Dead Man's Blood | Supernatural Series Rewrite | Dean Winchester x Reader
Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader
Warnings: canon violence, canon gore, daddy issues, mentions of parental death
Word Count: 5022
A/N: Cannot believe we're at the penultimate episode of my version of the first season Supernatural!! Crazy!! Thank you guys so much for the love and support; I truly appreciate it.
When season 2 starts, the taglist will be closed! If you'd like to join and haven't already, please let me know!
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You and the Winchester boys sat at a table in a diner searching for possible cases to take on. You sat at your laptop on the side of the table with Sam and Dean to your right and left.
Dean looked through a newspaper and folded it up in frustration. “Well, not a decent lead in all of Nebraska. What’ve you got, Sammy?”
“I've been scanning Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota... here. A woman in Iowa fell ten thousand feet from an airplane and survived,” Sam responded.
“Sounds more like ‘that's Incredible’ than, uh, 'Twilight Zone'.”
“Yeah, I agree,” you said.
“Hey you know we could just keep heading east. New York. Upstate. We could drop by and see Sarah again. Huh? Cool chick, man, smokin'.” Dean whistled lowly. “You two seemed pretty friendly. What do you say?”
“Yeah, I don’t know, maybe someday. But in the meantime we got a lot of work to do Dean, and you know that,” Sam stated.
“Yeah, alright. How ‘bout you, (Y/N)?”
“Uh, man in Colorado, local man named Daniel Elkins was found mauled in his home,” you said, continuing to scan the web page before you.
“Elkins? I know that name,” Dean said.
You shrugged as Sam said, “Doesn’t ring a bell.”
Dean muttered the man’s name over and over.
“Sounds like the police don't know what to think. At first they said it was some sort of bear attack, now, they've found some signs of robbery,” you continued.
Dean took out his father’s journal and began to flick through it. “There, check it out.” He turned the book around to you and Sam and pointed at a contact reading “D. Elkins” with the man’s phone number next to it.
“You think it's the same Elkins?” Sam questioned.
“It's a Colorado area code.”
“Alright, Colorado it is. Let’s go, kids,” you said.
***
You and the boys made your way to the remote cabin of Daniel Elkins and picked the lock to his home. You cringed at the sight of your messy surroundings once inside. Books were everywhere, mad scribblings on stray pages covered the floor, and the furniture seemed to not have been dusted in years.
“Looks like the maid didn't come today,” Dean remarked.
You crouched down at the entrance of the home and fingered something on the floor. “Hey, got some salt over here.”
“You mean protection against demon salt, or 'oops I spilled the popcorn' salt?” Dean asked.
You gave him a dirty look. “Clearly a ring. Elkins was a player?”
“Definitely,” Dean responded.
You rose to go stand beside the brothers and look over the journal they were flicking through.
“That looks a hell of a lot like Dad's,” said Sam as he flipped through the pages.
“Yep, except this dates back to the '60s,” Dean added.
You led the brothers into another room and took in the shattered skylights. You moved your flashlight around the room and took in the fact that somehow, this room was messier than the other ones.
“Whatever attacked him, it looks like there was more than one,” Sam said, referencing the damage to the skylights. It seemed there were two separate entry points through them.
“Looks like he put up a hell of a fight, too,” the older brother added. He crouched down to the floor.
“You got something?” you asked, crouching beside him.
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Some scratches on the floor.”
“Death throes maybe?” Sam suggested.
Dean grabbed a page from a notebook on top of the desk beside you and placed it over the spot on the ground. He rubbed a pencil over the top to create an outline. “Or maybe a message.” He peeled up the paper that now had a lot of blood on the back and showed you and Sam the rubbings of the characters. “Look familiar?”
“Three letters, six digits. The location and combination of a post office box. It's a mail drop,” you said.
Dean looked to his brother. “Just the way Dad does it.”
***
You and the boys found a letter in the mailbox labeled with the numbers and letters from the floor’s message. You leaned over the back seat of the car and read off the letters on the envelope.
“ ‘J.W.’ Gotta be John Winchester, right?” you said.
“I don't know. Should we open it?” Dean turned his head to you.
A knock on Dean’s window came before any of you could say another word. You reared back and grabbed your gun from your belt, pointing it at the sound.
“Dad?” Dean breathed out.
You breathed out sharply as John opened the door and slid into the seat next to you. “I almost shot you, dude.”
He chuckled at you.
“Dad, what are you doing here? Are you alright?” Sam asked, turning to face him.
John’s gravelly voice seemed even more tired and worn than the last time you’d seen him. “Yeah, I'm okay. I read the news about Daniel; I got here as fast as I could. I saw you three at his place.”
