We’re thrilled to be able to follow your journey south — Marnie, your narrative is most compelling; you’re a great writer!

About your “disco stars”… yep, they’re stars allright! (For all those who wished for a real ufo: sorry to rain on your parade!)

The very bright one below Orion is Sirius, in Canis Major, the brightest stars in the night sky. Other bright stars to the left and about the same altitude or slightly lower than Orion include Procyon, in Canis Minor, and the twins Castor and Pollux. On starboard, the three bright stars that form the Summer Triangle are setting: Deneb is the highest, Vega (the brihtest of the three) is below, and Altair is on the left.

They’re twinkling like crazy because of atmospheric turbulence, cause by the mixing of warmer and cooler layers of air (think of warm blobs of air rising and cooler ones sinking). Another phenomenon taking place is refraction, the bending of light as it enters the atmosphere; different colours (yes, in Canada we spell it with a “u” bend differently, same as in a prism. Both effects are stronger near the horizon, and are more apparent on brighter stars, because there’s more light for the eye to detect. And using binos will only serve to enhance the light show… and possibly introduce other optical distortions as well!

So, everyone, call-off the rubber ambulance, there’s no need to take the crew to the looney-bin!

Best wishes for a safe continuation, from your astronomer friend in Montreal and his plant-loving wife,

Marc & Marie-France