Globe at Night 2018 Cygnus and Second Scorpius Campaigns Begin Aug. 2

Summary: The Globe at Night 2018 Cygnus and second Scorpius campaigns begin Thursday, Aug. 2, in the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere, respectively.

Cygnus constellation’s brightest star, Deneb, eases finding the swanlike constellation by topping the prominent Summer Triangle asterism: Learn to Skywatch @Learntoskywatch, via Twitter Sep. 13, 2016

The Globe at Night 2018 Cygnus and second Scorpius campaigns begin Thursday, Aug. 2, and close Saturday, Aug. 11, as checks on light pollution effects on visibility of Cygnus the Swan constellation in the Northern Hemisphere and on Scorpius the Scorpion in the Southern Hemisphere.

The August campaign is the first of Globe at Night’s two 2018 campaigns for observing Cygnus the Swan constellation. The second 2018 Cygnus campaign begins in September.

Cygnus the Swan is a constellation in the Northern Celestial Hemisphere, the northern half of the abstract sphere projected outward from Earth’s surface. Cygnus lies north of the celestial equator, a projection of Earth’s equator outward to the celestial sphere. Spherical, or positional, astronomy uses the concept of an imaginary celestial sphere to determine apparent positions of celestial objects by way of specific date, time and location of Earth-based observations.

Cygnus holds 16th place in size ranking of the 88 modern constellations. The Swan’s large size accounts for borders with six constellations. Cepheus the King defines the Swan’s northeastern limits while Draco the Dragon touches the northwestern border. Lyra the Lyre lies to the west. Vulpecula the Fox brushes against the Swan’s southern boundary. Pegasus the Winged Horse appears in the southeast. Lacerta the Lizard is the Swan’s eastern neighbor.

Globe at Night suggests locating Cygnus the Swan constellation by way of the Summer Triangle asterism, or pattern of stars. The Summer Triangle emerges from the coordinate geometry of Altair (Alpha Aquilae, α Aquilae; α Aql, Alpha Aql), Deneb (Alpha Cygni, α Cygni; α Cyg, Alpha Cyg) and Vega (Alpha Lyrae, α Lyrae; α Lyr, Alpha Lyr), the three brightest stars in Aquila the Eagle, Cygnus and Lyra, respectively.

Globe at Night notes that Deneb anchors the Summer Triangle’s lower left vertex (angle-forming point of two converging sides). Deneb represents the Swan’s tail. Looking inward from Deneb toward the Summer Triangle’s center reveals Cygnus the Swan constellation.

Globe at Night includes a sky map as a finding aid. The campaign’s map places the swanlike constellation in the sky for four north latitudes (10, 20, 30, 40 degrees).

Seven magnitude charts are available for each Globe at Night campaign. Magnitudes range from zero for cloudy skies to seven for starry skies.

Magnitude charts identify the dimmest visible stars for participants’ latitudes. Light pollution interferes with visibility of dimmer, or fainter, stars.

The cloudy skies of the magnitude zero chart cloak Deneb at latitudes 10 to 50 degrees north. Magnitude one skies hide Deneb from participants at 10 degrees north latitude but allow visibility for the bright star at latitudes 20 to 50 degrees north. Magnitudes two through seven charts find Deneb at all five targeted latitudes.

Globe at Night’s first 2018 Cygnus campaign for Northern Hemisphere participants takes place simultaneously with the Southern Hemisphere’s second 2018 Scorpius campaign. The year’s first Scorpius campaign was conducted from Wednesday, July 4, through Friday, July 13.

Scorpius constellation primarily occupies the Southern Celestial Hemisphere. Classification as an equatorial constellation ensues from the Scorpion’s northernmost reach close to the celestial equator.

Globe at Night present the Milky Way as a finding aid for Scorpius. A southward view locates the Scorpion high in the sky, near the Milky Way’s center.

