LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – “December” is derived from the Latin word “decem,” which means tenth. In the old Roman calendar it was the tenth month in the 10 month year.
When January and February were added, December became the 12th month, but retained its name.
The December night skies herald the emergence of the beautiful winter constellations. These will be more visible in January.
Preceding the winter constellations are Aries the Ram, Taurus the Bull and Auriga the Charioteer.
Aries is a small, faint constellation. It is one of the 12 constellation in the zodiac.
Taurus is much brighter and more easily seen. It is also one of the 12 zodiac constellations.
This is one of the oldest constellations. Cave paintings dating back to 15,000 BC show drawings of Taurus.
Taurus contains the Pleiades, otherwise known as the Seven Sisters. This is a star cluster that can be seen with the naked eye.
Also within Taurus is Aldebaran, the 14th brightest star in the sky. It is 44 times the diameter of the sun.
Alebaran is a red giant star, and due to its location within the constellation, is called the “Eye of the Bull.”
The third constellation discussed in this column is Auriga the Charioteer. It contains Capella, the sixth brightest star in the sky.
In Greek mythology Auriga was both a charioteer and a tender of goats.
John Zimmerman is a resident of Lake County and has been an amateur astronomer for more than 50 years. For more information about astronomy and local resources, visit his Web site at www.lakecountyskies.com .