The constellations in tonight’s sky host many familiar star patterns. For northern observers, the early spring is the best time of the year to see Ursa Major (the Great Bear), Cancer (the Crab), and Lynx (the Lynx). These constellations appear high overhead in the evening.
Observers in the southern hemisphere can catch Canis Major (the Great Dog) and the constellations that once formed Argo Navis (the Ship Argo) – Carina (the Keel), Puppis (the Stern), and Vela (the Sails) – high in the evening sky at this time of the year.
The night sky tonight looks different depending on the location. The constellation maps below show the sky at around 10 pm in the mid-northern, equatorial, and mid-southern latitudes.
Northern hemisphere
The constellations that appear high overhead at 10 pm include Ursa Major (the Great Bear), Leo (the Lion), Cancer (the Crab), Lynx, and Leo Minor (the Lesser Lion). The Great Bear and the Lion are conspicuous in the evening sky, while Cancer, Leo Minor, and Lynx are barely visible in less-than-ideal conditions.
Ursa Major and Leo are among the easiest constellations to identify. Seven bright stars of the Great Bear form the Big Dipper, one of the most recognizable star patterns in the northern sky. The stars of Leo form the Sickle, an asterism that appears as a backward question mark and represents the head and mane of the celestial Lion.
Megrez and Phecda, the inner stars of the Big Dipper’s bowl, point in the direction of the Sickle. Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, appears at the base of the Sickle and marks the Lion’s heart.
Tonight’s sky as seen from mid-northern latitudes, image: Stellarium
Merak and Dubhe, the outer stars of the Big Dipper’s bowl, can be used to find Polaris (the North Star), the nearest visible star to the north celestial pole. Polaris marks the end of the Little Bear’s tail and the end of the Little Dipper’s handle.
Regulus and Denebola, the star that marks the Lion’s tail, can be used to find two relatively bright groups of galaxies in Leo, the Leo Triplet and the Leo I Group. The galaxy groups appear in the region between the two bright stars.
Leo Minor appears between Ursa Major and Leo. The constellation is faint and difficult to see from urban areas. Its brightest star, the red giant Praecipua (46 Leonis Minoris), shines at magnitude 3.83.
The larger but equally faint Lynx lies between the Great Bear and Gemini (the Twins). The zigzag line formed by the constellation’s visible stars can be seen on a very clear, dark night.
The zodiac constellation Cancer appears within a triangle formed by Regulus in Leo, Castor in Gemini, and Procyon in Canis Minor. The constellation is quite faint. Its brightest star, the orange giant Tarf, shines at magnitude 3.5.
However, the Crab hosts the Beehive Cluster (Praesepe, Messier 44), a bright, large open cluster that can be spotted without binoculars roughly halfway between Regulus and Pollux. The star cluster has an apparent magnitude of 3.7 and an apparent size of 95 arcminutes. It is easily visible to the unaided eye on a clear night.
Eastern sky
The constellations of the Great Diamond – Boötes (the Herdsman), Virgo (the Maiden), Canes Venatici (the Hunting Dogs), and Leo (the Lion) – dominate the eastern and southeastern sky. The Great Diamond (or the Diamond of Virgo) is formed by Arcturus in Boötes, Spica in Virgo, Cor Caroli in Canes Venatici, and Denebola in Leo. The asterism shares two vertices with the Spring Triangle, formed by Arcturus, Spica, and Regulus.
Arcturus and Spica can be identified using the bright stars of the Big Dipper’s handle. A curved line extended from Alioth, Mizar, and Alkaid in the Dipper’s handle leads first to Arcturus, the brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, and then to Spica.
Arcturus and Spica appear at the bases of two distinctive spring asterisms, the Kite and the Y of Virgo. The Kite is visible between the Big Dipper’s handle and the semicircle of stars that outline the Northern Crown (Corona Borealis).
Eastern sky in the northern hemisphere, image: Stellarium
The Y of Virgo appears as a crooked Y that extends from Spica in the direction of Denebola at the Lion’s tail. The asterism can be used to find the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, which lies about halfway between Vindemiatrix at the left tip of the Y and Denebola in Leo.
