Mintaka: from home, and waaaay, down under!

Event Date: January 23rd

Time: 6:30 PM/2:30 AM (UT-next day, from south pole...read further)

Brief

   This is one of those evenings when I have a bit of blogger's block: does that really exist??  

Rather than take time attempting to come up with a new topic or revisit planets, I will review one of my favorite, visible stars, in reference to its declination: Mintaka.  Read more about it here, including about its companion star.  

   When looking at this western belt-star, it doesn't seem too attractive to the eye, comparing it to brighter or more colorful ones: Sirius, Antares, and easy-to-split doubles such as Mizar, are a few that come to mind.  While these are all in very different parts of the sky, they are also at very different declinations of each other: several degrees south, several degrees north, and even further north respectively, it requires alot of telescopes slewing!  As for our featured star, Mintaka is less than 18 arc-minutes south of the celestial equator.  Therefore, it (seemingly) traces out the equator better than any other easily-visible star, throughout its time above the horizon.  

   Here is Mintaka labeled, shown with the other belt stars and rest of those bright enough in Orion, zoomed in 2 1/2 times to more easily see its separation from the celestial equator.  Except for the Moon, seen between two of the hunter's stars that make up his club, no other celestial bodies are labeled.

Detailed

   If this star was seen looking directly from the South Pole, and there is no obstruction, Mintaka would be the brightest star that is closest to the horizon, moving just above it 24 hours a day, every day of the year.  *Please don't ask me if there actually is obstruction or not, as I have no desire to go there anytime soon to find out! :-) Getting back on topic, remember that--disregarding proper motion and precession of the Earth's axis--all stars seen directly from the poles, are circumpolar: they will never rise or set.  Unlike the northern hemisphere however, where we have Polaris, there is no star as bright, as near to the southern celestial pole.  There are very bright ones (Alpha Centauri and Canopus) that are close enough to guide one in that direction, yet no where as close as Polaris is to the north axis.  

   During months that it is deep twilight or dark at the south pole, those braving the journey and insanely frigid temperature there, can see it.  For fun, I will show this in image two, as the software lets us take it there.  Enjoy being warm(er), while seeing stars from the pole!  Mintaka is labeled, as is the celestial equator, which in this case, is the same as the horizon!  Since it is summertime there now, and the sky is always light for the next 8 weeks, I will put the sky in dark mode...as if it could get any more depressing from there!  I will also hide the landscaping so to clearly see the horizon/celestial equator, and Mintaka, at its northern transit point.  Notice finally, that the numbers on the equator are upside down, as they are--by default--represent the northern hemisphere latitudes!  Hiding the horizon shows something else: an "upside down" Orion...at least, for us northerners anyway!  Therefore, the waxing gibbous Moon, when above the horizon, appears upside down and instead looks like...a waning gibbous!  Weird?  Not really, and especially for anyone who has lived in southern latitudes and never northern ones!

click on images to enlarge: courtesy of Starry Night Pro Plus, version 6.4.3, by Simulation Curriculum Corp.