8 Summer 2021 Applegater
THE STARRY SIDE
Spring swings over — welcome to summer
BY GREELEY WELLS
We’re swinging out of spring as I
write this. Here at Carberry Creek, four
miles of dirt road west of the very end
of Applegate Lake, the nights have
still been freezing—26 degrees
the other night, and the days
have gotten into the 70s
and now 80s! What a swing
of temperature all in one 24-
hour period and repeated
day after day. Wow.
Even though spring
will have ended by the
time you read this, many
other things are having
t ro u b l e e n d i n g , l i k e
COVID-19. (You can help
end the spread of COVID-19
by getting vaccinated!) While
the pandemic has been difficult,
it has also exposed divides,
inequalities, and dependencies in our
culture and has been a real wake-up
call about what we can do to
help humanity. Responding
to this call, many people
and organizations have
begun actions to create a
better future, a return
to a better, fuller,
happier, more equal,
and safer normal. We
should all be a part of
this effort!
Meanwhile, the
stars continue their
normal swing with
the seasons. Summer
brings the reappearance
of the Milky Way rising
in the east. Spring is the one
season in which our galaxy
is spread out on
Greeley Wells
the other side
of the earth,
invisible to us at
night. The galaxy sinks in the west in early
spring, then starts to show up late in the
evening towards the end of spring with
the rising of our old friend, the Summer
Triangle.
Have you noticed how each season
has its own set of stars, just as it has its
own weather? I am constantly learning
new configurations and recognizing old
friends up there. Before the invention of
electric lights and television, the night
sky was an important part of life for the
human species. For many people today it
has become quite secondary. But a few of
us crazies remain fascinated with it.
Greeley Wells
greeley@greeley.mc
July 27-30. Peak of the Delta
Aquariid meteor shower, which normally
offers up to 20 meteors an hour.
This time, however, a mostly full
moon will bleach out all but the few
best meteors.
August 12-13. The wonderful
Perseids meteor shower—up to 60 an
hour! A crescent moon sets early, so
there will be no lunar interference. Later
in the night is better for viewing, and
just before dawn is best. These meteors
frequently leave persistent trains.
• •
Planets
Jupiter is at its brightest, facing
the sun and close to us. It’s visible
all night.
Mercury is visible in the mornings
from June 27 to July 16 and in
the evenings from August 31 into
September.
Venus is in the western sky at dusk
throughout the summer. It is always
bright and during this season sets
after the sun.
Mars will be visible in the evening
through August 22.
Saturn is visible in the predawn
sky. It’s brightest August 1-4.
OF NO TE
A reader asks: “What was that
string of strange lights I saw from
Williams on May 8, one right
after the other? Must have been 30
of them.”
The reader saw some of the many
satellites launched by Tesla owner
Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starlink project
to provide internet coverage to
the world, especially for those in
remote and rural areas, according to
space.com, which says it may expand
service later this year. The satellites
are most visible shortly after launch,
Guy Ottewell’s Astronomical Calendar
before they’ve reached operational
altitude, and Starlink is taking steps to
make them less reflective.
We hope so, as we treasure our dark,
starry sky over the Applegate!
• •
June 21.The sun reaches its
northernmost position for the year, and
we start back towards shorter days and
longer nights, with increasing speed,
until the equinox.
Got
News?
The Applegater welcomes submissions! We’re your newspaper and want to share your news with readers throughout the Applegate Valley watershed’s many
neighborhoods. What’s going on around you? Let us know! Send your writeup and photos to gater@applegater.org. Thanks! See you in the Applegater....
WEST COAST CONTRACTING
Matt Krauss
541-659-3207
Excavation, Trucking, Water Delivery
CCB #213190
Support your local Applegate businesses!