There are so many great stories in the over 60 constellations available to us in our night sky. There are heroes, hunters, musical instruments, royalty and all kinds of critters, including eight birds. Cygnus the Swan is the biggest and brightest of the celestial birds, and is now flying very high in the early evening southeastern sky. The brightest star in Cygnus is Deneb, shining brightly at the end of its tail feathers. Deneb is also one of the stars that make up the very large “Summer Triangle,” which can help you find your way in the summer heavens. The other Summer Triangle stars are Vega and Altair, the brightest stars in their respective constellations, Lyra (the Harp) and Aquila (the Eagle). Just look for the three brightest stars in the high southern sky, and that’s it!

Deneb is the highest but dimmest star in the triangle, but it is not a puny star. On the contrary, it’s a fantastically massive star at least 1,500 light-years away, with just one light-year equaling almost 6 trillion miles. It’s so far away that the light we see from it tonight left that star around 500 AD. Theoretically, it could explode tonight, and our great-great-great-great-grandkids wouldn’t see the explosion until well after 3500.

Diagram of the constellation Cygnus (Mike Lynch)

Cygnus the Swan contains within it a pattern of stars called the Northern Cross. It’s much easier to see the Northern Cross before looking for the rest of the Swan. Face south and you’ll see Deneb sitting at the top of the diagonally orientated cross. Down and to the right of Deneb, you should easily see the three stars that make up the crosspiece. At the foot of the cross is the not-so-impressive star Albireo, at least to the naked eye. However, with a small telescope, or one of the newer smart photographic scopes that are really catching on, you’ll see that Albireo is not just one star but a beautiful pair of stars, one gold and the other blue. It’s one of the best double stars in the night sky. While Albireo appears to be a double star system, it’s more complicated than that. The gold star is actually a tight three-star system, consisting of three stars so close together that they appear as one.

Albireo (Mike Lynch)

It’s easy to expand on the Northern Cross and find the entire swan. To do that, make Deneb the tail of the swan and Albireo the swan’s head. Then look for fainter stars just off and slightly to the left of both sides of the crosspiece. These stars make up the wingtips. Draw a curved line from one wingtip through the crosspiece stars and onto the opposite wingtip stars, and you have the entire wingspan of Cygnus.

The Greek mythology story of how Cygnus came to be in the sky is a sad one, although it has a somewhat happy ending. Helios, the Greek name for the god of the sun, was one of the upper echelons of the gods on Mount Olympus. Every day, he was responsible for guiding the sun across the sky, encased in a giant glass chariot. A fleet of flying white horses gallantly pulled the chariot.

Phaethon, one of Helios’ many children, idolized his dad and very much wanted to eventually take over the reins of the sun chariot when Helios retired. At just 10 years old, Phaethon begged his dad to let him take the sun chariot for a ride, but Helios said no, and for good reason. It was a colossal accident waiting to happen. Even so, Phaethon, in his youthful exuberance, was convinced he could handle it. One morning, temptation set in, and the inevitable disaster followed.

Helios overslept that morning, and Phaethon realized that this was his chance. He entered the hangar with the golden chariot, climbed in, backed it out, and bellowed a celestial “giddy up!” to the flying horses. Before he knew it, he was airborne.

Surprisingly he handled the sun vehicle like a pro at first, but soon he got cocky and lost control of the chariot. A crash of celestial proportions was moments away. If the sun crashed, the entire world would turn into a blaze of fire. From Mount Olympus, Zeus, the king of the gods, saw what was happening and took immediate action. He couldn’t tell who was in the driver’s seat but knew it wasn’t Helios. Not recognizing Phaethon, he concluded it was an enemy intruder at the reins. He frantically shouted down to Helios for help and then shot a lightning bolt at Phaethon, spearing him out of the driver’s seat and on the way to a fatal plunge. Meanwhile, with all his might, Helios catapulted himself up to the chariot and jumped into the seat. He got control of it just before the sun catastrophically crashed.

Meanwhile, Phaethon plunged into the river Po and was killed on impact. At that height, it was like slamming into a cement slab. Soon after, Helios and Zeus tragically discovered who was shot out of the chariot and met his demise. Other gods recognized the body as well and were just as grief-stricken. As a lasting memorial, they magically transformed his body into the beautiful constellation we see today as Cygnus the Swan.

Enjoy the high-flying swan of the night sky!

A celestial “hugging.” (Mike Lynch)

Celestial Hugging This Week: Very early morning risers this coming Tuesday can see the waning crescent moon parked between the bright planets Jupiter and Venus in the early morning twilight.

Mike Lynch is an amateur astronomer and retired broadcast meteorologist for WCCO Radio in Minneapolis/St. Paul. He is the author of “Stars: a Month by Month Tour of the Constellations,” published by Adventure Publications and available at bookstores and adventurepublications.net. Mike is available for private star parties. You can contact him at mikewlynch@comcast.net.

