Southeast of Orion is the brightest night time
star of all (the sun is a star, remember),
Sirius, in what they tell me is Canis Major the
big dog but looks a lot more like a surfer to
me. Canis Major is one of two hunting dogs
belonging to Orion; the other is due east of
Orion, marked by the solitary bright star
Procyon.
In the far north, we see the "W" of
Cassiopeia setting into the west, and opposite
her across the celestial pole is the "big
dipper" of Ursa Major rising into view.
Between them is the much fainter little dipper
of Ursa Minor, noteworthy only because the star
at the end of it's handle is Polaris, the north
pole star.
