A Summer Boon for Stargazers

By Neil Earle

Pic 1: Comet Neowise. Photos by Gary Woodall. Click photo to enlarge

"…the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades…"

All star clusters mentioned in the ancient Book of Job in chapter 9, verse 9.

Surprised?

"To read the Bible is to be interested in astronomy," a pastor-friend once told me.

Pic 2: Comet Neowise and the Big Dipper. Note meteor trail just above the top of the dipper handle. Click photo to enlarge

I've been writing and sounding the news about Comet Neowise this summer and here's the proof it really existed from pictures taken by my neighbor Gary right here in Arlington, TN. Pic 1 is a beauty and proves it. Pic 2 is the Comet in relation to the Big Dipper or "the Bear" as the ancients (including Job) called it (Ursa Major). Pic 3 is Jupiter and some of its moons which is a pretty cool shot as it resembles some I've seen in National Geo.

Nice work, Gary. He shot these north of Greenville, Texas and thanks to him for sharing. I recently heard a story that Napoleon heard two soldiers saying they didn’t believe in God and he stopped and pointed to the stars saying, "First you'd have to do away with these."

Remember now if you're lost in the woods the furthest top right star in the cup of the Big Dipper points straight across to the North Star – Polaris. Which is also the beginning of the handle of the Little Dipper called – you guessed it – Ursa Minor. Escaping slaves before the Civil War (1861-1865) were told to follow the North Star which showed North and Canada and freedom.

Lots of star viewing ahead as August is the month for shooting stars!

Pic 3: Jupiter and some of its moon. Click photo to enlarge