EVERYONE LOVES ORION. The starry Hunter is the most famous and popular constellation, since everyone is fascinated by the three perfectly-aligned stars in Orion’s Belt.
One of my most popular FAQs is “Why can’t I find Orion in the summer?” This is because Orion is near the place in the sky of the summer solstice. Thus, Orion is hidden invisibly behind the blue glow of the sky during the summer, when the Sun is near the place of the summer solstice in the sky. For this reason, Orion is most visible in the wintertime, when the Sun is near the opposite solstice.
Each year, Orion disappears quickly from the evening skies in the month of May, when the spring days are getting long. But conversely, Orion reappears quickly to the morning skies during August, when the late summer days are starting to grow short.
If you are up before sunrise this month, look for Orion in the eastern sky, rising above the trees just as “the dawn’s early light” begins to brighten the morning sky. Also notice the stars of the constellations Taurus the Bull and Gemini the Twins, turned onto their sides as they rise above the eastern horizon.
Keep an eye on Orion in the mornings of September, as the Hunter will be higher and higher in the morning sky, arriving at the meridian by sunrise on the first day of autumn.
