[X] My Assistant

[Palomar]

Summer Delights in Sagittarius

*Sagittarius itself is a summer delight; there's nothing like watching its progression along the southern horizon as it trails immediately behind Scorpius. Its "Teapot" shape is a classic. Of course it "hosts" the richest portions of the Milky Way as visible to us.

The Sagittarius Star Cloud, about 30,000 light years distant, seems to be the nucleus, with the Sun and all the outer stars of the outer stars of the galaxy turning at the rate of 155 miles per second.  It requires about 200 million of our Earthly years to make one complete revolution, or one "cosmic year." Its outer edge is about 20,000 light years in the opposite direction.

This is the prime time to view the Milky Way. Also, Sagittarius is visible well into October. It is, IMO, the final fading of what was once summer, to see it seemingly pitching down into the horizon on mid-autumn nights.

--Cindy

P.S.: Will post a link to celestial cartography web site(s) tomorrow.

[Palomar]

Terrific resource

*I've always loved looking at these old celestial atlas illustrations. The art work, the colors employed, the mythology involved, etc.

Enjoy.

--Cindy