Gemini, the last winter zodiacal constellations in our sky this evening appears low in the western sky after sunset. The constellation was overhead early in the New Year, when the winds were well below freezing. Gemini is a large constellation that crosses over the densely packed star clouds of the visible Milky Way. Orion, the hunter, is underneath, slipping below the horizon. Point a pair of binoculars to Gemini and there are so many stars to see.

 

The two brightest stars Castor and Pollux look like they are two friends in the sky. Gemini is a constellation depicting twins. Castor and Pollux are the names of the twins. Just look up in the western sky. Castor, the brightest and Pollux are easy to spot. There are no other stars that come close in brightness.

 

Pollux is the brightest and it is only 34 light years away. Castor considerably farther away at 50 light years away. When looking at the stars above, it is so easy to think that just because two stars appear close together, their distance apart is closer. Not so.

 

At the foot of Gemini, the Milky Way appears even more dense. With binoculars the stars appear randomly placed.