There are some great views to the southern sky this month, with Mars blazing near Spica, and Saturn hanging out in Libra. I also got a chance to see one of my favorite smaller constellations, Corvus the crow - also known as Spica's Spanker because it resembles a type of sail called a spanker, and because two of its stars form excellent pointers for Spica.
![corvus point to spica corvus point to spica](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAZwhxD-ZOJPS5JfQ6_uBlAGR0jyeT79cuC5U1DDHN0y9NFjoos76_FUFHOW0qMrvZJTlxbva6-8LMnPDhpGbp8kbHfFWFAQ2Vidqwirw7CxXY6-Z_LZWZOpqX0h_yuSE6iwMahLcgKav/s1600/corvus+point+to+spica.jpg) |
Single frame at f/4.5, 10 sec, ISO 800, 18mm |
![corvus the crow spica's spanker corvus the crow spica's spanker](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5RZFSod1BnT61aqX4vsGzZvqPUP3ywmS2xizBf3CiOsLCVON7n-XDbR80dU4iFqWxU2SoRGdG8j-gKHWsNVYw7e2iAcU2clFv-wKAOnl7657gTA1RJT1Hdx3vpvwI-AiMsn7s1lbjqzTw/s1600/southern+sky+mars+spica+corvus.jpg) |
Same image as above without labels |
Next, I wanted to see if I could fit Saturn, Mars, Corvus, and Arcturus all in the same frame. At 18mm, my
calculated field of view is about 64° horizontal and 45° vertical. Currently, Arcturus is about 38° from Saturn, Saturn is about 41° from Corvus, and Corvus is about 48° from Arcturus in a big triangle. It looks like it should fit, and it does!
![virgo constellation DSLR virgo constellation DSLR](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7buHSCziZFEPgiWTi9OACN3H6JhNV0Q57dhV9WWlCxryH3V7PQkr5qzu5Av9tDo_lQoOQ2VVuKJlYCvOtZb0_uzQbd5IDQ90hVdRCjqB6aeJy_7NQSbCKbUroulr4hLBJWuby7S4CnECR/s1600/Virgo+and+corvus+star+chart.jpg) |
Single frame at f/4, 13 sec, ISO 400, 18mm - Gaussian blur light pollution layer subtracted in Photoshop |
![corvus virgo mars and saturn corvus virgo mars and saturn](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqiE4V_8WqC3EtQryk1nDIKdABpD9ttPMv20fbqzv54J8sihuhVd8eIF8rHCAswjyB4QVX8TulF228uy-jq-iyqA0aCLHMMEUbyD9upCSXBAQFP-JL-rWmhgkp1L5km9swtYmSgYlFkcOa/s1600/mars+saturn+arcturus+spica.jpg) |
Same image as above with fewer labels |
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