“Why didn't you come in, Dad?”
“You know why. Because I had to make sure you weren't followed. By anyone or anything. Nice job of covering your tracks, by the way.”
Dean looked a little proud. “Yeah, well, we learned from the best.”
“Wait, you came all the way out here for this Elkins guy?” Sam questioned.
John nodded. “He was— He was a good man. Taught me a hell of a lot about hunting.”
“Well, you never mentioned him to us.”
“We had a— we had kind of a falling out. I hadn't seen him in years.” He gestured to the envelope. “I should look at that.” He opened it. “ 'If you're reading this, I'm already dead'... that son of a bitch.”
“What is it?” his eldest son asked.
“He had it the whole time.”
Sam looked at him confused. “Dad, what?”
“When you searched the place, did you— did you see a gun? An antique, a Colt revolver, did you see it?”
You shook your head. “I saw an old case, but it was empty.”
John sighed. “They have it.”
“You mean, whatever killed Elkins?” Dean asked.
John started to get out of the car. “We gotta pick up the trail.”
“Wait, you want us to come with you?” Sam scoffed.
“If Elkins was telling the truth, we gotta find this gun,” John rushed out.
“The gun? Why?”
“Because it's important, that's why.”
‘He’s even more of a hardass than Dean.’
“Dad, we don't even know what these things are yet,” the younger son protested.
“They were what Daniel Elkins killed best: Vampires.”
Your heart nearly dropped at the mention of those creatures.
“I thought they were extinct. I thought Elkins and others had wiped them out. I was wrong,” John said.
“Damn right,” you jumped in, not realizing the sudden venom lacing your words.
The three men stared back at you, and you shrank awkwardly.
John continued to explain. “Most vampire lore is crap. A cross won't repel them, sunlight won't kill them, and neither will a stake to the heart. But the bloodlust, that part's true. They need fresh human blood to survive. They were once people, so you won't know it's a vampire until it's too late.”
Anxiety clawed at your throat. You hadn’t faced any vampires since the death of your family.
***
You and the Winchesters found a decently priced motel to stay in to get your bearings before you went after the vampires. You watched Sam and Dean sleeping peacefully on their beds, but you were unable to get a wink. You and John sat on opposite sides of the table in the room listening to the police scanner.
You admired Dean’s relaxed features. You rarely saw him this at-ease. You wished you could be sleeping beside him, but your own mind was keeping you awake. The eldest Winchester looked over at you and whispered over the hum of the police scanner. “How’ve they been?” he asked.
You sighed. “They’re alright, I think. Been driving themselves crazy looking for you, though.”
He chuckled softly. “I figured they were.” He paused for a minute.
“They need you more than they need me,” you said. “You should stay with ‘em. I’ll be hitting the road in a little while, I think.”
“Don’t,” he said. “They’ll need you when this is all over.”
“What? You’re not gonna stay?” You turned your head to John.
“I don’t think so,” he shook his head.
You were disgusted at him. “Look, no disrespect, but that’s crap.”
He seemed caught off-guard. “And why’s that?” he challenged.
“Sam’s a mess. You walked out on Dean. Your boys deserve their father," you whispered harshly.
“Don’t act like you know me,” he hissed. “Dean’s a grown man. He’ll get over it. Sam, too. I’m not abandoning them; it’s just not safe.”
“Just call a spade a spade, John. Abandonment ‘for their safety’ is still abandonment,” you argued.
“You don’t think I wanna be with my kids—?"
“No, I don’t actually,” you cut him off.
Before he could continue to argue with you, something on the police scanner caught your attention.
“Unit 22 let me confirm. Mile marker 41, abandoned car. You need a workup?” the static voice said.
“Copy that. Possible 207. Better get forensics out here,” another voice said.
“Sam, Dean, let's go,” John slapped their feet as he stood, his voice still gravelly from his anger with you.
“Mm-hmm,” Dean muttered, though still asleep.
Sam sat up and Dean rubbed his eyes.
“There’s a call on the scanner,” you said.
“(Y/N), did you get any sleep?” the older brother slurred sleepily.
“That’s not important right now,” you told him. “C’mon.”
“What happened?” Sam asked.
“A couple called 911,; found a body in the street. Cops got there and everyone was missing. It's the vampires,” John explained.
“How do you know?”
“Just follow me, okay?” John said, leaving the room.
You turned to Sam who was putting his jacket on. “It’s how they hunt. They lay in the middle of the road and wait for somebody to pull over. By the time they get up close and personal, it’s too late. Then they leave.”
Dean sat up, still half-asleep. “You gonna be okay?” he asked you.