The Scorpion’s brightest star, Antares (Alpha Scorpii, α Scorpii, Alpha Scorpii; α Sco, Alpha Sco), eludes visibility on Globe at Night’s magnitude zero/cloudy sky chart for latitudes 10 to 40 degrees south. Centaurus the Centaur’s brightest star, Toliman (Alpha Centauri, α Centauri; α Cen, Alf Cen), forms a solitary trio of visibility with planets Jupiter and Mars on the zero magnitude chart for latitudes 10, 20 and 40 degrees south. Arcturus (Alpha Boötis, α Boötis; α Boo, Alpha Boo), Boötes the Herdsman (or Plowman) constellation’s brightest star, expands visibility to a quartet at 30 degrees south latitude.

Antares shines on magnitude one to seven charts at all four targeted south latitudes (10, 20, 30, 40 degrees). The Scorpion’s reddish variable star perches near Jupiter, at about one-third of the distance between the solar system’s largest planet and Mars.

The takeaway for the Globe at Night 2018 Cygnus and second Scorpius campaigns, which begin Thursday, Aug. 2, and close Saturday, Aug. 11, is that the Northern Hemisphere’s Cygnus campaign is the first of two 2018 Swan campaigns, while the Southern Hemisphere’s Scorpius campaign is the last of two 2018 Scorpion campaigns.

Contact details for Globe at Night:

email: globeatnight@noao.edu
website: https://www.darksky.org

Scorpius constellation’s brightest star, reddish Antares, easily aids in pinpointing the arachnid constellation: Learn to Skywatch @Learntoskywatch, via Twitter July 25, 2017

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Cygnus constellation’s brightest star, Deneb, eases finding the swanlike constellation by topping the prominent Summer Triangle asterism: Learn to Skywatch @Learntoskywatch, via Twitter Sep. 13, 2016, @ https://twitter.com/Learntoskywatch/status/775756264802508801

Scorpius constellation’s brightest star, reddish Antares, easily aids in pinpointing the arachnid constellation: Learn to Skywatch @Learntoskywatch, via Twitter July 25, 2017, @ https://twitter.com/Learntoskywatch/status/889908184961437697

For further information:

“Can You Find Cygnus?” Globe at Night > Finding Constellations.
Available @ https://www.globeatnight.org/finding/cygnus

“Can You Find Scorpius?” Globe at Night > Finding Constellations.
Available @ https://www.globeatnight.org/finding/scorpius

Learn to Skywatch ‏@Learntoskywatch. “Tonight's Target: Antares Supergiant red star in Scorpius Hint: Look due South around 9pm.” Twitter. July 25, 2017.
Available @ https://twitter.com/Learntoskywatch/status/889908184961437697

Learn to Skywatch ‏@Learntoskywatch. “Tonight's Target: Cygnus the Swan First find the Summer Triangle Then locate the star Deneb Find Deneb, Find Cygnus.” Twitter. Sept. 13, 2016.
Available @ https://twitter.com/Learntoskywatch/status/775756264802508801

Marriner, Derdriu. “Globe at Night 2018 Bootes and Crux Campaigns Happen in May.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, May 9, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/05/globe-at-night-2018-bootes-and-crux.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Globe at Night 2018 Hercules and Third Crux Campaigns Begin June 4.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, May 30, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/05/globe-at-night-2018-hercules-and-third.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Globe at Night 2018 Leo Campaign Begins April 6 for Northern Latitudes.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, April 4, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/04/globe-at-night-2018-leo-campaign-begins.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Globe at Night 2018 Scorpius and Second Hercules Campaigns Begin July 4.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, June 27, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/06/globe-at-night-2018-scorpius-and-second.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Northern Cross Marks Autumn Nights From Nightfall to Midnight.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/10/northern-cross-marks-autumn-nights-from.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Summer Triangle of Altair With Deneb and Vega Dramatizes Summer Nights.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/08/summer-triangle-of-altair-with-deneb.html