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| Space between Gemini, Auriga and the Lynx - Canon 600d DSLR with EOS 18-55mm lens at f=15mm on a Star Adventurer equatorial mount. Image by Pip Stakkert. Plate solving by Astrometry net. |
" Beta Aurigae is an unusual and interesting binary star system. It has an official arabic name Menkalinan and can be seen with the naked eye when the constellation Auriga is visible in the night sky. It is the second brightest star in the constellation after Capella and is approximately 81 light years distant from Earth. The binary star system comprises two metallic-lined subgiant stars having A type stellar classification. The two stars are roughly the same diameter and same mass and revolve around a common centre of gravity. Both are hot stars that emit blue-white hued light, because they are so close together they cannot be resolved as two stars by visual or photographic means. Over a period of 3.96 days their combined apparent magnitude varies between +1.89 and +1.94 as every 47 hours and 30 minutes one star partially eclipses the other as viewed from Earth. Metallic-lined stars have unusual spectra exhibiting strong and often variable absorption lines for metals such as zinc, strontium, zirconium and barium and deficiencies in others such as calcium and scandium. These chemical abnormalities are the result of some light absorbent elements being pushed to the surface whilst others sink due to gravity. For this to take place the star must have a low rotational velocity. Normally, stars classified as A have high rotational velocities. In the case of the binary star Beta Aurigae the rotational velocity of each star has been reduced by gravitational tidal affects. Beta Aurigae has a much fainter companion star in attendance which may be gravitationally linked. So Beta Aurigae may indeed be a triple star system.
Our galaxy the Milky Way has a centre as viewed from our planet in the constellation Sagittarius. The 'Galactic anticentre' from our perspective resides in the constellation Auriga close to the star Menkalinan". - Kurt Thrust acting CEO and current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.
" Although the winter Milky Way runs nearby, when we look out in the direction of the constellation Auriga we are looking out along the galactic disc into deep space. There is much less dust here in the outer spiral arms of the Milky Way and this enables us us to see distant open star clusters like Messier 37 and NGC 2281" - Karl Seguine Outreach Coordinator at the Jodrell Plank Observatory.
Credit: Wikipedia
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