“I’m fine,” you responded. You could tell he didn’t believe you, but you left him behind without waiting for an argument.
***
John was talking to the cops while you and the brothers stood back by the Impala under the cover of the trees. He refused to look at you after your argument, and you refused to speak to him. You wouldn’t engage with a man who walked out on his children and put Dean through so much.
“I don't see why we couldn't have gone over with him,” the brunet sighed sulkily.
“Oh, don't tell me it's already starting.” Dean rolled his eyes.
“What's starting?” Sam asked.
John walked up before either of you could answer.
“What have you got?” Dean asked his dad.
“It was them, alright. Looks like they're heading west. We'll have to double back to get around that detour,” John explained.
“How can you be so sure?” Sam challenged.
“Sam—” Dean tried.
“I just wanna know we're going in the right direction,” Sam told him sharply.
“We are,” John responded.
You stood back next to Dean, trying not to get involved in the fight.
“How do you know?”
John handed something to his oldest son. “I found this.”
“It's a vampire fang.”
“Not a fang, teeth. They’ve got a second set that comes out when they attack,” you explained, looking over Dean’s shoulder at the tooth.
“Any more questions?” John challenged Sam.
Sam looked away and stayed silent.
“Alright, let's get out of here, we're losing daylight,” John said. Everything he said was said with authority. “Hey, Dean, why don't you touch up your car before you get rust? I wouldn't have given you the damn thing if I thought you were going to ruin it,” he gruffly spat at his son before heading to his truck.
You angrily stared after the man before looking over at Dean, who grimaced and got into the passenger’s seat.
Sam drove, keeping a close follow on John’s truck. You rested your chin on Dean’s shoulder, looking over the excerpt he was reading about vampires in your journal. He read aloud to you and Sam. “ ‘Vampires nest in groups of eight to ten. Smaller packs are sent to hunt for food. Victims are taken to the nest where the pack keeps them alive, bleeding them for days or weeks.’ I wonder if that's what happened to that 911 couple.”
Sam grumbled, “That's probably what Dad's thinking. Course, it would be nice if he just told us what he thinks.”
“So it is starting,” Dean sighed.
“What?”
“Sam, we've been looking for Dad all year. Now we're not with him for more than a couple of hours and there's static already?”
Sam huffed. “No. Look, I'm happy he's okay, alright? And I'm happy that we're all working together again.”
“Well, good,” Dean said.
The younger brother was unable to help himself. “It's just the way he treats us, like we're children.”
“Oh, God.” You sat back in the seat, doing your best to ignore the fight between the brothers.
“He barks orders at us Dean, he expects us to follow 'em without question. He keeps us on some crap need-to-know deal,” Sam argued.
“He does what he does for a reason.”
“What reason?”
“Our job! There's no time to argue, there's no margin for error, alright? That's just the way the old man runs things.”
“Yeah, well, maybe that worked when we were kids but not anymore, all right. Not after everything you and I have been through, Dean. I mean, are you telling me you're cool with just falling into line and letting him run the whole show?” Sam looked over at his brother angrily.
Dean gave Sam a long look before strongly responding, “If that's what it takes.”
Sam shook his head and returned his eyes to the road.
A few minutes later, Dean was on the phone with his dad. “Yeah, Dad. Alright, got it.” He hung up. “Pull off at the next exit.”
Sam’s frustrated tone was back. “Why?”
“ ‘Cause Dad thinks we've got the vampire's trail,” Dean said matter-of-factly.
“How,” Sam somehow sounded angrier.
“I don't know. He didn't say,” Dean responded.
Sam gunned the engine, and pulled in front of his dad’s truck before slamming the breaks.
“What are you doing, Sam?” you asked.
Sam got out of the car without answering you.
“Oh, crap. Here we go.” Dean followed his brother out of the car. “Sam!”
You just watched from the back seat, deciding not to get between the family’s brawl.
You watched in the driver’s side rear view mirror as John and Sam got in each other’s faces. Dean was trying to pull the two apart, and you could make out some of what they were screaming at each other about.
Sam approached the car again before spinning back around at his father. You often got in fights like that with your own father but more about his treatment of you and your brother. You knew better than to argue his orders.
“You were just pissed off that you couldn't control me anymore!” Sam yelled loudly enough for you to hear.
Dean then shoved the two apart, forcing Sam back to the car. Sam got back in the driver’s seat, still enraged.
“Sam, do you want me to—”
“No,” he snapped at you.
“Oh-kay, then.”
***
You and the brothers sat in the trees watching the beat-up barn the vampires called home. Dean stood beside you and cursed, “Son of a bitch. So they're really not afraid of the sun?” as he watched the vampires climb into a car, shielding their faces with their hands.
