Looking Up column: Antares, the red star of summer

Antares is what Betelgeuse is to winter nights. Antares, prominent on summer nights (Northern Hemisphere, that is; Down Under, winter has just begun), is likewise bright and red.Like Betelgeuse, Antares is a “supergiant” star, far larger than our sun and so big the orbits of Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars would fit inside it. Good thing its 604 light-years away – the time it takes for its light to reach our eyes – and not eight minutes like our own beloved star.This column […]  » Read More