Four seasons and the night sky of Munakata

The location of Munakata is 130 degrees 32 minutes east longitude and 33 degrees 48 minutes north latitude, the North Pole at the center of North is 33.5 degrees in altitude and the horizontal line in North is at Decl. + 56.5 degrees.

　In the summer, "dipper" which shapes the Big Dipper draws water and in the winter the south can see the old man "Canopus".

　In the world in the south of the Mediterranean Sea, in the south of the United States, in the cities that face the sea to the north in this latitude, it is unusual worldwide, so it can be said that the feast of the night sky in the north is "Mukunakata" in the northern sky.

Hokuto drinking water

If you carefully observe the movement of the Big Dipper, some of it will be hidden on the horizon in the mid-autumn of autumn. This figure is "Big Dipper in the sky gets water".

Just to come to a convenient location "to drink water" To observe the Big Dipper it is only during the evening of autumn all the night. If the time is September 20, around 10 pm, the constellation rises about 4 minutes earlier every day, so on October 20 it will be around 8 pm.

We have released a video on youtube that details "Hokutonomizukumi" produced by Munakata Yulix Planetarium.
In Munakata, you can see the phenomenon of "Hokutonomizukumi", which is rare in the world, where the Big Dipper draws seawater. I will explain in detail with a video as if you were watching a planetarium, such as "Why does the Big Dipper look like it is drawing water?"

When observing our northern sky stars will go around the North Star around once every day counterclockwise. The Big Dipper is no exception.

Therefore, careful observation of the movement of this Big Dipper brings the Big Dipper from the west to the east between the North Star and the Horizon in the mid-autumn of autumn and it looks like a picture on the right.

As if this figure is like a cherry blossom in the heaven !!
So this is why the Big Dipper in the sky comes down.

Everyday it always "wears water", but the day is bright and the stars can not be seen. It is evening in winter, daytime in spring and morning in summer.

You can only observe the Big Dipper coming in a convenient location only during the evening of the autumn all the night.
If the time is September 20, around 10 pm the constellation will rise about 4 minutes early, so on October 20 it will be around 8 o'clock.

Please see the figure below. The horizontal line shows the place of 33 degrees north, and when you look at this place the star on the east side of the two stars which are the bottom of the Big Dipper 's cup (Okuma Beta star) goes through the horizon or the horizon.

The next condition is "to wear the water", so it must be the place of the landscape with horizontal lines in the north. Of course, the horizon in the north is a lake, if it is the ocean it would be best for a calm inner river of waves. Looking at the figure above, the USA is on the land and the latitude on the south coast of the Mediterranean is a bit too low. Unexpectedly I can not find a good field.

Thus, it is only in the northern coast of Kyushu, Japan, even though it is world wide to satisfy these two conditions.
For details, it seems that it is only the coast (or the river bank on the northern side of Munakata Oshima) following Wakamatsu North Coast, Hatuzu Coast, Satsuki Matsubara from Kanmon.

Because it is observing the constellation, it is a fine evening and a night without a moon will be good. Let's wear the eye in about 40 minutes in the dark place where direct street light does not shoot, let's habituate the eyes to the dark and observe.

Harukanaru Longevity Star "Old Man Star"

In winter, the star "Canopus" brightly shining in the south at an altitude of 3 degrees is located in the very south of Sirius which shines most brightly in the night sky. That name was attached from the name of the Greek sailor who had been a pilot-guided person a while ago.

In Japan, Canopus that can be seen with the highest level of the horizon has the same brightness as Sirius originally, but it can only be seen as a dark star with a little redness due to the influence of the Earth 's atmosphere .

In Japan there is an area that calls this star "cloth stars (melasbury)", "west star star", "one star in the south".
Once upon a time when this star was seen it was believed that a storm would occur, but in China it is called "Antarctic Old Man star", believing that one of the Seven Lucky Gods "Old Man" (Juroujin), seeing this star It was said that you can live longer if you can do.

Guide to Starry Sky Observation

When you see this "Big Dipper with water" appearing in the winter, let's prepare for winter clothes. Also, light clothing is not permitted even in the summer.

Information such as the lunar phrase is posted in the newspaper, so you may want to refer to it. It is most suitable for observing the night of the new moon (age 0).
When it rains, the air in the atmosphere is turned off and the air becomes clear.

Let's choose a place where trees are not blurred around a small place.
Please do not refrain in the place where there are car traffic. When light such as a streetlight comes in, if you shield the light with your hands or books, it will be more visible to the naked eye.

It is useful if you have a constellation board or a star map to know the position of the star.
Even without a telescope for astronomical observation, you can see enough with binoculars for bird watching.
For walking in the dark or seeing a star map, let 's prepare to add a red cellophane to a light such as a flashlight. (It is convenient to attach a filter of red cellophane so it is hard to see because the light is too bright when comparing the star map with the night sky.)

The Munakata transmitted to the Manyo folk "The Tanabata Festival" of the Nakatsu Palace

In the Milky Way flowing beside the Nakatsu Palace in Oshima, on the evening of August 7 th every year, we set up bamboo around the altar of the shrine and connect strips (wishes) that wished to wish and pray for fulfillment.

Around the torii, adults wearing Yukata and even their children will join and donate Tanabata dance.

Near the village shrine in which Ijigaki's life (mission of Izanagi) was enshrined, and the Milky Way of the Milky Way was the opposite, the Izanami Life (Mission of Izanami) was enshrined There is Wojo Shrine (Shinjyushi Shrine). This custom which has been passed down since ancient times has been inherited to the people of the island as the Tanabata Festival.

This festival is also recorded in Kokin gakushin Era, it is believed that it was originally held as a marriage event from before the Kamakura period.