Tuesday, June 11, 2024

The Big Dipper Points to Stars (evening)

In early June the Big Dipper asterism, part of the larger constellation of Ursa Major, sits high in the northwestern sky after dusk. When viewed while facing northwest, the dipper's bowl opens on the right, towards its Little Dipper counterpart, and its handle extends upward. A line extended from Merak through Dubhe, the stars which mark the bowl's outer base and rim, respectively, will arrive at medium-bright Polaris, the North Star. Continue the arc of the dipper's bent handle and 'Arc to Arcturus', the very bright, orange star in B'otes. Continuing that arc farther to 'Spike to Spica', the brightest star in Virgo. Extending the line from Phecda to Megrez, the dipper's upper two bowl stars, will 'Drive to Deneb' in Cygnus. Extending that line in the opposite direction 'Reaches for Regulus', the brightest star in Leo.

(Data courtesy of Starry Night)
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