Looking Up column: The three rivers of winter s night sky - Lifestyle - Holland Sentinel hollandsentinel.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from hollandsentinel.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Friday Feb 5, 2021 at 9:14 AM Feb 5, 2021 at 9:14 AM
Two celestial rivers, of sorts, meander on either side of the famous winter sky constellation Orion.
You can see both with the unaided eye on a clear, moonless night as long as the light pollution is not strong.
The river to the left (east) of Orion is none other than the Milky Way band.
The river to the right (west) is one of Orion’s fellow constellations, Eridanus, the River.
There’s actually a third “river” of sorts, in appearance like the faint, hazy Milky Way only dimmer in most parts, gracing the sky. The zodiacal light can be detected on February evenings under the right conditions.