Latest / Star Trails: From Backyard Astronomy to Cosmic Wonder / A Summer Sky Road Trip

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A Summer Sky Road Trip · Star Trails: From Backyard Astronomy to Cosmic Wonder

0:07
Howdy Star Gazers and welcome to this episode
0:10
of Star Trails. My name is Drew, and this week
0:13
we're going to take a summer road trip through
0:16
the cosmos. In this episode, I'll preview what
0:20
you can expect to see in the upcoming months
0:22
as temperatures rise and the dense star fields
0:25
of the Milky Way return to the night sky. And,
0:29
keep in mind, we'll adopt a summer publishing
0:31
schedule, releasing new episodes every other
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week from here on out until Labor Day. But, as
0:38
I did last week with my remastered Star Party
0:41
Stories episode, we may revisit some of my favorite
0:45
topics from the archive in between our main sequence
0:49
episodes. Be sure you subscribe to the show so
0:52
you get the latest episodes. You can do that
0:55
through any podcast app, because Star Trails
0:58
is available everywhere. Or, if you prefer, subscribe
1:02
to our YouTube channel. Links to everything are
1:05
on our website, StarTrails .Show. And if you're
1:10
a new listener, the website is a great resource.
1:13
Click the Start Here tab up top for a list of
1:17
our best episodes and links for new astronomers.
1:21
Whether you're tuning in from the backyard or
1:23
the balcony, I'm glad you're here. So grab a
1:26
comfortable spot under the night sky and let's
1:28
get started. You know, there are a few trips
1:33
I've always wanted to take in my life. One of
1:36
them has nothing to do with astronomy. I've always
1:39
wanted to drive the length of Route 66 with a
1:42
friend. We'd start in Chicago, point the car
1:46
west, and just go. No rush, no strict itinerary,
1:50
just a camera, a good playlist, a cool vintage
1:54
car, and a ribbon of highway stretching to infinity.
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I imagine stopping at old diners and forgotten
2:02
roadside attractions, photographing neon signs
2:05
that have seen better days, pulling over when
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something catches my eye. Maybe discovering places
2:12
that never appeared in any guidebook. Camping
2:15
under a perfectly dark desert sky. Shooting photos
2:19
of the Milky Way sprawling over an alien landscape.
2:23
The best road trips aren't really about arriving
2:26
somewhere. They're about everything that happens
2:29
along the way. And as I've gotten older, I've
2:32
realized that astronomy can be a lot like that
2:35
too. Every year around this time we enter summer
2:39
observing season. The nights are hotter, uncomfortably
2:42
so. The mosquitoes can be hungry. The humidity
2:46
can turn your telescope into a science experiment.
2:50
And darkness doesn't arrive until many people
2:53
are already thinking about bed. Winter skies
2:56
may be easier to observe, but summer skies are
3:00
actually richer. In winter, we're largely looking
3:04
outward toward the quieter neighborhoods of our
3:06
galaxy. In summer, we're looking inward toward
3:10
the heart of the Milky Way itself. Dense star
3:14
clouds, glowing nebulae, ancient globular clusters,
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dark lanes of interstellar dust, and millions
3:22
upon millions of stars all crowd together overhead.
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It's a little like leaving the countryside and
3:29
driving into a metropolis after dark. The view
3:32
becomes busier, brighter, and more alive. So
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tonight, we're going to take a road trip through
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the summer sky. We'll visit some famous landmarks,
3:44
stop at a few hidden gems, check out some roadside
3:47
attractions, and preview some of the celestial
3:50
events waiting for us over the next three months.
3:54
So before summer arrives, let's plan our road
3:57
trip through the stars, and keep in mind it's
4:00
the journey that matters most. Let's hit the
4:03
road. Our first stop is a big one. It's the highway
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sign that tells us we've entered summer. As twilight
4:11
fades and the stars begin appearing one by one,
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three bright beacons emerge overhead. Together
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they form one of the most famous patterns in
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the entire sky, the Summer Triangle. Unlike many
4:25
constellations, the Summer Triangle isn't an
4:28
official constellation at all. It's what we call
4:31
an asterism, a recognizable pattern formed by
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stars that belong to different constellations.
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The three stars are Vega, Deneb, and Altair.
