Wednesday, February 4, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 13 Stars over Sisters By Ron thorkildson Correspondent No unicorns inhabit the earth. But according to sky lore, there is one in the starry realm. Monoceros the Unicorn is a faint wintertime con- stellation that lies due east of Orion. One would need a dark, clear night just to have a shot at finding it. It extends about 10 degrees north and south of the celestial equator. While none of the stars in this constellation are bright, a few of them are of special interest. Beta Monocerotis is an impressive triple star sys- tem. When William Herschel discovered it in 1781, he remarked that it is “one of the most beautiful sights in the heavens.” In a telescope these pale blue stars appear to form a curved line. The star system lies at a distance of about 700 light-years. Plaskett’s Star is a giant binary system that has a com- bined mass about 100 times greater than the sun. The two stars rotate around a common center of gravity in just over 14 days. It is about 5,245 light-years from the earth. Several deep-sky objects are scattered throughout Monoceros, but the largest and most impressive is the Rosetta Nebula. Discovered independently in the early 1800s by comet hunters Lewis Swift and Edward Emerson Barnard, this object is a large, circular-shaped dif- fuse nebula where new stars are being born. It is roughly 130 light-years in diameter and lies at a distance of some 5,200 light-years. After passing to within 43 million miles of the earth on January 7, and coming as close as 120 million miles of the sun on January 30, comet Lovejoy is heading back toward the outer reaches of the solar system. Though dimming, it should be eas- ily visible in a pair of bin- oculars. The comet will lie very close to the star Almach in Andromeda on February 4, and graze the planetary nebula M76 in Perseus on February 20 before moving into Cassiopeia thereafter. A nearly full moon early in the month will interfere with efforts to locate the comet, but from about February 11 through February 20 a moon- less evening sky will make the task much easier. As the month progresses, Venus slowly climbs higher in the western sky while Mars sinks lower toward the horizon. On February 20 the two planets are joined by a thin crescent moon, creat- ing a picturesque setting. Jupiter reaches opposition on February 6, meaning it will Starts Friday Fri., Feb. 6 – Thurs., Feb. 12 Feb. 11th / Wed. Carolyn Wonderland 4 Peaks Preview Party! Jupiter Ascending (PG-13) Fri 5:00, 7:30 Sat 2:30, 5:00, 7:30 Sun 1:45, 4:15, 6:45 Mon-Thurs 6:15 Heralded as one of the best vocalists in Austin! ! Sponge Bob (PG) 7 PM • $17 online Fri 4:30, 6:45 Sat 2:15, 4:30, 6:45 Sun 1:30, 3:30, 5:45 Mon-Thurs 3:30, 5:45 Feb. 13th / Fri. Garth Stein Author Showcase Paulina Springs Books hosts best-selling author of “Racing in the Rain” for his new novel “Sudden Light.” Theory of Everything (PG-13) Fri 4:45 • Sat 2:00 Sun 1:15 • Mon-Thurs 3:45 The Imitation Game (PG-13) Fri 7:15 • Sat 4:45, 7:15 Sun 4:00, 6:30 Mon-Thurs 6:15 American Sniper (R) Valentine’s Valen enti ti ’ Dance with The Notables Swing Band Dessert & Dance Swinging Fun! 7 PM • $10 online PUB OPENS 1-1/2 HOURS PRIOR TO SHOWS BelfryEvents.com Call for Details 541-815-9122 Fri 4:15, 7:00 Sat 1:30, 4:15, 7:00 Sun 1:00, 3:45, 6:30 Mon-Thurs 3:15, 6:00 Movie times and titles are bsite subject to change. Visit we n. atio rm info st late for or call WWW.SISTERS MOVIEHOUSE.COM 541-549-8800 be positioned directly oppo- site the sun as viewed from the earth, and be visible all night long. Currently residing in Cancer, the giant planet is the brightest object in the night sky after the moon. Speedy Mercury will hang out in Capricornus most of the month and become vis- ible very low in the south- eastern sky about 45 minutes before sunrise toward the end of February. Saturn is in Scorpius this month, and by about 4 a.m. both it and the orange star Antares show prominently above the southeastern horizon. The month begins with a brightening moon that becomes the Snow Full Moon (boy, what a misnomer this year in Central Oregon!) on February 3. Then the illu- mination of our only natu- ral satellite begins to wane, photo by brian davis the Rosetta Nebula is a diffuse nebula located in the constellation of Monoceros. reaching last quarter by February 11. The dimming continues until the moon goes dark on February 18. Past its new phase, the moon once again begins to wax, appearing half illuminated at first quarter on February 25. ENTERTAINMENT•ARTS•SPECIAL