I’m deep-tracking a bit this week. Eighty constellations can be seen from Earth, and they’re all different sizes. Delphinus the Dolphin is the 19th smallest, and Equuleus the Little Horse is the second smallest, and they’re snuggling up in the western sky this month. They also happen to be the smallest “mammal” constellations that can be found anywhere in the nighttime sky. What they lack in size they make up for in coolness. Even in the heavens good things come in small packages.
Let me start with Delphinus. It’s one of those few constellations that looks like what it’s supposed to be. I love showing it to folks at my stargazing parties. It’s definitely one you can easily remember. Delphinus is made up of a small but distinct sideways diamond of stars that outlines the torso and head of the little Dolphin, and a single star just to the lower right of the diamond marks the tail. Currently Delphinus is swimming about in the western celestial sea in the early evenings. The starry dolphin appears to be jumping vertically.
The best way to find Delphinus is by using the famous “Summer Triangle.” Despite the fact that we’re well into autumn the Summer Triangle is still hanging in there in the Everett western sky. It’s easy to see. Look for the three brightest stars tbout halfway from the western horizon to the zenith.
This trio of bright stars is made up of the brightest stars in three separate constellations. Facing west, Vega is perched on the right side and is the brightest star in the Summer Triangle. Vega also serves as the brightest star in the constellation Lyra the Lyre, or Harp. The dimmest star of the triangle is Deneb, the brightest star in the constellation Cygnus the Swan. On the lower left corner is Altair, the brightest luminary in the constellation Aquila the Eagle.
It’s from Altair that you start your quick search for the diminutive dolphin. Just gaze about two fist-widths at arm’s length above and slightly to the left of Altair for a faint but visible to the naked eye little vertical diamond that outlines the torso of Delphinus. The celestial Dolphin’s tail is marked by another faint star just below the diamond.
For extra credit, try to spot Equuleus the Little Horse. This will be a challenge because it’s less than half the size of Delphinus and its stars are just as faint or fainter. About all there is to it are four stars that make a skinny lopsided trapezoid that allegedly makes up the head of a tiny horse. I know, that’s a big-time stretch.
Mike Lynch is an amateur astronomer and professional broadcast meteorologist.
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