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Vega shines within the small constellation Lyra,
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the Harp. Altair marks the heart of Aquila, the
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eagle, and Deneb anchors Cygnus, the swan. Together,
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they form a giant triangle spanning a huge section
4:59
of the sky. And once you learn to recognize it,
5:02
you'll never stop seeing it. For generations
5:05
of amateur astronomers, the summer triangle has
5:08
served as a seasonal landmark. It's one of those
5:11
patterns that immediately tells you where you
5:14
are in the year, and it's a gateway. Hidden within
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and around the Summer Triangle is one of the
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greatest sights in all of astronomy, the Milky
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Way. If you're fortunate enough to escape the
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city and find a dark sky, you'll notice a faint
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river of light flowing directly through the triangle.
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It stretches from horizon to horizon, winding
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across the sky like a celestial highway. Most
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people know the Milky Way is our galaxy. But
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what many don't realize is that summer is the
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season when you're looking toward the galactic
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core. Imagine standing on the outskirts of a
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major city. In one direction there are scattered
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houses, quiet roads, and empty fields. And the
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other direction lies downtown, with millions
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of lights, skyscrapers, and traffic. That's essentially
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what happens in the summer sky. Our solar system
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lives far from the center of the Milky Way, about
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26 ,000 light -years away. During summer evenings,
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Earth happens to be positioned so that nighttime
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faces inward, toward the densely populated core
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of our galaxy. And that's why summer skies seem
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so rich. The star clouds become brighter, the
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dust lanes become more dramatic, nebula and clusters
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seem to appear everywhere. And it's almost overwhelming.
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You could spend an entire evening simply wandering
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through the Milky Way with a pair of binoculars
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and never settle on a single destination. As
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we continue our journey, we're going to follow
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this river of stars deeper into the heart of
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the Milky Way, where some of the finest celestial
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destinations of the season await. Before you
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spend money on a telescope or try to learn the
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entire Messier catalog, do this first. Find a
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dark place, lean back in a lawn chair, start
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near Deneb in Cygnus and slowly work your way
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south. You'll discover that the Milky Way is
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textured and layered. Bright knots of stars appear
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and disappear. Dust lanes snake through the star
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clouds. Tiny clusters emerge unexpectedly from
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the background. The view changes constantly,
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and it's like exploring a landscape. Those countless
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points of light are the combined glow of stars
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spread across thousands of light years. The dark
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patches aren't just empty space, but enormous
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clouds of dust blocking our view of the stars
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behind them. Astronomers call one of the largest
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of these features the Great Rift. This vast network
8:00
of dark dust clouds splits the Milky Way into
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two branches, stretching from Cygnus down towards
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Sagittarius. Under truly dark skies, the Great
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Rift becomes surprisingly obvious. It's as though
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someone took a brush dipped in black paint and
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dragged it across the Milky Way. It's one of
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the most underrated sites in amateur astronomy.
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As we continue southward, the Milky Way grows
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brighter and more crowded. That's because we're
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approaching the direction of the galactic center.
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Somewhere behind those star clouds, hidden behind
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layers of dust, lies the core of the Milky Way
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itself. There, hundreds of billions of stars
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crowd together around a supermassive black hole
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known as Sagittarius A -Star. Fortunately for
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us, the view along the way is spectacular. Open
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clusters dot the star fields. Nebula glow faintly
9:02
among the stars. Every sweep of binoculars reveals
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another surprise. Winter astronomy often encourages
9:10
you to hunt specific targets. Summer astronomy
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encourages you to explore. You can set out looking
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for a famous nebula and spend the entire evening
9:21
being distracted by everything around it. Every
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road trip has its iconic destinations, the places
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you've heard about for years that appear on postcards
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and travel brochures. These are the must -see
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destinations. And the summer sky has a few of
9:40
those. Let's make a stop in the constellation
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Hercules. There you'll find Messier 13, better
9:49
known as the Great Hercules Globular Cluster.
