Constellations
AURIGA
Viewable from October - March
The Auriga constellation (aka the Charioteer in Latin) lies in the northern hemisphere and is viewable between the latitudes of 90°N - 40°S, and is the 21st biggest constellation in the night sky occupying 657 square degrees. The Auriga constellation received its name from the major stars that form the shape similar to that of the pointed helmet of a charioteer. Auriga was first catalogued by the Greek astronomer Ptolomy in the 2ndcentury CE.
The constellation contains 10 named stars, where Capella (Alpha Aurigae) being the sixth brightest star in the sky and 42.2 light years distant. The other notable stars are: Almaaz, Headus, Hassaleh, Lucilinburhuc, Menhasim, Menkalinan (Beta Aurigae), Nervia, Saclateni, and Tevel. This region is also the galactic anticenter, opposite to the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. Auriga belongs to the Perseus family of constellations, to include Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Cetus, Lacerta, Pegasus, Perseus, and Triangulum.
Auriga contains a number of interesting deep sky objects, including the open star clusters Messier 36 (NGC 1960), Messier 37 (NGC 2099), and Messier 38 (NGC 1912), to also include the nebula IC 405 (the Flaming Star Nebula).
There are two meteor showers associated with Auriga: Alpha Aurigids (Aug. 25 – Sept. 6), and Delta Aurigids (Oct. 10-18).
Boötes
Viewable all Year from Northern Latitudes
The Boötes is one of the largest constellations in the night sky. Located in the northern celestial hemisphere, you can view Boötes by locating the diamond-shape or ‘Kite’ like formation of stars. The name comes from the Greek word meaning ox-driver, plowman, or herdsman. Boötes is the 13th largest constellation occupying 907 square degrees, and can be seen at latitudes between +90º -50º. The constellation was first cataloged by the astronomer Ptolomy in the 2nd century.
Boötes contains 10 named stars, five of which are known to have planets. The brightest star in the constellation is Arcturus (HIP69673) with an apparent magnitude of 3.46, and is located at an approximate distance of 37 light years from our Sun. This star became famous when its light was used to open the 1933 world’s fair in Chicago, as that light had left the star at about the time of the previous Chicago fair in 1893. The other stars in the constellation are Alkalurops (HIP75411), Arcalís, Izar (HIP72105), Merga, Muphrid (HIP67927), Nekkar (HIP73555), Nikawiy, Segnius (HIP71075), and Xuange.
Corona Borealis
Viewable
The Corona Borealis is a small constellation located in the northern celestial hemisphere. The name means ‘the Northern Crown’ in Latin, and is abbreviated as CrB. This constellation is the 73rd constellation in size, occupying an area of 79 square degrees. It lies in the third quadrant of the northern hemisphere (NQ3) and can be seen at latitudes between +90º -50º. It was first cataloged by the Greek astronomer Ptolomy in the 2ndcentury. At the time, it was known as Corona.
The Corona Borealis constellation has seven stars that make up the constellation, but only four stars are brighter than magnitude 3.00. There are 6 Extrasolar Planets in this
Corona Borealis. This constellatio does not contain any Messier objects, but there are 4 non-Messier deep space objects in the constellation.
Corona Borealis contains the famous Blaze Star (T Coronae Borealis), a recurrent nova, and the Fade-Out Star (R Corona Borealis), and does not have any bright deep sky objects. The Corona Borealis Galaxy Cluster (Abell 2065) does not contain any galaxies brighter than 16th magnitude.
The stars in Corona Borealis are: Alphecca (HIP76267), Kamui, Moldoveanu, Nusakan (HIP75695).
CYGNUS
Cygnus is a prominent constellation in the northern sky and its name means "the Swan". Cygnus is associated with the myth of Zeus in the Greek mythology, and was first catalogued by the Greek astronomy Ptolemy in the second century.
Cygnus is also known as the Northern Cross and contains many notable objects such as Cygnus X-1, which is a famous x-ray source. Also, there are bright stars such as Deneb and Albireo, the dwarf Kepler-22, which hosts the exoplanet Kepler-22b, the Fireworks Galaxy (NGC 6946), and several well known nebula: the Cacoon Nebula (IC 5146), the Jewel Bug Nebula (NGC 7072), the Pelican Nebula (IC 5070), the North American Nebula (NGC 7000), the Crescent Nebula (NGC 6888), Sadr Region (IC 1318), and the Viel Nebula (NGC 6960, 6979, 6992, and 6995).
