Why are stars brighter in winter

TEP Solar Dashboard. Weather Alert Email Signup. UA Sports. AZ Weekend. Business Directory. Noon Notebook. TV Schedule. Fox About Us. Meet the Team. There are a few reasons why the winter sky is regarded as a special treat for backyard astronomers.

Summer skies often appear hazier because, actually, they are. The warm moisture-laden atmosphere of summer is thicker, and less transparent, than the crisp, cold winter dome, making it harder to see what lies beyond. Nights are also longer in the winter, giving us a greater window in which to enjoy the wonders of the universe. Winter is also the time of year when some of the largest and most dramatic constellations, including Gemini, Monoceros, and Orion the Hunter come out, as well as breathtaking deep-sky formations like the Pleiades.

Unlike many of the other constellations, which can be dim and difficult to identify, several winter constellations are bright enough for even the greenest skywatchers to pick out.

The final reason the winter sky is so spectacular is simply because the neighborhood we find ourselves facing at this time of year is particularly dark.

In the summer, the Earth faces the bright center of the Milky Way. Astronomers think the Milky Way contains about billion stars. Just like light pollution can make it hard to see the stars inside a city, the brightness of the inner galaxy makes it harder to pick out individual stars in the summer sky.

So while it may sound more pleasant to lie out in the fields and gaze up the stars in the comfort of a breezy summer evening, remember that the winter sky has a magic about it that is worth the extra trouble. Jaime McLeod is a longtime journalist who has written for a wide variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites, including MTV. This area is named for the prominent constellation Orion, which is visible in the evening during the winter months. Weather Storm Tracker Blog.

Actions Facebook Tweet Email. Copyright Scripps Media, Inc. You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account. Notify me of new comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email. Skip to content Posted on January 5, by Kiran.