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If the summer sky has a world's largest ball
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of twine attraction, M13 might be it, though
10:00
it's a little more dignified than that. At first
10:03
glance, it appears as a fuzzy ball of light,
10:06
but as your magnification increases, something
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remarkable begins to happen. The fuzz starts
10:12
breaking apart. Individual stars emerge from
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the glow, then more stars. Soon you're looking
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at a vast swarm containing hundreds of thousands
10:24
of ancient suns packed into a sphere only about
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150 light years across. Many of those stars were
10:32
already ancient when Earth first formed. The
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cluster itself is roughly 22 ,000 light years
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away Meaning the light entering your telescope
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tonight began its journey when humans were still
10:45
painting cave walls. And I think that's one of
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the reasons why it remains so compelling. It
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isn't just beautiful, it gives you a sense of
10:55
depth in both space and time. From there, our
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journey carries us further southward towards
11:02
more dramatic skies. Hidden there are giant nurseries
11:06
where new stars are being born. One of the finest
11:09
is the Lagoon Nebula, also known as Messier 8.
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Even a small telescope reveals a glowing patch
11:18
suspended among countless stars. Under darker
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skies, larger instruments begin to reveal its
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shape and structure. What you're seeing is a
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vast cloud of gas and dust where new stars are
11:31
actively forming. Some of the brilliant young
11:34
stars inside the nebula are already sculpting
11:37
the cloud around them. carving cavities and illuminating
11:40
the surrounding gas. In a way, the Lagoon Nebula
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feels like visiting a growing city. Nothing there
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is actually finished. Just a short distance up
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the road lies another favorite, the Trithid Nebula.
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This object has always fascinated astronomers
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because it combines several different types of
12:01
nebula into one remarkable package. Dark dust
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lanes divide portions of the glowing cloud, creating
12:09
the appearance of three distinct lobes, hence
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the name Trifid. Each time you observe it, you
12:16
notice something new, a little more structure,
12:19
contrast, and detail hidden within the glow.
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Another delightful destination is the Wild Duck
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Cluster. Known formally as Messier 11, this dense
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open cluster sits within the constellation Scutum.
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Through binoculars it appears as a misty patch,
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but through a telescope it explodes into a rich
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field of stars. Observers have long said the
12:45
brightest members resemble a flock of ducks flying
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in formation, though I'll admit astronomy often
12:51
requires a healthy imagination. What I love about
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M11 is its sheer abundance. Stars seem to spill
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across the eyepiece. Everywhere you look, there
13:02
are more. And then there's the Ring Nebula, Messier
13:07
57. If the Lagoon Nebula represents birth, the
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Ring Nebula represents an ending. Located in
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the small constellation Lyra, almost directly
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between two of the stars forming the Harp, The
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ring nebula is the remains of a dying star. Thousands
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of years ago, that star shed its outer layers
13:29
into space. Today, those expanding shells of
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gas form the glowing ring we see through our
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telescopes. One day, our own sun will likely
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experience a similar fate, so the ring nebula
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may offer a glimpse of that distant future. Of
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course, every road trip eventually leaves the
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interstate. The most memorable journeys include
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side roads, scenic overlooks, and unexpected
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discoveries. And just ahead, we're entering one
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of the most mythological regions of the summer
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sky, where heroes, scorpions, swans, and archers
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still roam among the stars. Summer is home to
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some of the most recognizable and story -rich
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constellations visible from the Northern Hemisphere.
