Can you believe it's been nearly a year since the planet Neptune was discovered? My how the time flies. OK, so it's been 164 Earth years, but it's but only been one Neptunian year.

In 1609 Galileo made his first perspicillum (see-through device) which we now call a telescope. It was initially used as a spyglass for seeing distant ships and other terrestrial objects.

In late in 1609 he first turned his device skyward and was astounded by views of the Moon, Jupiter, Venus and other heavenly bodies. But nothing confused him more than what he first saw 400 years ago this month. In announcing his discovery, he wrote, "I have observed the highest planet, triple-bodied," referring to Saturn which was then believed to be the most distant planet.

The practice of inventing constellations, those imaginary patterns among the stars, predates recorded history and has been done by people around the world. In 140 CE, astronomer Claudius Ptolemy of Alexandria, in his book, The Almagest, listed 48 constellations which came to be the accepted list throughout the Mediterranean region for the next 1,500 years.

Of the very brightest stars (called 1st-magnitude stars) none are in the northern-most night sky, yet that part of the sky holds seven moderately bright stars that form a pattern more familiar than any of the brightest stars.