Friday, February 10, 2012

Is it possible to find Planet Reach on Google Earth?

I have been thinking a lot recently about a particular game that suggests a planet called Reach and was wondering would it be possible to find it? I have tried the local Nebula called Rosette Nebula of NGC 2244... If anyone could tell me the co-ordinates or point me in the right direction i would be most thankful.Is it possible to find Planet Reach on Google Earth?
Here, this will help you:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo:_Reach
Yes, I know it's an article about a computer game. But that should give you a hint about it. It's very rare for new found extra-solar planets to be given proper names; usually they just take the name of the star followed by a letter to distinguish the ordering of discovery; for example Gliese 581g. The creators of the game just made up a planet and used a name that sounded "cool" in a place in the sky that sounded "neat" and realistic.

As for NGC 2244, yes that one DOES exist. It's an object from a catalog called New General Catalog (NGC) in the constellation Monoceros (the Unicorn), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_2244 The object is fairly big in the sky (more or less the width of your index finger when you hold your arm in front of you) but it's very very dim and you'll only spot it in a very dark sky, away from big cities and street lights.
This night, NGC 2244 is south of the Moon. However, the Moon is very bright so you won't be able to see it without binoculars or a small telescope to help capture the light.

To find NGC 2244 this night, look about 15-17 degrees below the Moon (more or less the span of your open hand in front of your arm)
and about 10 degrees (more or less the size of your closed fist in front of your arm) to the left of the star Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse is more or less below and to the right of the Moon and it's a bright red star. Both should be visible to the South at around 9-10pm. This should be very easy to help you guide towards NGC 2244; but if you're not used to look at the sky, it might be a little confusing finding it, especially if you're in (even) a small city. If the weather is cloudy tonight where you live, you can get the same "beacons" about one month from now, when the Moon comes back to the same phase, around March 13. Or you can go look for Betelgeuse yourself. Because it's bright and red, that star should be reasonably easy to spot to the South at around 9-10pm.

If you want, you can download and install the program Stellarium. It's open source software and freely distributable. Have a look at its site before deciding to download and install: http://www.stellarium.org/Is it possible to find Planet Reach on Google Earth?
The planet is fictitious.Is it possible to find Planet Reach on Google Earth?
Might want to ask the creators of the game where that planet exists.

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