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Our first stop sits low in the southern sky,
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Scorpius. Its stars form a long, curving shape
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that genuinely resembles a scorpion. Once you
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see it, you can't unsee it. At its heart burns
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Antares, a red supergiant star whose name means
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rival of Mars. Ancient sky watchers noticed that
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Antares often resembled the reddish glow of the
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planet Mars, leading them to give it a name that
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literally means the anti -Mars. If Antares replaced
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our sun, its outer layers would extend beyond
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the orbit of Mars itself. This enormous dying
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star has reached the twilight years of its existence,
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and will eventually end its life in a spectacular
15:09
supernova explosion. But not anytime soon. For
15:13
now, it serves as one of the summer's greatest
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celestial landmarks. Scorpius also carries one
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of the oldest stories in the sky. In Greek mythology,
15:25
Orion the Hunter boasted that he could kill every
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animal on Earth. The gods, unimpressed by his
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arrogance, sent a giant scorpion to deal with
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the problem. And the scorpion succeeded. To this
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day, Orion and Scorpius occupy opposite sides
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of the sky. When Scorpius rises in summer, Orion
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is nowhere to be found. And when Orion dominates
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the winter sky, Scorpius has long since disappeared
15:54
below the horizon. The hunter and the scorpion
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continue their celestial chase thousands of years
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after the story was first told. Just east of
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Scorpius lies Sagittarius. Most star charts tell
16:09
you Sagittarius is an archer. Some of us have
16:13
looked for decades, and we still don't see an
16:16
archer. What we do see is a teapot, and once
16:19
someone points out the famous teapot asterism,
16:23
you'll probably see it too. The handle sits on
16:27
one side, the spout on the other, with a lid
16:29
on top, and it sort of looks like it's pouring
16:32
out the Milky Way. Sagittarius is important for
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another reason. It points us towards the heart
16:39
of the Milky Way. Somewhere beyond the star clouds
16:43
and dust lanes in Sagittarius sits Sagittarius
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A -Star, the supermassive black hole that we
16:50
mentioned earlier. You can't see the black hole
16:54
because it's blocked by dust clouds, but knowing
16:56
what's hidden there adds a certain sense of mystery
16:59
to this region of the sky. As darkness deepens
17:03
and we continue our journey overhead, we arrive
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at one of the most beautiful constellations,
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Cygnus the Swan. If you've ever looked up and
17:13
noticed what appears to be a giant cross flying
17:16
down the Milky Way, you've found Cygnus. Many
17:19
people know it as the Northern Cross. Others
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see a graceful swan soaring over the River of
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Stars. Deneb forms the tail of the swan and serves
17:31
as one corner of the summer triangle we visited
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earlier. Cygnus sits directly within the Milky
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Way, making it one of the richest regions in
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the entire sky for binocular exploration. Finally,
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let's return briefly to Hercules. We've already
17:48
visited the great globular cluster, but the constellation
17:51
itself deserves a mention. Unlike many constellations,
17:56
Hercules doesn't leap out at casual observers.
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Its stars are relatively faint and its shape
18:02
requires a bit of imagination. And perhaps that's
18:06
fitting. The mythological Hercules wasn't known
18:09
for beauty or elegance. He was known for perseverance
18:12
and endurance. And for undertaking impossible
18:16
journeys and somehow making it through. In a
18:19
way, that feels appropriate for our summer road
18:22
trip. because summer astronomy asks a little
18:25
perseverance from us too, with the mosquitoes,
18:28
humidity, late sunsets, and the dew soaked gear.
18:53
After a quick break, we'll be back to check the
18:56
itinerary and see what's waiting for us farther
18:58
down the road this summer. We'll check in with
19:01
this week's night sky and I have a mystery to
19:04
tell you about. Stay with us. Welcome back. Throughout
19:20
the summer, the planets become familiar traveling
19:24
companions. Venus will spend much of the summer
19:27
shining brilliantly in the evening sky, becoming
19:30
one of the easiest celestial objects to spot
19:33
after sunset. If you're outside during twilight,
19:37
perhaps finishing dinner on the patio or taking
19:40
an evening walk, take a moment to look toward
19:42
the western horizon. You'll know Venus when you
19:45
see it, because nothing else is that bright.
19:48
Saturn also makes a welcome return this summer,
19:52
transitioning from an early morning planet to
19:55
rising in the late evening. As summer ends, it
19:58
becomes a prominent target for backyard telescopes.
20:02
Few experiences in amateur astronomy compare
20:05
to seeing Saturn's rings for the first time.
20:09
The view isn't necessarily large or even colorful,
20:12
but it looks impossible. A tiny world hanging
20:16
in space complete with rings that your brain
20:19
insists can't possibly be visible from more than
20:22
600 million miles away. And yet, there it is.
20:27
Summer also offers a handful of close encounters
20:30
between the moon and planets. These conjunctions
20:34
often create beautiful opportunities for casual
20:37
observers and photographers alike. Look for a
20:41
brilliant Venus -Jupiter conjunction this week
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on June 8th and 9th. Venus is our neighbor at
20:48
around 111 million miles away, but Jupiter is
20:52
about five times that despite their close proximity
20:55
when viewed in the night sky. Mark your calendar
20:59
for a moon and planet party on June 16th and
21:02
17th. Shortly after sunset on June 16th, the
21:06
thin waxing crescent moon sits below bright Venus
21:10
and alongside Jupiter, Mercury, and the stars
21:14
Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini.