Cor Caroli is considerably fainter than the other three stars of the Great Diamond. It serves as a prototype for a class of variable stars known as the Alpha2 Canum Venaticorum variables. Its brightness varies due to strong magnetic fields combined with the effect of rotation.
Cor Caroli appears right of Alkaid, the star at the tip of the Big Dipper’s handle, around 10 pm. It is the only relatively bright star in Canes Venatici (the Hunting Dogs).
Northern sky
The constellations visible in the northern sky are those that are circumpolar for observers in the northern hemisphere: Ursa Minor (the Smaller Bear), Cassiopeia (the Queen), Cepheus (the King), Draco (the Dragon), and Camelopardalis (the Giraffe).
Ursa Minor is home to Polaris, the star that marks true north. The North Star appears at the tip of the Little Bear’s tail and is the brightest star in the Little Dipper asterism. It always appears in the same place in the sky from any given location, regardless of season, and other stars appear to circle around it.
Kochab and Pherkad, the two relatively bright stars that mark the outer part of the Little Dipper’s bowl, are known as the Guardians of the Pole because they always appear to circle close to Polaris.
Polaris is found on the imaginary line extended from Merak through Dubhe, the outer stars of the Big Dipper’s bowl. Kochab and Pherkad are roughly parallel to the stars of the Big Dipper’s handle. The middle four stars of the Little Dipper are much fainter and can only be seen in very clear, dark skies.
Draco, one of the largest northern constellations, is relatively bright, but not particularly conspicuous. The Dragon’s tail is found between the Big and Little Dippers, while its head appears closer to the northeastern horizon, above the bright Vega, in the evening.
Northern sky in the northern hemisphere, image: Stellarium
The Head of Draco is formed by the constellation’s brightest star, the orange giant Eltanin (Gamma Draconis), with Rastaban (Beta Draconis), Grumium (Xi Draconis), and Kuma (Nu Draconis). Eltanin and Rastaban represent the Dragon’s eyes. When the constellation Cygnus (the Swan) is above the horizon, they can be found by extending a line through the beam of the Northern Cross.
Cassiopeia’s W appears almost perpendicular to the horizon in the evening. The asterism is formed by the five brightest stars in Cassiopeia: Schedar (Alpha Cassiopeiae), Caph (Beta Cassiopeiae), Gamma Cassiopeiae, Ruchbah (Delta Cassiopeiae), and Segin (Epsilon Cassiopeiae). It can be used to find the Heart and Soul Nebulae (Sh2-190 and Sh2-199), the Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635), the Pacman Nebula (NGC 281), and the open clusters Messier 51, Messier 103, NGC 7789 (Caroline’s Cluster), and NGC 457 (the Owl Cluster) in Cassiopeia, the Double Cluster (NGC 869 and NGC 884) in the neighbouring Perseus, and Dreyer’s Object (NGC 7538) in Cepheus.
Schedar and Caph, the rightmost stars of Cassiopeia’s W, point in the direction of Alderamin, the brightest star in the constellation Cepheus (the King). Alderamin sits at the base of the constellation figure of the King, which looks like a stick house drawn by a child. Four of the five stars that form the asterism, including Alderamin and Errai (the star at the top of the house) serve as North Stars over the course of the Earth’s 26,000-year axial precession cycle.
The faint Camelopardalis (the Giraffe) occupies much of the space within the triangle formed by Polaris in Ursa Minor, Mirfak in Perseus, and Capella in Auriga (the Charioteer), and stretches along the Little Dipper’s bowl. Even though it is one of the larger constellations, the Giraffe is faint and hard to see from light-polluted areas. It does not contain any stars brighter than magnitude 4.0.
Western sky
Four bright, easily recognizable constellations set in the west around 10 pm. Orion (the Hunter), Taurus (the Bull), Auriga (the Charioteer), and Gemini (the Twins) dominate the northern winter sky. As the winter season comes to an end, these constellations keep setting earlier in the evening until they disappear below the horizon completely.
