On Friday morning, around 2:30 am, I was about 10 miles south of Ames, IA on my way to Omaha, NE when I looked to the east and saw Orion rising. It was the first time I had seen Orion this year. To me, the first time I see Orion is the official beginning of Autumn, so Happy Autumn, everyone. There is just something spectacular and majestic about the whole constellation, and when it first rises, it’s HUGE.
So here’s my question. What needs to happen for you to really believe it is Autumn?
Mr. Babbington, you picked my favorite! What is it about Orion that is so compelling?
When I hear the acorns hitting the roof and the pavement, I know it’s time.
Happy Autumn…
I know it’s autumn when I go outside and don’t feel like I’ve walked into a solid brick wall of heat.
Happened this morning for the first time in the three months since I got back from Alaska. Yay!
He was The Hunter.
The bright stars Betelgeuse and Rigel.
M-42
The Trapezium
The Horsehead Nebula
So many cool things about Orion.
The Great Nebula. How many other nebulas are so bright you can observe them from the middle of a big city?
Cool crisp mornings but still warm days. After a frost or two so the bugs are all gone.
Then, I know its autumn. It’s also about my favorite time of the year.
When Orion is in the sky, I feel a comfort and almost safety. I don’t know why; I am not even into astrology or metaphysics. It just sooths me.
I’m too impatient. I can’t wait up till 2:30 a.m. for Orion to herald autumn. Skywise, when I see the Great Triangle setting and the Square of Pegasus rising around midnight, I know that autumn’s almost here. Seeing the Seven Sisters popping up in the east around midnight is a good sign too.
In the daytime, I know autumn’s almost here when I see those disgusting little pumpkin-shaped candies at the drugstore.
Exactly.
For me, autumn is a smell in the air. I will walk out of my house one morning, a breeze will wrap around me, and I will smell autumn.
Autumn smells like spices and dry leaves.
Autumn is when I see leaves changing. Usually happens halfway thru August.
The native Americans have a story about Orion the Hunter…when he rises (and shoots a deer) the blood from the dying deer spills down and colors the ample trees red.
Neat way of explaining the changing of the leaves!
[ul]
[li]The smell of burning leaves in the air.[/li][li]When the yellows, oranges and reds overtake the greens on the trees.[/li][li]The sound of crisp, fallen leaves crunching at my feet.[/li][li]Needing to put on a jacket for the first time since spring.[/li][li]Needing to turn the heat on for the first time since spring.[/li][li]Not having to run the A/C in my car for the first time since spring.[/li][li]Buying my first pack of caramel cubes of the season and eating them.[/li][li]If I did yardwork where I live, it would be putting away the lawnmower and getting out the leaf rake.[/li][/ul]
I love the fall.
Cite?
Seriously, I thought you could see Orion all year long? I can swear I remember it in the west during summer. Am I wrong?
In the northern hemisphere you can see Orion all year long, but it might involve waking up at 4 o’clock in the morning. It is very close to Taurus, through which the sun passes. (Not very far away from Gemini either, for that matter).
But this story calls Orion a different name, right? Orion the Hunter, like so many constellations, is from Greek mythology. Canis Major is supposed to represent his hunting dog. And he’s on the other side of the sky from Cancer because Orion killed a giant crab.
But yeah, Orion is cool.