Cygnus is the 16th largest constellation in the night sky, occupying 804 square degrees. It lies in the fourth quadrant of the northern hemisphere (NQ4) and can be seen at latitudes between +90° and -40°.
Viewable from April - December
from northern latitudes.
Cygnus has 10 stars with known planets and contains two Messier objects: Messier 29 (NGC 6913) and Messier 39 (NGC 7092). The brightest stars in the constellation are Deneb, Alpha Cygni, which is also the 19th brightest star in the night sky with an apparent magnitude of 1.25. There are two meteor showers associated with Cygnus: the October Cygnets and the Kappa Cygnids.
The constellation contains 6 named stars officially approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). These are Albireo, Aljanah, Azelfafage, Deneb, Fawaris, and Sadr.
Gemini
The Gemini Constellation means “the Twins” in Latin, and is located in the northern celestial hemisphere and is viewable between the latitudes of 90°N - 60°S. The Gemini constellation represents the twins Caster and Pollux in the Greek mythology, and is the 30th largest constellation in the sky occupying 514 square degrees.
Gemini is one of the twelve Zodiac constellations, and first catalogued by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century CE. The constellation contains 7 stars known to have exoplanets orbiting them.
Gemini is known for the two stars Caster (Alpha Geminorum) and Pollux (Beta Geminorum), which are two bright stars from which the namesake originates. Pollux is the brightest star in the constellation with a magnitude of 1.14, and is also known to have at least one exoplanet. Other notable objects to view in Gemini are: the open cluster Messier 35 (NGC 2168), the Eskimo Nebula (NGC 2392), the Jellyfish Nebula (IC 443), and the Medusa Nebula (Sh2-274).
Viewable from October - March
Gemini contains 10 named stars approved by the IAU: Alhena, Alzirr, Castor, Geminiga, Jishui, Mekbuda, Pollux, Tejat, and Wasat.
Major Stars in Gemini:
Castor (Alpha Geminorum), the second brightest star in Gemini is the 44th brightest star in the night sky. It is a binary star system are red (class M) dwarfs with a magnitude of 1.58. The two components of Castor are separated by 6”, with a revolution of 467 years. Castor is approximately 51 light years distant from our Sun.
Pollux (Beta Geminorum) is the brightest star in Gemini with a apparent magnitude of 1.14, and is the 17thbrightest star in the night sky. Pollux is approximately 33.8 light years from our Sun. An extrasolar planet has been confirmed in June 2006 to be orbiting Pollux. The exoplanet has a mass at least 2.3 times that of Jupiter with and orbital period of 590 days,
OPHIUCHUS
Viewable from February - October
The Name Ophiuchus means “the Serpent Bearer” in Greek. The constellation is associated with the figure of Asclepius, the famous healer in Greek mythology. It was one of the constellations first cataloged by the Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy in the 2nd century. This constellation can be viewed from February through October.
Ophiuchus contains a number of notable stars, including Rasalhague, Barnard’s Star, and Kepler’s Supernova, and many famous deep sky objects, including the Twin Jet Nebula, the Little Ghost Nebula, the dark nebulae Barnard 68, the Pipe Nebula, the Snake Nebula, and the Dark Horse Nebula, and the globular clusters Messier 9 (NGC 6333, Messier 10 (NGC 6254), Messier 12 (NGC 6218), Messier 14 (NGC 6402), Messier 19 (NGC 6273), Messier 62 (NGC 6266), and Messier 107 (NGC 6177).
Ophiuchus is the 11th largest constellation in the sky, occupying an area of 948 square degrees. It is one of the 15 equatorial constellations. The neighboring constellations are Aquila, Hercules, Libra, Sagittarius, Scorpius and Serpens.
The brightest stars in the constellation are Rasalhague, Alpha Ophiuchi, with an apparent magnitude of 2.08. There are four meteor showers associated with the constellation: the Ophiuchids, the Northern May Ophiuchids, the Southern May Ophiuchids and the Theta Ophiuchids.
The constellation contains 11 named stars officially approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). These are Barnard’s Star, Cebalrai, Guniibuu, Mahsati, Marfik, Rasalhague, Rosalíadecastro, Sabik, Timir, Yed Posterior, and Yed Prior.
ORION
Viewable from October - March