Babe Among the Stars: Brilliant Mira
Created | Updated Mar 25, 2016
Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth - Ptolemy
Brilliant Mira
The first variable star to be discovered was omicron Ceti, commonly named Mira (Latin meaning 'the amazing one'). It is a six billion year old red giant star which fluctuates between magnitude +10 and +1, making it one of the brightest periodic variables. Mira's strange behaviour pattern, including disappearing from view for part of its cycle, led astronomers to mistakenly assume it was a nova (exploding star). At the time of its scientific discovery in 1596, most people had a geocentric world-view (in which the Earth is at the centre of the universe and every other heavenly body revolves around it). To voice a different theory was considered heresy and many people died for their beliefs. The study of Mira added to the weight of evidence which eventually led towards the scientifically accepted heliocentrism. On 5 March, 2016, Mira is expected to attain maximum brightness – at +1 mag it will be about the same as the more stable Antares (alpha Scorpii), so now is the opportunity to see this amazing star before it fades from view again.
New Favourite
I have a new favourite Hubble image. This is the Sharpless 2-106 Nebula spanning two light years in Cygnus 'the Swan', or an angel in outer space, whatever you see. Enjoy!
March Diary Dates
On 8/9 March there will be a Total Solar Eclipse. Totality will only be viewable from Indonesia, but other areas will see a partial eclipse: Malaysia, Singapore, The Philippines, Thailand, Australia, Micronesia and Hawaii. If any readers do get to view it please let me know by starting a conversation below. Thank you!
- 29 February: Leap Year Day
- 01 March: The 52m-wide asteroid 2011 EH17 will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 01: The 18m-wide asteroid 2016 DL1 will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 02: The Moon passes 4° north of Saturn
- 03: The 7m-wide asteroid 2016 EK1 will pass Earth within the orbit of the Moon
- 03: The 46m-wide asteroid 2016 DV1 will pass Earth within the orbit of the Moon
- 03: The 28m-wide asteroid 2016 DW1 will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 03: The 27m-wide asteroid 2016 DM1 will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 03: The 25m-wide asteroid 2016 DU1 will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 04: All four Galilean moons will be on one side of Jupiter
- 04: The 12m-wide asteroid 2016 EL1 will pass Earth within the orbit of the Moon
- 05: Try to see Mira (omicron Ceti) while it is visible to the naked eye
- 05: The 7m-wide asteroid 2016 EG1 will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 05: The 20m-wide asteroid 2016 DN2 will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 07: The Moon passes 4° north of Venus
- 08: Jupiter reaches its 2016 peak (mag −2.5)
- 08: The 38m-wide asteroid 2013 TX68 will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 08/09: Total Solar Eclipse
- 09: New Moon
- 09: The 1.2km-wide asteroid 2001 PL9 will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 10: The Moon is at perigee (closest to Earth)
- 10: The Moon passes 1.9° south of Uranus
- 10: The 51m-wide asteroid 2016 EB1 will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 14: The Moon passes 0.3° north of Aldebaran (alpha Tauri)
- 15: Gamma Normids meteor shower peak (Southern Hemisphere)
- 18: All four Galilean moons will be on one side of Jupiter
- 19: The 62m-wide asteroid 2010 FX9 will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 20: Vernal equinox - first day of Spring (Northern Hemisphere)/first day of Autumn (Southern Hemisphere)
- 21: The comet 252P/LINEAR will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 21: The Moon passes 2° south of Jupiter
- 22: The 545m-wide asteroid BA14 PANSTARRS will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 23: Full Moon - the Worm Moon
- 23: Penumbral lunar eclipse (will be visible from east Asia, Australia and most of North America)
- 23: The 1.6km-wide asteroid 1993 VA will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 23: The 60m-wide asteroid 2016 CY135 will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 24: The 29m-wide asteroid 2016 EQ1 will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 25: The Moon is at apogee (furthest from Earth)
- 25: All four Galilean moons will be on one side of Jupiter
- 28: The Moon passes 4° north of Mars
- 28: All four Galilean moons will be on one side of Jupiter
- 28: The 1km-wide asteroid 2001 XD will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
- 29: The Moon passes 3° north of Saturn
- 29: The 270m-wide asteroid 2016 BC14 will pass Earth beyond the orbit of the Moon
Chat about your celestial observances at the H2G2 Astronomy Society. Comment on anything in this edition of Babe Among the Stars by starting a new conversation below.
