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StarDateYour guide to the universe Author: Billy Henry
StarDate, the longest-running national radio science feature in the U.S., tells listeners what to look for in the night sky. Language: en-us Genres: Astronomy, Education, Science Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Moon and Companions
Thursday, 29 January, 2026
The constellation Gemini consists of two long lines of stars capped by two of the brighter stars in the night sky. Many cultures have seen these stars as two men. But the legend that endures is the Greek story of Castor and Pollux. The two bright stars bear their names. In the story, the twins had the same mother – Leda, the queen of Sparta. But they had different fathers. Castor was the son of the king – a mortal – while Pollux was the son of Zeus, the king of the gods. The boys were inseparable. They had many adventures together. They joined Jason and the other Argonauts in the search for the golden fleece, and saved their legendary boat during a nasty storm. But during a later battle, Castor was killed. Pollux was inconsolable. He begged Zeus to let him die so he could join Castor in the underworld. Moved by Pollux’s love for his brother, Zeus agreed to keep them together for all time. They would spend half of their time in the heavens, and the other half in the underworld – just like the stars of Gemini. The twins appear near the Moon the next couple of nights. The Moon aligns along the body of the twins tonight. Castor, the fainter twin, is to the left of the Moon at nightfall, with Pollux to the lower left. The giant planet Jupiter is passing through the constellation as well. It looks like an especially brilliant star. Tonight, it’s a little closer to the Moon than the twins are. Script by Damond Benningfield
