Winter preview

   The constellations progress westward at the rate of two hours per month, so this early morning view in mid-October is a preview of the late night skies of January, but with temperatures about 30° or more warmer.

Sony A7iii + Rokinon 24mm f/1.8 lens + Softon filter, ISO 1600, 30 s.

Orion is probably the most recognizable constellation in the sky.  The orange star in the upper left corner of Orion is Betelgeuse, a red supergiant variable star that is the 10th brightest star and sometimes the 9th brightest.  It is between 500-640 ly distant.  It is so bright in spite of that distance because it is huge, with a radius that would extend beyond the orbit of Mars if it replaced our sun.  Down toward the lower left is Sirius, the brightest star in the sky and the 5th closest star system (8.7 ly).  Along the upper left edge is the star Procyon, the 8th brightest star and the 13th closest star system (11.4 ly).  These three stars comprise an asterism known as the "Winter Triangle".