Mon Oct 12, 2026 DELPHINUS AND ARION
There are three bright stars spread out across the zenith this evening. These three stars – Vega, Altair and Deneb, form the Summer Triangle. The brightest star is Vega; it marks the constellation of Lyra the Harp. In Greek mythology, the harp was played by a musician named Arion, who was once
rescued by a dolphin named Delphinus. Arion had been thrown overboard by some greedy pirates who wanted all the gold he’d won at a concert. They made him sing a song first, then they tossed him into the ocean. Now the dolphin also heard the song, and it saved him, carrying him to dry land. When the pirates arrived later, they were arrested and voted off the island. Arion’s harp is Vega and a few nearby stars, while Delphinus the dolphin is a small, faint cluster of stars on the opposite
side of the Summer Triangle.
Tue Oct 13, 2026 PLANETARIUM SHOW: STARS TO STARFISH
A large part of the autumn evening sky is known as “the celestial sea,” because of all the watery constellations found there: Capricornus the Sea Goat, Delphinus the Dolphin, Pisces the Fish, Cetus the Whale, plus Aquarius, the water carrier. It is his water jug that according to the myth, spilled out into this region of the heavens, and so gave rise to its name. This weekend, I will point out all those watery star patterns for anyone who comes out to Indian River State College’s Hallstrom Planetarium to see our latest show, “Stars to Starfish.” In this program, we also showcase the earth’s oceans and its many inhabitants, and discuss the importance of water for supporting life on our planet. Shows are at 7 and 8:30 p.m. on Friday and at 1 and 2:30 pm on Saturday. Call the College’s Box Office at 772 462 4750 to get tickets.
Wed Oct 14, 2026 NAME THAT CONSTELLATION - OCTOBER
Can you identify the thirty-third largest constellation? It is bordered on the north by Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer, on the south by Lupus the Wolf, Norma the Level and Ara the Altar, on the west by Libra the Scales, and on the east by Sagittarius and the Southern Crown. Its tail dips into the Milky Way, and there are many nebulas and star clusters within its borders. In the South Pacific it’s called Maui’s fishhook, while old Greek myths say it is the creature that killed Orion the Hunter. Just a few thousand years ago the Romans turned its claws into Libra the Scales. This evening the new crescent moon appears right beside its brightest star, a red giant called Antares. Can you name this star figure, the eighth constellation of the zodiac? The answer is Scorpius, currently visible in the southwestern sky after sunset.
Thu Oct 15, 2026 MIRACH’S GHOST
Today’s Skywatch was written by planetarium assistant Vela De la Mare. Have you heard the story of Mirach’s ghost? Most know of the Andromeda galaxy, famously named after the constellation it lies within. But inside
Andromeda’s borders hides another mysterious galaxy, staying just out of our sight. When looking to the bright star Mirach, all we can see is the brilliant blaze of this red giant, its fiery halo obscuring anything that might rest behind it. However, when we view this same section of the sky in ultraviolet light, a chilling blue ring appears from the darkness. This is the Ghost of Mirach, a galaxy previously believed to be dead, now resurrected with newly formed stars, and forever haunting the figure that occludes it.
Fri Oct 16, 2026 PLANETARIUM SHOW: STARS TO STARFISH
The planet Saturn has now made its way into the early evening sky; you’ll find it as yellow-tinted star-like object just above the eastern horizon. Just a couple of weeks ago, our planet caught up with and passed Saturn, which means that Saturn is nice and bright. Saturn is found within the constellation of Pisces, the Fish, which is part of the sky known as the Celestial Sea. Besides Pisces, there are other watery constellations in the autumn evening sky: There’s a southern fish, plus Cetus the Whale, Delphinus the Dolphin and Capricornus the Sea Goat. Tonight and tomorrow we’ll showcase those constellations, along with a deep dive into earth’s oceans and its inhabitants, in our latest show, “Stars to Starfish.” If skies are clear tonight we’ll also view Saturn through our telescopes after the show, courtesy of the Treasure Coast Astronomical Society. Call the College’s box office at 462-4750 to get tickets.
