The O’Brien County Conservation Board, in partnership with Sanborn Public Library, presented the program “Constellations and the Stories Behind Them” on January 6 at the Library. O’Brien County Naturalist Abbie Parker gave a power point presentation to highlight some of the most popular constellations and asterisms visible in the clear night sky. She described the difference between constellations such as Ursa Major and asterisms such as the Big Dipper, which is a grouping of stars within Ursa Major.
A highlight was the Naturalist reading from the book Star Stories: Constellation Tales from Around the World. The stories, including several from Greek mythology, dealt with the origins of various constellations. The stories read by Parker pertained to the constellations visible to us in Iowa, such as Ursa Major, Orion, Gemini and Cassiopeia.
The Naturalist showed the audience views of the night sky on Stellarium a mobile and online planetarium.
The February Winter Library Series presentation is entitled “Is it Opossum or Possum?” As you might expect it takes a closer look at the familiar marsupial. The presentation comes to Sanborn Public Library on Thursday, February 17.

O’Brien County Naturalist Abbie Parker Shared Star Stories, Tales Of The Origins Of The Constellations.

Parker’s Power Point Presentation Contained Information On Some Of The More Familiar Constellations And Star Groupings.

A Dozen People (including The Photographer) Came To Sanborn Public Library January 6 For The Program “Constellations And The Stories Behind Them.”