Orion before dawn, over Thailand

We at mid-northern latitudes think of Orion the Hunter as returning to the sky before dawn in late July or early August. But in Hua Hin, Thailand this week – latitude 12.6 degrees N. of the equator – Orion is already back. This photo by Vince Babkirk, aka Mister Ha, from July 18, 2016 shows Orion’s brightest stars, Betelgeuse and Rigel, ascending over the eastern horizon. Vince wrote:

It was nice to see some old friends appearing in the predawn eastern sky. It has been rather cloudy lately so this morning was special.

Look also at the star Aldebaran, which is in Taurus the Bull. Then look closely, between Rigel and Betelgeuse for Orion’s Belt – three medium-bright stars in a row. In this photo, even in the larger view, they’re tough to see but you can barely make out that they’re there … and pointing to Aldebaran as always.

Thank you, Vince!

The chart below shows Orion and Taurus as seen from mid-northern latitudes in late July, a couple of weeks from now. These stars’ orientation to the horizon from Thailand and points south is a bit different, but all of us – around the world – will see Orion return soon.

Bottom line: Photo of the constellation Orion the Hunter from Thailand, July 18, 2016.