The brightest stars in these constellations – Rigel in Orion, Aldebaran in Taurus, Capella in Auriga, and Pollux in Gemini – form the Winter Circle with Sirius in Canis Major (the Great Dog) and Procyon in Canis Minor (the Little Dog). Also known as the Winter Hexagon, the Winter Circle is one of the brightest asterisms in the night sky. It is formed by six first-magnitude stars, including Sirius, the brightest star in the sky.
The mythical Hunter and Bull are seen facing each other above the western horizon around 10 pm. The constellation figure of Orion is outlined by the bright Betelgeuse, Bellatrix, Rigel, Saiph, Meissa, and the three stars of Orion’s Belt (Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka). The stars of Orion’s Belt can be used to find Sirius and Aldebaran, which both lie close to the imaginary line extended through the Belt.
Orion’s Sword, a slightly fainter asterism located just below the Belt of Orion, is home to the Orion Nebula (Messier 42), one of the brightest nebulae in the sky. The nebula appears as the central point of light in the Sword.
Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri) marks the eye of the Bull. The giant star appears in the same line of sight as the Hyades, a bright, large open cluster that represents the Bull’s head. The V-shaped cluster extends into the Bull’s horns, marked by Elnath (Beta Tauri) and Tianguan (Zeta Tauri).
Western sky in the northern hemisphere, image: Stellarium
Elnath is part of Auriga’s hexagon, a conspicuous asterism formed by Capella, Menkalinan, and several other bright stars in the Charioteer constellation. Located between Elnath and Betelgeuse, Tianguan can be used to find the Crab Nebula (Messier 1), a famous supernova remnant in Taurus.
The bright Pleiades cluster (Messier 45) appears between Capella and the horizon. It marks the Bull’s shoulder.
The celestial Twins appear high above the horizon. The constellation’s brightest stars, Pollux and Castor, mark the mythical twins’ heads. Castor, the slightly fainter of the two, can be found by extending a line from Rigel through Betelgeuse.
Southern sky
The southern sky is populated by several relatively faint constellations. Hydra (the Water Snake), the largest constellation in the sky, stretches from the constellation Cancer (the Crab) to just south of Virgo (the Maiden), the second largest constellation. The constellation’s brightest star, the orange giant or bright giant Alphard (Alpha Hydrae) shines at magnitude 2.0 and is the brightest star southwest of Regulus. The head of Hydra is faintly visible in the region between Regulus in Leo (the Lion) and Procyon in Canis Minor (the Little Dog).
The smaller constellations Corvus and Crater appear in the southeast. In Greek mythology, they represent the Crow (or Raven) and the Cup of Apollo. The brighter Corvus is easy to spot on a clear night. Its brightest stars form an asterism known as the Sail (or Spica’s Spanker). The northern side of the quadrilateral asterism points towards Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo.
Two small, faint constellations lie almost directly south in the evening. Sextans (the Sextant), the home to the Spindle Galaxy (NGC 3115) appears south of Regulus. The constellation’s brightest star, the white giant Alpha Sextantis, shines at magnitude 4.49.
Antlia (the Air Pump) appears low above the southern horizon. The constellation is difficult to see in light-polluted skies because its brightest star, the orange giant Alpha Antliae, has an apparent magnitude of 4.25.
Pyxis appears west of Antlia. Representing a mariner’s compass, it is one of the smaller, fainter southern constellations. The variable blue giant Alpha Pyxidis, the brightest star in the constellation, shines at magnitude 3.67.
Southern sky from the northern hemisphere, image: Stellarium
Equatorial latitudes
The constellations that appear high overhead in the evening include Leo (the Lion), Hydra (the Water Snake), Sextans (the Sextant), Crater (the Cup), and Cancer (the Crab). Among these, only Leo is conspicuous. Its brightest stars outline the shape of the celestial Lion.
The Lion’s head is represented by the Sickle, an asterism that looks like a backward question mark and has Regulus, the 21st brightest star in the sky, at the base. Regulus marks the heart of the Lion, while Denebola, the constellation’s individual second brightest star, marks the tail.
