Collins Night Sky. Wil Tirion

Above Regulus is the characteristic asterism known as the Sickle, looking like a ‘backwards question-mark’ or a shepherd’s crook in the sky. Two lines of stars run eastwards from Regulus and the centre of the Sickle to form the body of Leo, converging at Denebola (β Leonis) in the east. Regulus, being so close to the ecliptic, is occasionally occulted by the Moon.

      Between Ursa Major and Leo is the tiny, faint constellation of Leo Minor, only three stars of which are readily visible to the naked eye. Also in this area, beginning above the Sickle, is the straggling line of faint stars that forms Lynx, another unremarkable constellation. Cancer, the faintest of the zodiacal constellations, lies west of Leo. It consists of three lines of stars that meet at the central star, δ Cancri, on the ecliptic.

       Following the curve of the ‘tail’ of Ursa Major is the standard way of locating yellowish-orange Arcturus, α Boötes, which is the brightest star in the northern hemisphere of the sky. (Sirius is in the southern hemisphere.) The constellation of Boötes forms a sort of ‘kite’ or ‘P’ shape north of Arcturus. Continuing the same arc from Ursa Major takes one down to another bright blue-white star, Spica, α Virginis, which is slightly south of the ecliptic. The shape of Virgo, which is the second largest constellation, is difficult to define, but consists of a roughly rectangular arrangement of stars, with lines running from each corner towards west and east. Because Virgo is another zodiacal constellation, Spica (like Regulus) may sometimes be occulted by the Moon.

      In the area between Ursa Major, Boötes, Virgo, and Leo lie two faint constellations: Canes Venatici, within the arc of the ‘tail’ of Ursa Major and, farther south, Coma Berenices, the brightest three stars of which form a right-angle in the sky.

      Spring is the best time in the year for seeing the largest constellation of all, Hydra, which starts at the distinctive asterism (the ‘Head of Hydra’) south of Cancer in the west, and straggles eastwards below both Leo and Virgo. Although its brightest star, Alphard (α Hydrae), is often readily visible well below Regulus, the second brightest, γ Hydrae, is frequently lost in the horizon haze at most mid-northern latitudes.

      Spring: Leo is the dominant constellation in spring skies.

      The small, unremarkable constellation of Sextans lies above Hydra, and immediately south of Regulus. Farther east is the slightly more conspicuous constellation of Crater. Its stars, although faint, do actually form a shape reminiscent of the ancient drinking vessel. Still farther east, below the western end of Virgo, is the marginally brighter constellation of Corvus. Its third-magnitude stars form a rough quadrilateral that is relatively distinct.

SUMMER CONSTELLATIONS

      The light summer nights and the persistence of twilight mean that some of the constellations in this part of the sky are poorly known. For the time when the centre of this chart is due south (22:00 LMT) many of the fainter stars are difficult to detect. Two hours later, at local midnight, when it is darkest, the view is dominated by the famous Summer Triangle: the three bright stars Deneb, Vega, and Altair (α Cygni, α Lyrae, and α Aquilae, respectively). On a clear night, summer and early autumn are the best times of year to appreciate the full glory of the Milky Way that runs right across this region.

      Lyra is a small constellation, which, to the naked eye, basically consists of blue-white Vega and a quadrilateral of fainter stars to its east. Cygnus forms a giant cross in the sky, and is easily envisaged as a swan, with Deneb at the tail – which is what the name means in Arabic – flying ‘down’ the Milky Way. It head is marked by Albireo, β Cygni, in the south. Beginning in Cygnus and running down the centre of the Milky Way towards the south is dark area apparently devoid of many stars. This is the Great Rift, and is actually caused by interstellar dust blocking the light from vast clouds of more distant stars.

      Aquila, farther south, has a somewhat similar shape, with a rhombus of stars forming the ‘wings’ of the eagle and a ‘head’ and ‘neck’ also pointing down the Milky Way. Again, Altair (α Aquilae) marks the tail. Between the two celestial birds lies the inconspicuous constellation of Vulpecula, consisting of three faint stars, and the slightly more distinctive shape of Sagitta, pointing across the Milky Way. To the west are the five stars that form the tiny, but highly distinctive, constellation of Delphinus.

      Summer: summer brings a view of the densest part of the Milky Way.

      The broad, constellation of Ophiuchus – sometimes described as looking like a tent with Rasalhague (α Ophiuchi) at the apex – lies to the west of the main band of the Milky Way. It represents the Serpent Bearer, and is located between the two halves of Serpens, the only divided constellation. The brighter, more distinct portion, Serpens Caput (the Head) lies in the west, while Serpens Cauda (the Tail) is a chain of faint stars lying along the centre of the Milky Way.

      Below Serpens Caput, close to the horizon, and often difficult to recognize, is Libra, basically a triangle of stars lying across the ecliptic. It once formed part of the next zodiacal constellation to the east, Scorpius. Although many of the stars that form the body of the scorpion and its sting are often invisible below the horizon from mid-northern latitudes, bright red Antares (α Scorpii) and the arc of stars between it and Libra are usually visible. Still farther to the east is Sagittarius, where the ecliptic reaches its lowest declination and where the winter solstice is located. The southernmost stars of Sagittarius are often obscured, but the distinctive asterism of the ‘Teapot’, consisting of moderately bright stars is relatively easy to see.

      Two more constellations lies between Boötes and Lyra. Immediately east of Boötes is the distinctive arc of stars that forms the small constellation of Corona Borealis. Farther towards Lyra lies Hercules. Here the central four stars (forming the asterism known as the ‘Keystone’) are readily recognized. From each corner, chains of stars form the ‘arms’ and ‘legs’ of Hercules (who is actually upside-down in the sky). One ‘leg’ ends close to the zenith, beyond which is the distinctive lozenge that is the head of Draco.

      Steve Edberg

      The constellation of Virgo, with Spica to the left of centre and towards the bottom of the picture.

AUTUMN CONSTELLATIONS

      As summer begins to turn to autumn and the Summer Triangle begins to dip towards the western horizon, the view to the south is dominated by the Great Square of Pegasus. Chains of stars run westwards from Markab and Scheat (α and β Pegasi) towards Delphinus and the Milky Way in Sagitta and Cygnus. One line ends at Enif ( Pegasi), and between this star and Delphinus is the extremely faint, small constellation of Equuleus.

      There are very few stars in this area of the sky, and even under extremely good conditions few people are able to see more than about 12 or 13 stars within the Great Square with the naked eye.

      Alpheratz (α Andromedae) is the star marking the north-eastern corner of the Great Square, and Andromeda itself consists of two lines of stars running up towards Perseus, in the Milky Way, which arches over this region of the sky, passing through Cygnus and Cassiopeia. Below Perseus are the three stars that make up the constellation of Triangulum, and below that, the small zodiacal constellation of Aries.

      Another zodiacal constellation, that of Pisces, lies to the south and east of the Great Square of Pegasus. Although consisting of faint stars, the Circlet, which represents the western fish, is fairly distinct below the Great Square. A line of stars connects it to Alresha (α Piscium) in the far west, from which another chain of stars extends north-west towards the centre of Andromeda. In the opposite direction, that line of stars points towards the famous variable star, Mira, in the constellation of Cetus. However, Mira sometimes drops below