Orion is a dog-person!

There's always been something about Orion that I like. Nevermind that he was the first constellation I learned as my father would always begin our stargazing lessons with "Okay, do you see Orion's belt? The three stars right there?" I wasn't as good at pinpointing the North Star. There? I'd ask. "No, there!" Wait, over this way? "No, go back!" Like up and back or straight back? "Now you're too far. Let's look at the stars over here..."

So tonight as I wait patiently by the fire for the stars to come out, I pull up the stellar map to find out exactly where I need to look to see the Lyrid meteor shower. Look north after 9:30 local time. Got it!

Good thing the RV bedroom is pointed north. Since the meteor shower won't peak until after midnight, I can just pull back the blanket from off the window, lay in bed, and make wishes on one shooting stars after another!

But back to Orion. The interesting thing that I want to share is that the three stars in his belt point to Sirius (to the left of Orion). Sirius is one of the brightest stars in our winter sky. Sirius is the Dog Star, the star that forms the throat of the dog constellation, Canis Major.

The picture Orion and the trailing puppers paint as they move through the night toward the western horizon is that of a hunter with his faithful dog following close behind.

Pretty cool, huh?