Gemini

December Constellations & Folklore

December 2011 : By Francine Jackson

Orion and Gemini move into their dominant positions as winter begins.

Castor: alpha (α) Geminorum

March 2011 : By Glenn Chaple

Are you looking for something new and different to add to your late winter/early spring star party repertoire – a cosmic showpiece guaranteed to elicit a gasp of surprise and wonder from anyone who peers into your telescope? I suggest the double star alpha (α) Geminorum, better know as Castor. One glance at these sparkling magnitude 2.0 and 2.9 diamonds and it’s easy to understand why William Herschel’s son, John, considered Castor the finest double star in the northern sky.

The Winter Circle

February 2009 : By Dave Huestis

Just as the summer sky has the Summer Triangle, the winter sky has its own special asterism, and this one is huge and includes a total of eight bright stars. It’s called the Winter Circle or Winter Hexagon. I’ll explain why you can get both shapes from the stars.

A Selection of Double Stars in Gemini

January 2008 : By Glenn Chaple

It’s appropriate that the constellation Gemini, the Twins, should be home to a numerous collection of double stars. Here are ten stellar – pardon the pun - examples (data from the Washington Double Star Catalog (WDS).