Algol, the demon star

What would you think of a star that blinks? Maybe you'd think there's something sinister about it. That's how Algol got its name. It's from Arabic for the demon. To the ancient Greeks, Algol was a blinking eye of Medusa. Before that, the ancient Egyptians may have thought of the star as a bringer of luck--good or bad depending on when the eye of Horus looked upon them. Algol still blinks. Listen to this podcast to understand why and then go see it for yourself. Neptune is at opposition this week. Mercury's at greatest elongation. Mars remains hidden. Jupiter and Saturn dominate most of the night.