Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967), Orion in December, 1959; watercolor and pencil on paper, 39 7/8 x 32 7/8 inches; Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
I did some astronomical juggling to get in all I wanted – above & to the left of the moon is “Canis Minor” to the right and the most prominent “Orion” with Sirius below – all these have been put closer together than they would normally be – A few days later, I observed the rising of the full moon – all these stars were in the eastern half of the sky, but Orion and Sirius were much higher and farther to the south, as was Canis Minor to the north east. An astronomer would no doubt be shocked.
Charles Burchfield, December 30, 1959