You are here:

Astronomy/cluster off Orion's belt

Advertisement

Expert: - 10/29/2008


Question
Hi Tom, here is my question. At about 4 in the morning in Portland, Or (Oct 20thish) Orion is in my SW sky.  There is a small DIM cluster of stars just north/northwest of his belt, can you tell me the name?  I have tried to find them on many charts, very confusing.  I know this is very vague, but the cluster is very obvious, it's just dim.

Answer
Well, the only other option I see on my star chart is the littlegrouping of stars that make up the "head" of Orion, which forma triangle with Reddish bright Betelgeuse (the red supergiantin Orion) and Gamma Orionis (common name Bellatrix).The head is a small grouping of 3 naked eye stars....Lambda, Phi 1 and Phi 2 Orionis which are north of a line halfway betweenBetelgeuse and Bellatrix.Another faint line of stars is just west of Bellatrix (and directlywhich the 3 Bright Belt of Orion stars points to)...is the lineof North-South stars that are called the 'shield' of Orion,consisting of stars running north to south... of Omicron 1, Omicron 2, Pi 1, Pi 2, Pi 3, Pi 4, Pi 5, and Pi 6....Orionis.The top star of this line, Omicron 1 Orionis, is fairly close toAldebaran in Taurus, and nearly on the Orion-Taurus border. So perhaps it's one of these that you are spotting....or maybeyou mean a different direction off of Orion. This is the coreof the brilliant Winter sky, so there is an awful lot in thisregion to observe.
Clear Skies,
and thanks for the very nice rating,
Tom Whiting
Erie, PA

PS...but I still think you are snagging the Pleiades open star
cluster (all blue-whites, and looking like a little sauce pan of
6 or 7 stars) because it is so obvious, and jumps right out at
any observer.
Clear Skies,
Tom  

Astronomy

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Tom Whiting

Expertise

Astronomy has been my hobby/pasttime for over 50 years.  Currently own 3 telescopes, the largest of which is a 30 inch Newtonian truss Dob that is portable.I taught Astronomy/Meteorology at the University Level for 13 years before retiring in 1995. Being retired and home most of the time, I am able to answer all questions relatively quickly, unless it's a new moon weekend with good observing conditions.  No astrology questions please, or questions about alleged UFO picture identifications.

Experience

Experience: Astronomy has been my hobby and study for over 50 years. We currently now own a 30 inch portable telescope (Updated - Pennsylvania`s largest portable telescope). It can be seen on our website at:http://www.velocity.net/~bwhiting and also attend several regional starparties during the year, and have been on 5 total solar eclipse expeditions.

Organizations: President, Erie County Mobile Observers Group for over 15 years.

Publications: Wrote the "Over Erie Skies" newspaper article in our local newspaper for 11 years (1975-86).

Education: Masters Degree- Taught at the University level for 13 years. Retired 20 years -USAF Pilot - KC-135 with 180 combat missions;  Also Eagle Scout, Philmont staff 2 Yrs, Order of Arrow Lodge Chief, Ham Radio (inactive).

Awards: two discoveries: The mini-coathanger asterism in Ursa Minor (the little dipper) And the mini-ladle- another asterism in the bowl of Ursa Minor. Clients: Currently President of the ECMOG as mentioned above.

Education/Credentials
BS  Metallurgical Engineering Grove City College, PAMaster's Degree, Gannon University, Erie, PA Also retired USAF pilot, 20 years.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.