Will you see the stars that represent the “stinger” in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion in the cold dawn this month? From mid-northern latitudes, in the month of February, these stars served as a Pawnee version of Groundhog Day. You’ll need a clear, unobstructed view to the south to southeast to spot Scorpius’ stinger stars – Shaula and Lesath – flickering by the horizon.
Groundhog Day 2012: How accurate is Punxsutawney Phil?
Image credit: rkramer62
If you can’t spot these stars this week, try again later in February. For the Pawnee, who roamed the prairie of Kansas and Nebraska, the sky was a calendar, and the stars foretold the change of seasons. The Pawnee saw a snake in the stars forming the front part of Scorpius. But the stars of the stinger were, for the Pawnee, a pair of ducks. It is believed that the Pawnee called the stars on the Scorpion’s stinger the Swimming Duck stars. When the Swimming Ducks came into view in the southeast – prior to morning twilight in the month of February – the Pawnee recognized that it was time to begin planting ceremonies. In other words, spring was near. These stars are now coming into view at or shortly before dawn. In some respects, we can regard the search for the Swimming Duck stars as a Pawnee version of Groundhog Day.
The return of the Swimming Ducks to the morning sky signaled the first stirrings of the great plains from hibernation. Shaula and Lesath’s presence over the horizon was symbolic of waterfowl breaking through the ice.
As we approach the end of winter, Shaula and Lesath will appear higher each morning in the southeast before dawn. Their morning appearance tells us that the prairie is about to awaken to the rolling thunders of spring.
By the way, the stars at the end of the Scorpion’s tail are also known as the Cat’s Eyes. They’re easy to spot at the bottom of the recognizable star pattern that forms the constellation Scorpius.
So go ahead. Get up early on some morning this February. Look in the southeast for the Scorpion’s stinger stars near the horizon. If you’re lucky, you might behold them – a first glimmer of spring!
Am eargerl waiting to see Scorpion from this Lakeside city of Kisumu Kenya
In central Illinois, if you look up at the moon there is a very definate white ring around it further out from the moon. Never seen anything like it in 54 years.
halos around the nmoon are relatively frequent, actually. we had one last night in (at least parts of) MA and probably some neighboring areas as well.
We too saw the beautiful ring around the moon tonight
in British Columbia, Canada.
[...] Two stars in Scorpius were Pawnee version of Groundhog Day [...]