“Nope,” you said. “Direct sunlight just stings like a badass sunburn.”
“The only way to kill 'em is by beheading. And yeah, they sleep during the day— doesn't mean they won't wake up,” John added.
“So I guess walking right in's not our best option,” Dean said.
“Actually, that's the plan,” John grinned.
You and the brothers flipped open the trunk of the Impala and began grabbing machetes. John did the same with his truck, but his was outfitted with a fancy, automatic, hidden compartment.
“Here, (Y/N).” Dean handed you a rusty machete.
You caught sight of the giant blade their dad was holding. “Whoa, why don’t you have any like that?”
Dean snorted and turned his head. “Wow.”
John paused, closing his trunk. “So, you boys really wanna know about this Colt?”
“Yes, sir,” said Sam.
“It's just a story, a legend really. Well, I thought it was. Never really believed it until I read Daniel's letter,” John began. “Back in 1835, when Halley's comet was overhead, the same night those men died at the Alamo, they say Samuel Colt made a gun. A special gun. He made it for a hunter, a man like us only on horseback. Story goes he made thirteen bullets, and this hunter used the gun a half dozen times before he disappeared, the gun along with him. And somehow, Daniel got his hands on it. They say... They say this gun can kill anything.”
“Kill anything, like, supernatural anything?” Dean breathed.
“Like the demon,” Sam connected.
“Yeah, the demon. Ever since I picked up its trail I've been looking for a way to destroy that thing. Find the gun, and we may have it.”
“Wait, and you couldn’t tell your kids that why?” you snarled.
“(Y/N)—” Dean scolded, but you couldn’t help yourself.
John just looked at his eldest son. “What exactly made you keep her around for so long?”
“Both of you, stop it,” Dean said. "Let’s get these fuckers while we have the chance.”
You backed off, tension dissolving a little at Dean’s words. You looked between the boys and their father. Their faces conveyed complex emotions you couldn’t quite read.
Silently, you and Dean flanked one end of the barn while Sam took the other with his father.
You and Dean jumped through a barn window and walked around their hammocks carefully. Dean accidentally kicked an empty bottle on the ground, and you froze. You made a worried face and looked over to Dean, who froze as well.
The vampire next to Dean stirred, but didn’t wake up. You and Dean continued on until you found a woman tied up against a pole. You weren’t sure if she was sleeping or unconscious.
“Dean,” you whispered, crouching beside the woman. He came over to you as you began to untie her. You heard a noise behind you, and Dean went over to investigate.
“There’s more,” he said, grabbing something to break the locks on the metal cages a distance away from you.
The woman you were untying began to stir, and you did your best to assure her you were here to help.
The woman awoke and let out an unearthly roar.
“Dean!” you called, shooting up.
“Kids, run!” John called to you after hearing your voice. You and Dean sprinted out of the building, yelling for Sam as you did so. The vampires chased you, but you used the daylight to your advantage. You broke back through the trees and returned to the cars.
“Dad?! Sam!” Dean called. The two then came back up the slope.
“They won't follow. They'll wait till tonight. Once a vampire has your scent, it's for life,” John said.
“Well, what the hell do we do now?” Dean questioned.
“You gotta find the nearest funeral home, that's what.”
You knew where John was going with this. You smiled at the boys who seemed confused. “C’mon, Dean,” you said, patting his shoulder. You turned to the Impala, and Sam and his father got in the latter’s truck.
Dean cruised down the road to the funeral home you had found and were planning to break into.
“What the hell was that earlier?” Dean asked frustratedly as soon as the car doors were shut.
“What?”
“With my dad, (Y/N), why would you say something like that?!”
"Look, we got in a fight while you and Sam were sleeping. I just don’t like how he treats you guys,” you admitted.
“Well, thanks, but don’t. Sam’s enough for me right now as it is,” he responded.
A few moments passed, and you looked down at your hands. “I’m sorry,” you said quietly.
Dean sighed. “It’s okay.” He snorted after a moment. “Not many people would stand up to my dad like that.”
You smiled, eyes still on your hands folded in your lap. “He reminds me a lot of my dad. John and Sam fight exactly how my dad and I did. Steven always had to break us apart.”
“I just don’t understand why Sam can’t leave the old man alone,” Dean told you. “I mean, we spent so fucking long looking for ‘im, and as soon as we find him, he’s pickin’ fights.”
You nodded in understanding. “I get why he’s upset, but I agree that it’s the wrong place and wrong time right now. I mean, despite the fact that I picked a fight with him. Again, mistake on my part.”
“Agreed.”