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Today is Sunday, July 20, the 201st day of 2025. There are 164 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On July 20, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon after reaching its surface in their Apollo 11 lunar module.

Also on this date:

In 1917, America’s World War I draft lottery began as Secretary of War Newton Baker, wearing a blindfold, reached into a glass bowl and pulled out a capsule containing the number 258 during a ceremony inside the Senate office building.

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In 1944, an attempt by a group of German officials to assassinate Adolf Hitler with a bomb failed as the explosion only wounded the Nazi leader.

In 1951, Jordan’s King Abdullah I was assassinated in Jerusalem by a Palestinian gunman who was shot dead on the spot by security.

In 1976, America’s Viking 1 robot spacecraft made a successful, first-ever landing on Mars.

In 1977, a flash flood hit Johnstown, Pennsylvania, killing more than 80 people and causing $350 million worth of damage.

In 1990, Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, one of the court’s most liberal voices, announced he was stepping down.

In 1993, White House deputy counsel Vincent Foster Jr., 48, was found shot to death in a park near Washington, D.C.; it was ruled a suicide.

In 2006, the Senate voted 98-0 to renew the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act for another quarter-century.

In 2007, President George W. Bush signed an executive order prohibiting cruel and inhuman treatment, including humiliation or denigration of religious beliefs, in the detention and interrogation of terrorism suspects.

In 2012, gunman James Holmes opened fire inside a crowded movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, during a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises,” killing 12 people and wounding 70 others. (Holmes was later convicted of murder and attempted murder, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.)

In 2015, the United States and Cuba restored full diplomatic relations after more than five decades of frosty relations rooted in the Cold War.

Today’s Birthdays:

Former Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, D-Md., is 89.
Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Oliva is 87.
Artist Judy Chicago is 86.
Country singer T.G. Sheppard is 81.
Singer Kim Carnes is 80.
Rock musician Carlos Santana is 78.
Author and commentator Thomas Friedman is 72.
Rock musician Paul Cook (Sex Pistols) is 69.
Actor Frank Whaley is 62.
Conservationist and TV personality Terri Irwin is 61.
Rock musician Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam) is 59.
Actor Josh Holloway (TV: “Lost”) is 56.
Singer Vitamin C is 56.
Actor Sandra Oh is 54.
Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg is 52.
Actor Omar Epps is 52.
Basketball Hall of Famer Ray Allen is 50.
Hockey Hall of Famer Pavel Datsyuk is 47.
Supermodel Gisele Bundchen is 45.
Actor Percy Daggs III is 43.
Actor John Francis Daley is 40.
Dancer-singer-actor Julianne Hough is 37.
Former MLB pitcher Stephen Strasburg is 37.

Minnesota United flipped back to Page 1 of its playbook — scoring on set pieces — to take a second-half lead on the Timbers on Saturday.

But the Loons gave up an equalizer in stoppage time and were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw in Portland, Ore. The Timbers were able to salvage a point on their 50-year anniversary celebration at Providence Park.

With San Diego and Vancouver playing to a draw in Southern California, MNUFC (11-6-7, 41 points) squandered a chance to move into a first-place tie with San Diego.

The Loons’ success on set plays returned when they scored on a recycled corner kick in the 78th minute, with Anthony Markanich’s header finishing off a great cross from Julian Gressel.

But in the second minute of stoppage time, Omir Fernandez got between Loons defenders Jefferson Díaz and Gressel to score at the back post. He finished a cross from Juan Mosquera, who put a shot off the crossbar moments earlier.

Markanich has scored four goals in the last five matches to give him six on the season. Gressel had his third assist since joining Minnesota in May.

Minnesota was more dangerous in the first half with an 8-4 edge in total shots, but Felipe Mora’s shot on a counterattack was the best overall chance of the first half. But the Portland forward’s shot went straight to goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair in first-half stoppage time.

With veteran leaders Michael Boxall and Wil Trapp given respites outside the starting lineup, St. Clair wore the captain’s armband for the first time this season. Boxall received the armband when he subbed in, alongside Trapp, at halftime.

Briefly

Joaquín Pereyra and Nico Romero’s bookings for yellow cards on Saturday will result in both Argentines being issued one-match suspensions for accumulation against St. Louis City next Saturday. … Sam Shashoua will go on loan with Birmingham Legion in the USL Championship for the rest of the 2025 season, the club said Saturday. … Joseph Rosales grabbed his right hamstring when he subbed out in the 75th minute.

When Stillwater actor Reed Sigmund chose a production for his debut directing adults, he went with a show he’s quite familiar with, “Robin Hood.”