21:18
The next night, the crescent moon and Venus sit
21:21
closer together with Jupiter, Mercury, Castor
21:25
and Pollux below. Of course, if there's one roadside
21:29
attraction that draws crowds every summer, it's
21:32
the Perseid meteor shower. For many people, the
21:35
Perseids serve as the unofficial grand finale
21:38
of summer astronomy. Each August, Earth passes
21:42
through debris left behind by comet Swift Tuttle.
21:47
Tiny grains of dust strike our atmosphere at
21:49
tremendous speeds, producing brilliant streaks
21:53
of light that race across the sky. Most of those
21:56
particles are no larger than grains of sand,
22:00
yet for a brief moment they create one of nature's
22:02
most spectacular light shows. And unlike many
22:06
astronomical events, Meteor showers don't require
22:10
equipment. Just a comfortable chair and patience.
22:14
The wider your view of the sky, the better. But
22:17
the Perseids aren't alone. The southern delta
22:21
aquarids arrive in late July and help kick off
22:24
meteor season. While less famous than the Perseids,
22:28
they often provide a nice preview of what's to
22:30
come. Keep in mind they're faint and best observed
22:34
from the southern hemisphere. But... You may
22:37
see some streaking from the south even in the
22:40
northern hemisphere. They will appear to come
22:42
from the south while the Perseids radiate from
22:45
the northern sky. Every road trip needs a traveling
22:49
companion and throughout the summer the moon
22:52
faithfully joins us at nearly every stop. This
22:56
summer the moon has a particularly interesting
22:59
event on its calendar. On August 27th, a deep
23:03
partial lunar eclipse will darken a large portion
23:06
of the Moon's surface as Earth moves between
23:09
the Sun and Moon starting around 10pm Eastern
23:12
Time. Maximum coverage is around 93 % and that
23:17
will happen around 1042pm Eastern Time, so it
23:22
should be quite dramatic. And like meteor showers,
23:25
no special equipment is required to view a lunar
23:29
eclipse. You can simply step outside and witness
23:32
Earth's shadow crossing another world. We've
23:36
reached the part of every road trip where the
23:38
miles begin slipping away, the destination approaches,
23:42
and you realize you've been having so much fun
23:44
that you really don't want the trip to end. The
23:47
funny thing is, when that moment arrives, you
23:50
rarely find yourself thinking about the destination.
23:53
Instead, you remember the highlights, like the
23:56
little diner you stumbled across in the middle
23:58
of nowhere. The old neon sign glowing against
24:02
the twilight. The conversation that somehow lasted
24:05
three hours but felt like 15 minutes. And the
24:09
unexpected detour that turned out to be the best
24:12
part of the entire trip. Those are the things
24:14
that stay with you. Over the next three months,
24:18
there'll be plenty of opportunities to create
24:20
memories. The summer triangle will climb overhead.
24:24
The Milky Way will arch across dark skies like
24:27
a river of starlight, and globular clusters,
24:30
nebula, planets, and meteor showers will all
24:33
take their turn stepping into the spotlight.
24:36
The Perseids will come and go, the moon will
24:38
wax and wane, and the nights will slowly begin
24:42
arriving earlier again. Before we know it, autumn
24:46
will be knocking at the door. By Labor Day, the
24:49
Great Summer Road Trip will already be winding
24:52
down. The summer triangle will be leaning westward,
24:56
the evenings will carry the first hints of cooler
24:58
air, and we'll find ourselves looking ahead to
25:02
a different season and a different sky. So this
25:05
summer, don't worry too much about checking every
25:08
object off a list, don't stress about finding
25:11
perfect observing conditions, and don't feel
25:14
like you have to see everything. Instead, take
25:17
the scenic route, spend time wandering through
25:20
the Milky Way with a pair of binoculars, sit
25:23
in a lawn chair beneath the stars, stay outside
25:27
a little longer than you planned, follow your
25:29
curiosity, and take a few detours. Even though
25:42
we've just spent this episode touring the summer
25:45
sky, it's worth remembering that astronomical
25:48
summer hasn't officially arrived yet. The summer
25:51
solstice occurs on June the 21st, marking the
25:54
longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere
25:57
and the official beginning of summer. Still,
26:01
the sky is already beginning to make the transition.
