July Constellations In Depth

Home Constellations Featured Constellations

With the chart names turned on, we see the constellation names and a few bright stars labeled. Leo the Lion is setting in the west as evening starts, but his Zodiac pals Virgo the Maiden and Libra the Scales are up longer. The bright star Spica marks Virgo. The Zodiac continues with bright Scorpius the Scorpion and Sagittarius the Archer (which looks like a teapot). Straight overhead, watch for Bootes the Herdsman, marked by the 4th brightest night time star (the sun is a star, remember), Arcturus. Just to the north of Bootes is what he's herding - the Great Bear, Ursa Major. The most famous part of Ursa Major is the Big Dipper, most of which is in the view. [More on the constellations below...]

Rising in the East are the three bright stars marking Lyra the Harp, Cygnus the Swan, and Aquila the Eagle: Vega, Deneb, and Altair respectively. This trio is known as the "summer triangle", and is a good reference point all summer long.

Fainter constellations this summer include Hercules, almost straight up, and Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown (next door to Hercules). No sign of Xena, sorry.

Our Constellation Feature this month is the distinctive pair of Zodiac constellations in the south: Scorpius and Sagittarius.

Home	Constellations	Featured Constellations