“I always like looking at a classic and asking why it stood the test of time,” said Sigmund, who starred in a 2010 production of the musical at Children’s Theatre Company. “Usually it’s because its relevance is evergreen. I think, right now, the story of Robin Hood is about an abuse of power, relentless oppression, ruling with a complete lack of empathy and understanding for the people who you represent. I won’t get too specific here, but I think anybody in this world who’s willing to open their eyes and take a look around will see exactly how relevant this story is to this time in history.”

Sigmund, who is best known for playing the Grinch at CTC, is directing the show for Stillwater’s Zephyr Theatre, where he’s been director of education since 2021. It’ll be staged outdoors at Aamodt’s Apple Farm in Stillwater from July 25 through Aug. 3.

Here’s what else Sigmund had to say about the experience.

On directing adults for the first time: “I’ve directed students several times, but I’ve never directed professionals. I’ve always loved directing. With students, it’s different because it’s very exciting to watch them grow and to not spoon feed them anything, to just lay out some pebbles and lead them down a path where they can make the discovery themselves.

“You always try not to give them answers because I don’t think any actor likes being told what to do. Part of the reason actors do this is because discovery is fun. Exploring is fun. Creating is fun. As a director, your job is to pave the path for all those things to happen in a healthy and exciting environment.”

On his approach to the craft of directing: “All you can do is pave the way and let people make decisions. It’s like if you’re in the woods, you can chop down some trees. You can clear a little bit here, you can clear a little bit there. But ultimately, you have to say OK, you can come down this path, but there’s going to be places where I’ve not carved the path and you need to figure it out.

“That’s when it’s a fulfilling experience. And then when the show is created, the actors don’t feel like they’re puppets, simply reenacting all these impulses that were fed to them. They feel like the show belongs to them, that the character is their creation. There’s something really exciting about sharing something that you have a sense of ownership with instead of sharing something that ultimately belongs to somebody else.”

Local actor Reed Sigmund works on a production of “Robin Hood” at Aamodt’s Apple Farm in Stillwater. The production runs from July 25 through Aug. 3, 2025 at the farm. (Courtesy of Emily Staloch)

On how this opportunity came about: “At the Zephyr Theater, we have a lot of fantastic programs. We work with Stillwater Community Education and some other schools in the St. Croix Valley. We’re trying to make sure that arts education is accessible to anybody who’s interested. That’s been the focal point, but last summer, the executive director asked if was interested in doing some other projects and projects with professionals. And I said I’d love to.”

On casting “Robin Hood”: “It’s the type of show that doesn’t happen at an audience, it happens with them. That’s something that always excites me. I wanted to bring along a team of artists who I know and trust and love creating with. I reached out to Brandon Brooks, who had been a student actor with me at CTC for almost a decade, and asked him to come play the Sherrif of Nottingham.

“There’s an extraordinary performer named Antonisia Collins who was a production assistant at Children’s Theater a couple years ago, and she’s phenomenal as Robin Hood. I really wanted her to have a space to really take the reins of a show, show every viewer what she can do and let viewers experience the joy that she brings to any moment.

“And then there’s a couple other young, beyond talented performers who wow me and surprise me every time I see them in a show or any time I have the pleasure of just interacting with them. And that’s Grace Hillmyer, who’s playing Maid Marian, and Jeffrey Nolan, who’s playing a variety of parts. They’re also both theater arts educators. And then there’s a former CTC educator and educator in the Twin Cities named Jay Scoggin, who is a wildly talented musician who plays all sorts of instruments. I’ve lucked out with this team that’s willing to go on this ride with me.”

On how working outdoors as a teen with the Trollwood Performing Arts School in Fargo influenced this production: “I think the outdoors are exciting and, you know, unpredictable. Nature is alive and theater is a live art form. Indoor theater is great, but you have complete control over your environment and, to some degree, that does rob theater of its immediacy and its unpredictability. And I think immediacy and unpredictability is what makes theater different from film or television. Anything can and will happen. And that’s part of what makes it thrilling.

“I think if there’s ever a piece that belongs next to the mysterious and thrilling and somewhat dangerous woods, I think ‘Robin Hood’ is that show.”

On what he’s learned while directing adults: “I think being a professional actor now for 25 years, you start to develop your own aesthetic and you work with a variety of directors. You start to develop and create your own style unknowingly. You also learn how you like to be spoken to as an actor and how you like to be included and invited to the table as an actor and how you want your contributions or ideas to be part of the process, not outside of it. That’s been something that’s really important to me.”

‘Robin Hood’

When: 7 p.m. July 25-26 and Aug. 1-2; 2 p.m. July 27 and Aug. 3.

Where: Aamodt’s Apple Farm, 6428 Manning Ave. N., Stillwater. (The show will move into an on-site barn in case of severe weather.)

Tickets: $42.40 (chair seat), $31.80 (bring your own seat) and $16 (bring your own seat ages 10 and under) via stillwaterzephyrtheatre.org.

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