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?
How to enjoy the starry sky even when 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 in the summer night sky as well. When observing the stars, it is best to do so on a clear night when the moon is not out, 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 offer better visibility. The best spots for observation are those with an open view where trees are not densely grown.
The starry sky can be beautifully seen with the naked eye in a completely 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 grasp the positions of the constellations. Additionally, since the surroundings are often completely dark, 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. Your eyes will get used to the dark, and you will be able to see many more stars, so this is recommended.
What constellations color the summer night sky?
How do you find them?
So, what kind of constellations can you see in the 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 magnitude stars: "Vega," "Altair," and "Deneb." The "Orihime" and "Hikoboshi" from the Tanabata festival correspond to "Vega" and "Altair," respectively. It is located almost directly overhead from August to September during the summer, making it an easy constellation to find.
To find the Summer Triangle, first look for the large "cross" near the zenith. This large cross is the "Cygnus" constellation, and its brightest star, "Deneb," is 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 Greek mythology, Cygnus is said to be the form Zeus took to seduce a queen.
Once you find Deneb in Cygnus, next look a little south for a smaller "cross." 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 famous for the story where Zeus transformed into an eagle to carry a beautiful prince to the heavens.
Finally, starting from the Deneb and Altair you found, if you look westward, there is the constellation Lyra, 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 "Orihime" (the Weaver 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 of Lyra, you can relatively easily find the constellation Corona Borealis, where seven stars are lined up like a crown. Furthermore, Scorpius is also one of the representative summer constellations, shining brightly with the famous red first-magnitude star called Antares. Scorpius is a constellation located low in the southern sky, so it is easy to observe at campsites with few surrounding buildings. Since 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 you go camping, be sure to look up at the night sky.