The fainter Cancer appears in the region between Regulus, Procyon in the constellation Canis Minor (the Lesser Dog), and Castor and Pollux, the brightest stars in Gemini (the Twins). The constellation is a difficult target from light-polluted areas. Its most recognizable feature is Praesepe (the Beehive Cluster, Messier 44), an exceptionally bright and large open cluster located between Regulus and Pollux.
Hydra is the largest constellation in the sky. It is fully visible and appears near the zenith in the evening. Despite its size, most of its stars are faint and inconspicuous. The giant Alphard, Hydra’s brightest star, appears southwest of Regulus. The fainter stars that outline the head of Hydra can be spotted between Regulus and Procyon on a clear, dark night.
The faint Sextans appears in the region between Hydra and Leo, and Crater (the Cup) can be seen between Hydra and Virgo in good conditions.
Tonight’s sky as seen from equatorial latitudes, image: Stellarium
Northern sky
Ursa Major, the third largest constellation in the sky, dominates the northern sky in the evening. The Great Bear appears upside down, with its back parallel to the horizon.
The bright Gemini (the Twins) and Auriga (the Charioteer) appear in the northwestern sky. A line extended from the Great Bear’s back points in the general direction of Capella, the brightest star in Auriga and the sixth brightest star in the sky. A line drawn through the bowl of the Big Dipper leads to Pollux and Castor, the stars marking the heads of the Twins.
The faint, small Canes Venatici constellation (the Hunting Dogs) appears above the Big Dipper’s handle. The constellation’s brightest stars, the variable Cor Caroli and Sun-like Chara, are roughly parallel to the imaginary line connecting Alkaid and Mizar, the stars at the end of the Big Dipper’s handle.
The faint Leo Minor (the Smaller Lion) and Lynx appear near the Great Bear’s feet, and the stars in Draco’s tail are visible between the Big Dipper and the northern horizon.
Northern sky from equatorial latitudes, image: Stellarium
Eastern sky
The constellations of the Diamond of Virgo occupy much of the eastern and northeastern sky around 10 pm. Formed by Cor Caroli in Canes Venatici (the Hunting Dogs), Arcturus in Boötes (the Herdsman), Spica in Virgo (the Maiden), and Denebola in Leo (the Lion), the Diamond of Virgo is one of the several distinctive asterisms visible above the eastern horizon in the evening.
Arcturus, the brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere and the fourth brightest star in the sky, appears at the base of the Kite, a fainter asterism that dominates the constellation Boötes. Spica, the brightest star in Virgo and the 16th brightest star in the sky, lies at the base of the Y of Virgo, an asterism that looks like a crooked Y or a wine glass and makes the constellation Virgo recognizable.
The upper left side of the Y points towards the faint Coma Berenices (Berenice’s Hair), the home of the Coma Star Cluster, and the right side stretches in the direction of Denebola at the Lion’s tail. The Virgo Cluster of galaxies appears within the asterism, about halfway from Denebola to Vindemiatrix, the star at the leftmost tip of the Y.
Arcturus and Spica can be identified using the stars of the Big Dipper’s handle, which appears in the northeastern sky. A curved line extended from Alkaid at the tip of the Dipper’s handle leads first to Arcturus and then to Spica.
Arcturus and Spica are part of another seasonal asterism. They form the Spring Triangle with Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo.
Zubeneschamali and Zubenelgenubi, the brightest stars in the zodiac constellation Libra (the Scales), are visible close to the horizon around 10 pm. Libra, Serpens (the Serpent), and Corona Borealis (the Northern Crown) rise above the horizon later in the evening.
Eastern sky from equatorial latitudes, image: Stellarium
Western sky
The constellations of the Winter Circle set in the west in the evening. The Winter Circle (or Winter Hexagon) is formed by six first-magnitude stars: Sirius in the constellation Canis Major (the Great Dog), Procyon in Canis Minor (the Smaller Dog), Pollux in Gemini (the Twins), Capella in Auriga (the Charioteer), Aldebaran in Taurus (the Bull), and Rigel in Orion (the Hunter).
