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