26:04
This week the moon is waning, reaching last quarter
26:07
on June 8th before continuing towards the new
26:10
moon on June 14th. That means each night will
26:14
bring darker skies and improving conditions for
26:16
deep sky observing. If you've been wanting to
26:19
explore the Milky Way, track down a cluster,
26:22
or simply spend some time under a dark sky, this
26:25
is an excellent week to do it. The headline event
26:28
this week is the spectacular conjunction between
26:31
Venus and Jupiter that we touched on earlier.
26:35
Keep in mind, on the evenings of June 8th and
26:37
9th, the two brightest planets in the night sky
26:40
will appear very close together, low in the western
26:43
sky shortly after sunset. Venus is shining right
26:47
now, brilliantly, at magnitude negative 4, while
26:51
Jupiter glows nearby like a bright, cream -colored
26:54
beacon. The pair will be impossible to miss if
26:57
you have a clear western horizon. Mercury is
27:01
also joining the party as the week progresses
27:03
look low in the western twilight beneath Venus
27:07
and Jupiter. By the end of the week you'll have
27:10
the beginnings of a miniature planetary parade
27:12
with three planets sharing the same region of
27:15
sky. Meanwhile, Saturn continues to improve in
27:19
the morning sky, rising earlier each day, and
27:22
becoming easier to observe before dawn. If you're
27:26
an early riser, you'll find it shining in the
27:28
southeastern sky during the hours before sunrise.
27:32
Mars remains visible as well, though it's far
27:34
less conspicuous than Venus, Jupiter, or Saturn.
27:39
As for constellations, rather than revisiting
27:41
some of the headlines' summer favorites we've
27:43
already discussed, I'd encourage you to spend
27:46
some time with Lyra. It's a relatively small
27:49
constellation dominated by the brilliant star
27:52
Vega, and hidden within it is the ring nebula.
27:56
Even if you don't have a telescope, Lyra is worth
27:58
learning simply because it sits at the gateway
28:00
to the summer triangle and serves as a jumping
28:03
-off point for exploring the summer Milky Way.
28:07
And finally, if you happen to spot a meteor this
28:09
week, there's a chance it belongs to the daytime
28:12
Erretids, or the occasionally unpredictable June
28:16
Boetids. Neither shower is expected to put on
28:19
a major display, but summer meteor season is
28:22
beginning to stir, offering a hint of what's
28:25
to come when the Perseids arrive later this summer.
28:29
And speaking of meteors, my home state made some
28:32
national news last week after a mysterious sonic
28:35
boom rocked several Midland counties. The sound
28:40
rattled homes and sent many folks to social media
28:43
wondering what had happened. While the cause
28:46
remains uncertain, some experts have suggested
28:49
a meteor may have been responsible. Similar atmospheric
28:53
explosions have been confirmed elsewhere recently,
28:56
including a meteor that exploded over New England
28:59
a few days ago, with enough force to create sonic
29:02
booms heard across several states. Now, we can't
29:06
say for certain that our South Carolina boom
29:09
was connected to any of the meteor showers I
29:11
just mentioned, but it hasn't been ruled out
29:14
either. Most shower meteors are tiny grains of
29:18
dust that burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere.
29:21
Every now and then, one of those visitors arrives
29:23
with a little more enthusiasm than expected.
29:27
I was outside on my daily walk when this particular
29:30
boom reverberated through the sky. It didn't
29:33
sound like a jet or an earthquake. It was a singular
29:36
boom, not unlike the sound made by a cannon.
29:40
And many videos from home security cameras have
29:43
confirmed this. As I'm writing this episode,
29:47
there's still no explanation, so the South Carolina
29:50
boom remains a mystery. That's going to do it
29:57
for this week. If tonight's episode sparked your
30:00
curiosity or maybe gave you something new to
30:02
think about the next time you look up, I'd be
30:05
honored if you shared Star Trails with someone
30:08
who might enjoy the journey. You can always find
30:11
the latest episodes, show notes, and extras at
30:14
StarTrails .Show. And if you'd like to help support
30:18
the show, there's also a little Buy Me a Coffee
30:21
link on the site. That genuinely helps keep these
30:24
stories coming. Be sure to follow Star Trails
30:27
on Blue Sky and YouTube. Links are in the show
30:31
notes. Until we meet again beneath the stars,
30:34
clear skies everyone!