Depending on the location and geography, Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri) may or may not be visible around 10 pm. The Bull’s horns, marked by Elnath (Beta Tauri) and Tianguan (Zeta Tauri) appear between Auriga and Orion.
Orion is the most prominent constellation above the western horizon. The constellation figure of the Hunter is outlined by seven bright stars. Betelgeuse and Bellatrix mark the shoulders, Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka form the Belt of Orion, and Rigel and Saiph mark the Hunter’s knees or feet. Betelgeuse is the only red supergiant in the group. The other stars are hot O- and B-type giants, supergiants, and main sequence stars.
Saiph and Rigel can be used to find Lepus (the Hare) and Columba (the Dove). These constellations appear between Orion and Canopus, the brightest star in Carina (the Keel) and the second brightest star in the sky.
Monoceros (the Unicorn) appears directly west. Most of the faint constellation lies within the Winter Triangle (Great Southern Triangle), formed by Sirius, Betelgeuse, and Procyon.
Sirius and Procyon are the brightest and eighth brightest stars in the sky. They are the luminaries of the two dog constellations, Canis Major and Canis Minor. Both stars lie in the solar neighbourhood. Sirius is located 8.60 light years away and Procyon, 11.46 light-years away.
Western sky from equatorial latitudes, image: Stellarium
Southern sky
Several conspicuous constellations appear in the southern sky in the evening. The constellations that once formed Argo Navis (the Ship Argo), the largest constellation in the sky, appear high above the horizon. Carina represents the keel, Vela the sails, and Puppis the stern of Argo, the mythical ship on which Jason and the Argonauts sailed to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece. Vela appears in the southern sky, and Carina and Puppis in the southwestern.
The brightest stars of Carina – Canopus, Miaplacidus, and Avior – can be used to find the fainter constellations Volans (the Flying Fish), Pictor (the Easel), Dorado (the Dolphinfish), and Chamaeleon (the Chameleon).
Centaurus (the Centaur), one of the largest southern constellations, dominates the southern and southeastern sky in the evening. Its brightest stars, Rigil Kentaurus and Hadar (Alpha and Beta Centauri), point in the direction of the Southern Cross, a bright southern asterism commonly used to find true south.
The Southern Cross, the most recognizable part of the constellation Crux, can also be used to find the fainter Musca (the Fly).
Southern sky from equatorial latitudes, image: Stellarium
Southern hemisphere
The constellations high overhead in the evening include Carina (the Keel), Puppis (the Stern), Vela (the Sails), and Canis Major (the Great Dog). The bright stars in these constellations can be used to find the fainter Columba (the Dove), Pyxis (the Compass), Antlia (the Air Pump), and Pictor (the Easel).
Canis Major is home to Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. Popularly known as the Dog Star, Sirius is one of our nearest neighbours. It lies only 8.60 light-years away. Carina hosts Canopus, the second brightest star in the sky. Alpha Centauri, the third brightest star, appears in the southeastern sky around 10 pm.
Carina, Puppis, and Vela once formed the larger constellation Argo Navis. Representing the mythical ship Argo, on which Jason and the Argonauts sailed to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece, Argo Navis was the largest constellation in the sky before it was divided into three smaller constellations. Carina represents the keel of the ship, Puppis the stern, and Vela the sails.
Tonight’s sky as seen from the southern hemisphere, image: Stellarium
Northern sky
The zodiac constellations Taurus (the Bull), Gemini (the Twins), Cancer (the Crab), and Leo (the Lion) stretch from the northwestern to northeastern sky.
Pollux and Castor, the brightest stars in Gemini, appear almost directly north in the evening, between the brighter Procyon and the horizon. The faint Cancer lies in the region between Procyon in Canis Minor, Castor in Gemini, and Regulus in Leo. Its identifying feature, the bright Beehive Cluster (M44) is visible below the head of Hydra (the Water Snake) on a clear night.
Regulus appears at the base of the Sickle of Leo, a relatively bright asterism that forms the head and mane of the Lion. The asterism appears upside down and can be used to identify Alphard, the brightest star in Hydra.