You let a moment of silence pass before you spoke again. “Dee?”
“Hm.”
“Now that we’ve found your dad, do you still want me here?”
He turned his head toward you. “Of course, I do. You’re not gettin’ rid of us that easy.”
You grinned. “Good. After a year of all this, you guys have become my new normal. I don’t think I’ll be able to go back to being alone again.”
Dean smirked and turned back to the road, pulling into the parking lot of the funeral home.
After a few lies and a bit of breaking and entering, you and Dean were headed back to the motel with dead man’s blood in hand.
“What does that stuff do exactly?” Dean asked you as he drove.
“It’s kinda like vampire food poisoning. Pretty useful stuff,” you explained.
“How’ve you been with this whole thing?” he asked.
“What, the vampires?”
Dean nodded.
“Winchester, are you goin’ soft on me? Since when do you care to get into the touchy-feely?” you joked.
He rolled his eyes in response. “Answer the damn question, (Y/N).”
You sighed, dropping your plucky attitude. “I’m okay, I think. I just— I haven’t hunted any vamps since my parents died. Any time I sniffed any out, I ran the other way. It’s kind of ironic that the one thing I fucking hate hunting has the one thing we need to kill this demon.”
Dean chuckled. “Yeah, well, y’know… Just…”
“There’s my boy. Having trouble with moments of sincerity once more,” you gibed but became serious once more as he rolled his eyes. “I know. If I need anything, I’ll let you know.”
***
You were surprised to find John and Sam laughing when you reentered their motel room.
“Whew. Man, some heavy security to protect a bunch of dead guys,” Dean said.
“Get it?” John asked.
You reached into Dean’s jacket pocket and pulled out a paper bag with a bottle full of blood inside it. You handed it over to the eldest Winchester.
“You know what to do,” he said.
***
You hated watching that creature feel Dean up and kiss him, but you knew you needed to let it happen for the sake of getting the Colt from the vampires. You’d already nearly beheaded her when she backhanded him.
Another vampire appeared behind the woman holding Dean in the air by his face, and that was when you made your move. You used a crossbow to shoot both of the vampires straight between their ribs, and the girl holding Dean dropped him.
“Dammit,” she cursed as you approached the group from the trees. “It barely even stings.”
“Give it time, babe,” you told her. “That arrow’s soaked in dead man’s blood. Should be giving you a nasty tummy ache any second.” You pouted at her mockingly as she began to waver and lose consciousness.
“Load her up,” John ordered you and his sons. “I'll take care of this one.” Moments later, you heard a slashing noise and blood splattering coming from behind you as you finished loading the girl into Dean’s trunk.
***
You met John in a clearing in the woods where you and Sam were setting up a campfire. Dean tied the unconscious vampiress to a tree, and you circled her, fuming.
“Easy, tiger,” Dean told you. “Don’t kill her just yet.”
“I’m tryin’ not to,” you responded, gripping the handle of your machete tightly.
He chuckled at you and turned to his dad.
“Toss this on the fire. Saffron, skunk's cabbage, and trillium. It'll block our scent and hers until we're ready,” John commanded.
“Stuff stinks!” Dean coughed.
“That's the idea. Dust your clothes with the ashes, and you stand a chance of not being detected,” his father replied.
“You sure they'll come after her?” Sam asked his dad.
“Vampires mate for life,” you broke in. “She means more to the leader than the gun.”
“But the blood sickness is going to wear off soon, so you don't have a lot of time,” John added.
“A half hour oughta do it,” shrugged Sam.
“And then I want you out of the area as fast as you can,” John stated.
The boys began to protest.
“Well, Dad, you can't take care of them all yourself,” Dean said.
“I'll have her,” John replied, referencing the passed-out vampire. “And the Colt.”
“But after. We're gonna meet up, right? Use the gun together. Right?” Sam looked at his father expectantly. There was a long pause before Sam spoke again. “You're leaving again, aren't you. You still wanna go after the demon alone." Hes scoffed mockingly. "You know, I don't get you. You can't treat us like this.”
“Like what?”
“Like children.”
“You are my children. I'm trying to keep you safe.”
Dean spoke up much to your surprise. “Dad, all due respect, but, uh, that's a bunch of crap.”
“Excuse me?” the older man scoffed.
“You know what Sammy and I have been hunting. Hell, you sent us on a few hunting trips yourself. You can't be that worried about keeping us safe,” Dean argued.
“It's not the same thing, Dean.”
“Then what is it? Why do you want us out of the big fight?”
“This demon? It's a bad son of a bitch. I can't make the same moves if I'm worried about keeping you alive,” John responded.
“You mean you can't be as reckless.”
