- Menkent (stars.astro.illinois.edu)
MENKENT (Theta Centauri). Centaurus is dominated by its two brightest stars, Rigil Kentaurus (Alpha Centauri, third brightest star in the sky and the nearest star to the Earth) and first magnitude Hadar (Beta Centauri). Though these two shine brilliantly to the lucky residents of the southern hemisphere, neither is visible from mid-northern latitudes, so if those that live there wish to know Centaurus, they must begin with the third brightest star in the constellation, Menkent, to which is assigned the rather lowly letter Greek letter Theta (Gamma Centauri rather oddly coming in second).
- Almach (stars.astro.illinois.edu)
ALMACH (Gamma Andromedae). You take your new telescope to the back yard perhaps wondering what to examine. When finished with the Moon and the bright planets you turn to the stars, first perhaps to the grand Orion Nebula, next maybe to the magnificent Andromeda Galaxy. Then it is time for double stars. The sky abounds with them, northern winter’s Castor, springtime’s Mizar and Alcor, summer’s Albireo (the seasons reversed for the southern hemisphere), dozens of others easily found. Among the best of all, however, is the last star of the string of bright beauties that helps make the constellation Andromeda, second magnitude (2.16) Almach, Andromeda’s Gamma star.
