, there is the Lyra constellation, characterized by a parallelogram shape. The bluish-white star at the upper right of the parallelogram is Vega of Lyra, the last star of the Summer Triangle. Vega is also known as the "Weaving Princess," and according to Greek mythology, when the son of Hermes, one of the gods, died in a river, Zeus picked up the lyre that was floating in the river and turned it into a constellation. In this way, constellations are imbued with various myths, so learning the stories through the constellations makes it even more interesting.
Also, if you look west from Vega in Lyra, you can relatively easily find the constellation Corona Borealis, where seven stars are lined up like a crown. Furthermore, Scorpius is another representative summer constellation, shining brightly with the famous red first-magnitude star called Antares. Since Scorpius is a constellation located low in the southern sky, it is easier to observe at campsites with few surrounding buildings. Because Antares appears red even to the naked eye, it might be easier to find by using Antares as a landmark.
There are various pleasures in camping, such as barbecues and campfires, but adding stargazing to your nighttime enjoyment allows you to experience a more extraordinary time.
Summer is especially a season when the Milky Way is easy to see, so when camping, be sure to look up at the night sky.