EVENTS Bronco Billy’s y Ronch Grill & Soloon Live Music with the Bello Acopello p Quortet 7 p.m. Faith Hope p & Charity y The Belfry y Live Music with For info: 541-549-7427 or go to Vineyards y Live Music with Carolyn y Wonderland 7 to broncobillysranchgrill.com. 10 p.m. for 4 Peaks Preview Heather & Tom Duo 6 to Party! $17 online at bendticket. Foith Hope 9 p.m. $5 cover. Go to p & Chority y faithhopeandcharityevents.com com and $20 at the door the Vineyords y Volentine’s day of show. Pub doors open or call 541-526-5075. Dinner & Donce with The 90 minutes before the show. Substitutes 6 to 10 p.m. $115. For more info: 541-815-9122 or 21 and over. Special menu with Friday~Feb. 6 go to belfryevents.com. guest chef Cerstin of Bleu Bite. Sisters High g School Sisters faithhopeandcharityevents.com Folk Festival Winter Concert Thursday~Feb. 12 or 541-526-5075 to reserve. with Foghorn g Stringband g Sisters Schools “Sisters & Beth Wood 7 p.m. $20 Faith Hope p & Charity y Shootout” Bosketboll in advance, $2u at the door Vineyards y Live Music Tourney y 8 a.m. and day-long. ($10 students). For tickets with The Substitutes For boys and girls in grades 5 call u41-u49-4979 or go to 6 to 9 p.m. $5 cover. For to 8. Info: sistersshootout.com sistersfolkfestival.org. additional information go to faithhopeandcharityevents.com or call SPRD at 541-549-2091. Faith Hope p & Charity y or call 541-526-5075. Vineyards y Live Music with Sunday~Feb. 15 Bobby y Lindstrom 6 to 9 p.m. Friday~Feb. 13 $10 cover. And Fondue Sisters Schools “Sisters Friday is $30 for two! Go to Shootout” Bosketboll Sisters High g School Sisters faithhopeandcharityevents.com Folk Festival Winter Tourney y 8 a.m. and day-long. or call 541-526-5075. Concert: The Stray y Birds with For boys and girls in grades 5 Cahalen Morrison & Eli West to 8. Info: sistersshootout.com Saturday~Feb. 7 7 p.m. $20 in advance, $25 or call SPRD at 521-529-2091. at the door ($10 students). Hoodoo Winter Carnival For additional information Monday~Feb. 16 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Kids’ games, or to purchase tickets call live music, BBQ, the annual The Open p Door at 541-549-4979 or go online to “dummy downhill” and Clearwater Gallery Live sistersfolkfestival.org. fi reworks! An all-day family Music! 7 p.m. No cover! Info, The Belfry y Author Reading, affair! For info go to hoodoo. call 521-529-2992 or go to Garth Stein, “A Sudden com or call 541-822-3799. theclearwatergallery.com. Light” g 6 p.m. Free! Paulina Black Butte Ranch Fat-bike Springs Books presents the Tuesday~Feb. 17 Cow Patty Crit 12 to 4 p.m. This 2- to 4-person short-track bestselling author of “The Art of y Frontiers in fat-bike race is for riders 15 or Racing in the Rain,” sharing his The Belfry Science, “Climate Change: new novel. Pub doors open at older. $15 online in advance What’s Real?” 7 p.m. Free, 5 p.m. Info, call 541-549-0866 by Feb. 5, or $25 the day of with Dr. Constance Millar. or go to paulinasprings.com. the event (fat bikes provided; Presented by the Sisters p & Charity y helmets and closed-toe shoes Faith Hope Science Club. Doors open at req.). blackbutteranch.com. Vineyards y Live Music with 6 p.m. for refreshments. Info, JazCru 6 to 9 p.m. $5 cover. go to sistersscienceclub.org. And Fondue Friday is $30 Sunday~Feb. 8 Episcopal p p Church of the for two! For more info go to Sisters Library y Gary y guration Shrove faithhopeandcharityevents.com Transfi g Albertson Presentation Tuesday y Pancake Supper or call 541-526-5075. 1:30 p.m. The photographer 5 to 7 p.m. Enjoy pancakes, on “Journey into Darkness,” Saturday~Feb. 14 homemade applesauce, presented by Friends of the sausage, g OJ, coffee & tea! $2 Sisters Library as part of the The Belfry y Valentine’s Donce adults, $2 kids 2 to 12; free Diane Jacobsen Speakers & Dessert with The Notobles under 2, $10 for a family of 2 or Series. Info, call 541-977-8285. Swing g Bond! 7 to 10:30 p.m. more. Info, call 971-237-1876. $10 online at bendticset.com Sisters City y Hall Habitat Monday~Feb. 9 or $12 at the door the day of Slideshow of Kyrgyzstan show. Info: 541-815-9122 or go The Open p Door at Build 7 p.m. Free! Jack & to belfryevents.com. Clearwater Gallery Live Mary Ann McDonnell will share Music! 7 p.m. No cover! slides of a global village build Listings subject to change. For additional information last fall, and discuss another Submit by 5 p.m. Fridays to call 541-549-4994 or go to trip planned for September. For Teresa@NuggetNews.com theclearwatergallery.com. more info call 521-529-1193. Thursday~Feb. 5 Wed.~Feb. 11