“Look, I don't expect to make it out of this fight in one piece. Your mother's death… it almost killed me. I can't watch my children die too. I won't,” John admitted.
“What happens if you die? Dad, what happens if you die, and we could’ve done something about it?" He let his words hang in the air for a moment. "You know, I've been thinking. I think maybe Sammy's right about this one. We should do this together,” Dean stated.
Sam nodded as his brother continued. “We're stronger as a family, Dad. We just are. You know it.”
John’s walls went back up. “We're running out of time. You do your job, and you get out of the area. That's an order.”
Dean looked down at the ground, and you watched him carefully as he tried to suppress his rising emotions.
***
After you and the boys freed the people that had been locked up in the vampires’ barn, you went to find John and the members of the nest. You found them just in time because John had been knocked on his ass by the vampire you’d kidnapped.
You and the brothers hurried out of the trees and began shooting vampires with a crossbow. You moved toward the leader with your machete, but he backhanded you and held you in a headlock with his arm around your throat.
You struggled against him as he addressed Dean, who was holding a machete of his own. “Don't! I'll break her neck. Put the blade down.”
Dean hesitated.
Luther tightened his hold on your neck, causing you to struggle more. “It’d be a real shame for her to die.” He dug his nose in your hair and sniffed deeply. “She’s pretty. I’d love having her around. Drop it!”
Dean did as told, and his jaw clenched in fury.
“You people. Why can't you leave us alone? We have as much right to live as you do,” the leader said.
“I don’t think so,” came John’s voice from behind you. The vampire spun you and himself around to face John, who shot the vampire in the middle of his forehead. He dropped you to the floor, and Dean rushed to your side.
You turned and watched a sigil appear on the man’s forehead where he’d been shot as his girlfriend screamed in agony. “Luther!”
The vampire slumped to the ground, dead. The vampiress started toward John, but was pulled away by her friend to get to their car. They took off, wheels screaming and leaving you in the dust.
***
You sat in the brothers’ motel room, having finished packing long before they had as usual. John entered the room and addressed his sons. “So, boys.”
They stopped packing and turned to face him. “Yes, sir.”
“You ignored a direct order back there,” he said crossly.
“Yes, sir.” Sam hung his head low.
Dean argued, “Yeah, but we saved your ass.”
John held his son’s challenging stare, and you swallowed nervously.
“You're right,” John admitted much to your surprise.
“I am?”
If it weren’t for the situation, you would’ve laughed at Dean’s adorably clueless face.
“It scares the hell out of me. You two are all I've got. But I guess we are stronger as a family. So… we go after this damn thing. Together.”
You smiled as the two boys said in unison, “Yes, sir.”
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The Sky This Week from May 31 to June 7: A Jupiter-Mercury conjunction
The parade of planets starts as two worlds come close and the Moon moves on down the line in the sky this week.
Friday, May 31
Although the Leo Trio of galaxies gets quite a lot of fame, these aren’t the only deep-sky objects to chase down within the Lion. With no Moon in the sky after sunset tonight, consider hunting down another of this constellation’s galactic gems: NGC 2903. In fact, many skywatchers wonder how Messier could have missed this gorgeous spiral, whose brightness is on par with other galaxies the Frenchman did spot in Leo.
NGC 2903 sits just below the big cat’s “chin.” To find it, first look west an hour after sunset, where Leo is slowly making its way down toward the horizon, now 50° high. You’ll easily spot the constellation’s alpha star, magnitude 1.4 Regulus, as one of the brighter suns in this region of sky.
From Regulus, see if you can find the rest of the Sickle asterism, which looks like a backwards question mark in the sky. The Sickle’s blade ends at 3rd-magnitude Epsilon (ϵ) Leonis; from this star, scan 3.3° west to land on 4th-magnitude Lambda (λ) Leo. And from there, simply drop 1.5° south to view magnitude 8.9 NGC 2903.
This spiral galaxy is roughly twice as long as it is wide, stretching about 12.6′ on its long axis. It is considered one of the finest NGC objects, and a medium-sized telescope (4 inches or so) will begin to resolve its brighter nucleus and fainter halo into distinct regions.
Sunrise: 5:34 A.M.
Sunset: 8:22 P.M.
Moonrise: 2:06 A.M.
Moonset: 1:52 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (39%)
*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. local time from the same location.
Saturday, June 1
June opens with a gorgeous dark evening sky that might allow you to catch a glimpse of noctilucent clouds floating high above the northern horizon. These stunning, reflective clouds are unique in that they are composed of ice crystals that condense largely on high-up dust particles left behind as meteorites streak into the atmosphere.
