Orion

There’s a word that is sometimes used to describe clear winter nights like this one:

Crisp.

The air is cold and fresh, with very few clouds overhead, allowing one to see the night sky in all its majesty. One can’t help but wonder: what must have gone through the mind of the ancient traveller as he looked up at such splendour?

Today I learned about Orion, one of the most prominent constellations in the night sky. Apparently, depending on its orientation, in particular the direction of Orion’s Belt and Orion’s Sword, it is possible to work out where North is without—gasp—using Google Maps!

See if you can work out where Orion is below:

And here’s a closer look at the constellation:

A few more nights like these, and I’m sure, I’m going to have to invest on a proper night sky app for my iPhone!