Orion And His Dogs

The constellation Orion (center), the Great Hunter in Greek mythology, glitters in the southeast sky around 10:20 PM, Tuesday, January 4, 2011. "Following" Orion are his "dogs," the constellations Canis Major (Greater Dog, lower left) and Canis Minor (Lesser Dog, upper left). The star Sirius in Canis Major, also known as "The Dog Star," is the brightest star in the sky, glowing at a magnitude of -1.47. Appearing as bright or brighter in this image is Procyon in Canis Minor. Although very bright, Procyon is actually dimmer than Sirius, glowing at a 0.37 magnitude. The star at top left is Alhena in Gemini, shining at a 1.90 magnitude. This 12-second exposure at f/3.5 and an ISO of 800 was taken from Bowman Woods Park in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The brownish splotches between Canis Major and Orion are clouds.