Noctilucent clouds form in the mesosphere, some 60 miles (100 kilometers) above the ground. Because they are so high up, they can remain in sunlight long after the Sun has gone down for those on the ground, thanks to the curvature of Earth. Thus, these clouds can appear to shine high in the sky even in the dark of night, while lower, “normal” clouds are dark blots without illumination.
There’s no special equipment needed to view noctilucent clouds, just a little luck and some patience. Step outside an hour or two after darkness falls and turn your gaze north. Note that even though they’re high in the atmosphere, these clouds may be low on your northern horizon depending on your latitude, so try to get to a viewing site where that direction is clear of both obstacles and artificial lights. Look for wispy, silvery clouds that appear lit up rather than dark or dusty. Like the aurora, noctilucent clouds can come and go, and displays may ramp up slowly — but hopefully the mild weather and moonless skies will allow for some additional stargazing even if no night-shining clouds appear!
Sunrise: 5:33 A.M.
Sunset: 8:23 P.M.
Moonrise: 2:30 A.M.
Moonset: 3:05 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (28%)
Sunday, June 2
The Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth in its orbit, at 3:16 A.M. EDT. At that time, our satellite will be 228,728 miles (368,102 km) away.
The Moon then passes 2° north of Mars at 8 P.M. EDT. Both are visible in the morning as part of the line of planets now shining in the pre-dawn sky. So, step outside early this morning about an hour before sunrise to find Mars and the Moon both in Pisces, standing 15° high at that time in the east.
The waning Moon lies west of Mars early this morning, sitting to the Red Planet’s upper right in the sky. By tomorrow morning at the same time, the Moon will be an even thinner crescent to the east of Mars, having moved to its lower left.
An hour before dawn, three planets in the six-world lineup are already visible. Mars and Saturn are both 1st magnitude, with Saturn far to Mars’ upper right (west) in Aquarius, nearly 30° high at this time. Neptune lies between them in Pisces, about 5.5° below magnitude 4.5 Lambda Piscium. The distant ice giant is magnitude 7.8 and requires binoculars or a telescope to spot.
Wait 30 more minutes, and Uranus (magnitude 5.8 — again, requiring optical aid) and Mercury (magnitude –1) have risen, with Uranus some 4.5° high and Mercury just 1.5° high. Magnitude –2 Jupiter is just rising at that time, and will need a bit longer to climb above the horizon. See if you can catch it just before sunrise, though be careful to look away and stop using binoculars or a telescope several minutes before the Sun rises from your location, which may differ from the time given below.
This lineup of planets will feature throughout the week, especially as the Moon passes through the line and Mercury and Jupiter meet in a close conjunction in just two days. Stay tuned!
Sunrise: 5:33 A.M.
Sunset: 8:24 P.M.
Moonrise: 2:54 A.M.
Moonset: 4:18 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (18%)
Monday, June 3
Asteroid 2 Pallas is currently moving through Corona Borealis, now within the constellation’s southeastern border. Tonight, the 9th-magnitude asteroid sits just 20′ from a magnitude 6.5 field star, but there’s actually a much easier way to find it.
Because of its location and the rotation of Earth, you can let nature do the work for you. Center your telescope on magnitude 4.1 Epsilon Coronae Borealis and simply lock it in place without tracking, so the sky appears to drift past. Within 20 minutes, Pallas will be in the center of the field!
Corona Borealis has been recently making headlines for a different star: T CrB, a star just 1° southeast of Epsilon. Normally magnitude 10 and requiring the aid of binoculars or a telescope to see, T CrB is expected to suddenly and briefly flare sometime in the next few months, reaching a naked-eye magnitude of roughly 2. Tonight, Pallas is nearly 3.5° east-northeast of T CrB; it will close in on the variable over the next few weeks and pass within ¼° of the star later this month.
Sunrise: 5:33 A.M.
Sunset: 8:24 P.M.
Moonrise: 3:21 A.M.
Moonset: 5:34 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (10%)
Tuesday, June 4
Let’s hop back to that parade of planets early this morning to check out a close conjunction as Mercury passes 0.1° south of Jupiter at 6 A.M. EDT.
At that time, sunrise has already reached the East Coast, while the two planets are just rising in the Midwest. Mercury lies just to the lower right of Jupiter and binoculars or a telescope will show both within the same field of view. No matter your time zone, you can catch the pair about 20 minutes before local sunrise, when they are some 2° to 3° high. It’s definitely a challenging view, but a rewarding one. Note that Mercury will continue sliding east over time, so those in time zones farther west may see Mercury directly below or even to the lower left of Jupiter in the sky.