Northern sky in the southern hemisphere, image: Stellarium
Eastern sky
Hydra (the Water Snake) and Virgo (the Maiden), the largest constellations in the sky, rise in the east in the evening. The smaller Corvus (the Crow) and Crater (the Cup) appear between them, and the faint Sextans (the Sextant) is found between Hydra and Leo (the Lion).
The Y of Virgo appears almost perpendicular to the horizon. The bright Spica sits at the base of the crooked Y, while the top of the Y stretches in the direction of Denebola at the Lion’s tail. Denebola and Vindemiatrix, the star at the top left corner of the Y, can be used to find the Virgo Cluster of galaxies.
The brightest stars of Corvus form a quadrilateral asterism known as the Sail or Spica’s Spanker. The northern side of the asterism points towards Spica, the brightest star in Virgo and the 16th brightest star in the sky.
Centaurus (the Centaur) and Crux (the Southern Cross) dominate the southeastern sky. The fainter Lupus (the Wolf) appears between the Southern Pointers (Alpha and Beta Centauri) and the horizon.
Formed by four (or five) bright stars in the constellation Crux, the Southern Cross asterism appears high above the southeastern horizon in the evening. The asterism is commonly used to find the southern celestial pole. It is easy to identify because it appears near Alpha and Beta Centauri, the third and 11th brightest stars in the sky.
Eastern sky in the southern hemisphere, image: Stellarium
Western sky
The constellations that set in the west in the evening include Eridanus (the River), Cetus (the Sea Monster), Fornax (the Furnace), Taurus (the Bull), and Orion (the Hunter).
Eridanus, the celestial River, stretches farther from north to south than any other constellation. Its northern end is marked by Cursa near Rigel in Orion and its southern end by Achernar in the far southern sky. Achernar is the brightest star in Eridanus and the ninth brightest star in the sky. The faint Fornax is found in the bend of the River, and the large Cetus has mostly fallen below the horizon by 10 pm.
Taurus and Orion dominate the northwestern sky. Both constellations are bright and easy to recognize. Taurus is home to the Pleiades, an exceptionally bright and large open cluster, and Orion hosts Orion’s Belt, one of the most familiar asterisms in the night sky. The supergiants Rigel and Betelgeuse, the brightest stars in Orion, are the seventh and tenth brightest stars in the sky.
Rigel can be used to find the fainter Lepus (the Hare) and Columba (the Dove). These constellations appear in the area between Rigel and Canopus, the luminary of the constellation Carina (the Keel) and the second brightest star in the sky.
Western sky in the southern hemisphere, image: Stellarium
Southern sky
The southern sky hosts many small, faint constellations that do not particularly stand out in the sky. The bright Crux (the Southern Cross) and Centaurus (the Centaur) appear in the southeastern sky and can be used to identify the fainter Musca (the Fly) and Circinus (the Compass).
The brightest stars of Triangulum Australe (the Southern Triangle) are fairly easy to spot near Alpha and Beta Centauri. They form an almost equilateral triangle that gives the constellation its name.
Atria, the brightest star in Triangulum Australe, points in the direction of the constellation Pavo (the Peacock). Peacock, the brightest star in Pavo, sits low above the southern horizon and may or may not be visible, depending on the observer’s latitude and geography.
Pavo is one of the four constellations collectively known as the Southern Birds. Tucana (the Toucan), Phoenix, and Grus (the Crane) are the other three. Tucana and Phoenix can be spotted above the southern and southwestern horizon, while Grus has mostly set by 10 pm.
Hadar (Beta Centauri), the second brightest star in Centaurus, and Achernar (Alpha Eridani), the luminary of Eridanus, appear in the southeast and southwest. The two stars can be used to find the southern celestial pole, which lies roughly halfway between them.
Sigma Octantis, the star that marks the location of the pole, is invisible from areas with any light pollution and not very useful in navigation. It lies in the faint constellation Octans (the Octant), which does not have any easily identifiable features. For this reason, the stars of Centaurus, Crux, and Eridanus are more commonly used to find true south.
Southern sky in the southern hemisphere, image: Stellarium