May Skies - the Zodiac and Leo

This article originally appeared in Scilly Now & Then magazine's April/May edition.

​Now the clocks have gone back as we are in the midst of a lovely Scilly spring, the downside does mean later nights for us stargazers, and, potentially, the start of bleary-eyed mornings.
 
That aside, there’s still much to enjoy up there. The Spring constellations are slowly working their way into peak position in the night sky. We’re fast losing Orion; Taurus is hot on its heels, if at all visible, and the twin stick-figures of Gemini are low in the sky. Between the much fainter constellations of Cancer and Virgo you will now spot Leo, the lion.
 
If these names sound familiar it’s probably because you’ve read about them in the back of a magazine in your horoscope, and yes, they are constellations of the Zodiac. But I’m not talking about your ‘star signs’. Astrology – unlike astronomy – is not a science, although to be fair, they both involve the stars. That’s where it ends. Astronomy can explain the position of the stars in the sky, but frankly, it’s up to you to interpret their meaning.
 
In astronomy, the Zodiac refers to the twelve constellations that our Sun passes through, identified back in the day by the ancient Babylonians. This area of sky also includes the apparent paths of the moon and the planets. We also call this imaginary line frequented by Moon, Sun and planets ‘the ecliptic’. Arcing at 25.5 degrees, East to West, locate this area of the sky and you will also find some of the most wonderful night sights.
 
Leo is one of the oldest recognised constellations in the night sky, documented even by the Mesopotamians, and known as the lion in many ancient cultures. Handily, it’s one of the few constellations that looks like its namesake. You can find the Lion’s head south of the ‘dipper’ in the Plough, where it appears as a backwards question mark. The bottom of this sickle is Regulus, Leo’s brightest star, noted for its fast bullet-like shape and peculiar motion.
 
Back on Earth, our observatory is now open for the season on St Martins. For 2019 our regular openings – come rain or shine – will be Tuesday evenings and Friday afternoons, for a look around and fingers crossed some star (or sun) gazing. We’ll open other nights, which will vary week to week depending on cloud and astronomical events.
 
We look forward to welcoming you – finally – to Scilly’s own observatory!