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Culture TV & Movies Absolute Beginners - Autumn Skies As the
long days of summer slip away and skies darken earlier each
evening, the first stars of autumn come into view. The
centerpiece of the autumn sky is a starry square called the
Great Square of Pegasus. In mid-October it lies almost overhead
from mid-northern latitudes around 10 pm. Pegasus was the winged
horse of Greek mythology, and the Great Square represents the
front half of the body of Pegasus. Four stars mark the corners
of the Square, boxing in an area of sky so large that you need
to hold both hands out at armís length to cover it. Sports fans
in North America might think of it as a baseball diamond rather
than a square. You should be able to find the Square without
much difficulty, but your star chart can help if you need to
orient yourself. (For help, see "Absolute Beginners Ė Start
Observing." There is a link at the end