| Constellation tour in Winter |
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| Date & Time: | Mar 22 2025, from 20:46 to 21:01 JST(+0900) |
| Composed 8 shots with 2 minutes exposed | |
| Optical: | AF zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm (f=85mm, stop: F4.5) |
| with Kenko Softon Clear filter | |
| Auto-guided with Kenko SKYMEMO S Equatorial | |
| Digital Camera: | Nikon D810A |
| Location: | Furudono town, Fukushima pref. |
| Camera Settings: | Recording Format...14bit CCD-RAW, converted to 16bit TIFF(7360×4912) |
| Device Size...FX format(36×24mm) | |
| Sensitivity...ISO1600, White Balance...Daylight |
 Astroarts StellaNavigator |
A tiny winter constellation of Canis Minor is found at opposite side of its mate of Canis Major separated by the Milky Way.
Its only point of interest is in alpha CMi, Procyon. The star is one of members that forms the large asterism of the Winter's Great Triangle with Betelgeuse, alpha Ori, and Sirius, alpha Canis Majoris. The name of Procyon means "Before the Dog", coming from the fact that this star rises just before (about 11 minutes at Tokyo) Sirius. The distance is estimated about 11.4 light years; Procyon is nearly as close to us as Sirius (8.7 light years away). Procyon had a former name of "Gomeisa", that means, "eye in tears". The star was regarded as being sad because many asterisms like Orion or bright stars in West Side of Milky Way left Gomeisa behind at the opposite side. Now, Gomeisa is named another principal star, beta CMi with third magnitude. |
Guide for Deep Sky Objects| Abell 20 | .....Small, round-shaped planetary nebula at 5.4deg. SW of Procyon |
| Abell 24 | .....Medium-sized reddish planetary nebula in SE of Procyon |
| Molecular cloud in south of Procyon | .....A faint molecular cloud with no catalog ID, stretching 8 deg. in east-west and lying south of Procyon |
 Auriga |
 Gemini |
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Copyright(c) 2025 by Naoyuki Kurita, All rights reserved. |
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