I just went outside (bbrrr!)-and noticed that the winter constellation Orion, is almost at the zenith (6:30 PM, EST). On what date will Orion be below the horizon?
Watching the constellations really makes you aware of the giant clock we have…get out and look!
Well, it’s not a precise answer because it’s a big constellation, but according to my iPod app, Star Gazer, it looks like the belt hits the horizon at around 6:30 on June 19. Of course, in June, that’s 2 hours before sunset and it doesn’t rise again until 6:09 in the morning, so it’s pretty much invisible during the summer.
It depends on what time you want to see it. The later you get in the year, the earlier the time of day at which it will be visible.
The short answer is about 3 months. Every day, the stars set 3 minutes, 56 seconds earlier. Use this and the time of Boston’s sunset in May to determine the exact date.