Last October a star named 51 Pegasi, previously of academic interest only, suddenly became a news item when astronomers detected a wobble in its movement through space. That wobble, they determined, was being caused by a large planet racing around the star in a tight, four-day orbit. Not only was this evidence for a planet outside our solar system, but 51 Pegasi was intriguingly similar to our own sun. No wonder backyard observers across the country began struggling to find the dim celebrity.
Those observers would do well to take a look this month at the far more easily seen Capella, which dominates the constellation Auriga. Capella is now high overhead and at its best, the fourth-brightest star above North American skies. Its creamy white dazzle is bested these nights only by blue Sirius much lower in the south.
These two stars--Capella and 51 Peg--offer a fascinating comparison. They boast ...