They’re a stunning contrast — the solar system’s smallest and largest planet, together in one view! Mercury spans some 5″ and appears nearly 90 percent lit. Nearby, Jupiter is more than six times as wide at 33″ and is fully illuminated by the Sun. Its four Galilean moons are on display, though they will be hard to make out in the growing twilight. In the eastern half of the U.S., Europa is just finishing a transit across the disk, slipping off just 10 minutes before sunrise in the Midwest, so take care if you’re trying to follow the event. After that, Europa lies closest to the planet to the west, with Callisto farther west. Io lies closest to Jupiter on the east, and Ganymede sits farther east.
Moving down the line of planets, the Moon passes 4° north of Uranus at 9 P.M. EDT tonight.
And earlier in the day, Venus reaches superior conjunction at noon EDT, which is why it’s currently invisible in the bright glare of our star.
Sunrise: 5:32 A.M.
Sunset: 8:25 P.M.
Moonrise: 3:51 A.M.
Moonset: 6:50 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (4%)
Wednesday, June 5
The Moon now passes 5° north of Jupiter at 10 A.M. EDT. The slim crescent will be a real challenge to observe, although according to longtime Astronomy contributor Stephen James O’Meara, there are some unique and beautiful effects to be seen if you can manage it.
See if you can catch the nearly New Moon in the sky shortly before dawn. If you do, you might experience the lunar blackdrop effect, which can cast dark stripes on the last illuminated bits of the lunar crescent. These stripes aren’t real, but are instead an illusion caused by both the diffraction of sunlight and the turbulence of our atmosphere, through which we are viewing the Moon (and all other celestial objects). In fact, you might notice these stripes dance, waver, or disappear and reappear if you’re able to follow the slim crescent over time. The more turbulent the atmosphere — and the poorer your local seeing — the more likely you are to see the stripes.
Particularly intrepid observers can try to catch this effect again tomorrow morning, just hours before the Moon finally reaches its New phase.
Sunrise: 5:32 A.M.
Sunset: 8:26 P.M.
Moonrise: 4:26 A.M.
Moonset: 8:05 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (1%)
Thursday, June 6
New Moon occurs at 8:38 A.M. EDT this morning, leaving our sky dark, moonless, and perfect for deep-sky observers.
Longtime observers know that although the images of galaxies and nebulae we see are often stunningly multicolored, most objects don’t show off vivid hues through the eyepiece when visually observing. But some do, and one of these is NGC 7662, also called the Blue Snowball and the brightest planetary nebula in the constellation Andromeda.
You’ll want to catch this object in the early-morning sky, after around 3:30 A.M. local daylight time, when Andromeda has risen well above the eastern horizon. The Blue Snowball is located in the western portion of the constellation, just under 2.5° west-southwest of magnitude 4.3 Iota (ι) Andromedae. The nebula itself is magnitude 8.3 and roughly 30″ across; it’s easy to capture in most instruments. Smaller scopes will show a small, grayish smudge. But you’ll want a larger scope to pull out its deep blue color — something in the 8- to 10-inch or larger range is a good start, but bigger is better! Make sure to use high magnification as well for the best chances at a glimpse of its beautiful blue hue.
Sunrise: 5:32 A.M.
Sunset: 8:26 P.M.
Moonrise: 5:11 A.M.
Moonset: 9:15 P.M.
Moon Phase: New
Friday, June 7
Tonight offers the first of several chances in the coming days to catch Comet 13P/Olbers near NGC 2281, a 5th-magnitude open cluster in Auriga the Charioteer.
You’ll need to be quick, though, as the constellation is setting in the west just behind the Sun. An hour to an hour and a half after sunset, you’ll want your telescope trained on eastern Auriga, just to the lower right of the bright stars Castor and Pollux in Gemini. Tonight, Olbers lies some 5.7° north-northwest of magnitude 3.6 Theta (θ) Geminorum and just 2.2° southwest of NGC 2281. The comet is currently around 8th magnitude, so a few magnitudes fainter than the open cluster but still bright enough to pick up in relatively small scopes as long as the atmosphere is clear and calm. An observing site that is slightly elevated above its surroundings and with a clear western horizon will help, too.
Discovered by William Herschel in 1788, NGC 2281 is a loose collection of young stars spanning about ¼°. Astronomers estimate the cluster is some 435 million years old. It is among many open clusters in Auriga, including the three Messier objects M36, M37, and M38. Of these, M37 is believed to be closest to NGC 2281 in age, based on the clusters’ rotational rates.
Sunrise: 5:31 A.M.
Sunset: 827 P.M.
Moonrise: 6:04 A.M.
Moonset: 10:15 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (2%)
The Sethian Gnosis by talon Abraxas
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