The Big and Little Dipper: How to find them in spring

You can spot the Big and Little Dipper in the northern sky year-round. Follow the Big Dipper’s pointer stars to find Polaris and the Little Dipper.

A Spring Triangle of stars heralds the season

As the Northern Hemisphere enters spring, look for the Spring Triangle rising in the east, made up of bright stars from 3 prominent constellations.

Meet the Winter Circle, aka the Winter Hexagon

The brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere's winter sky form the shape of the Winter Circle, or Hexagon, that will help you locate 6 constellations.

The Hyades star cluster: The Face of Taurus the Bull

Look for the V-shape Hyades star cluster in Taurus the Bull in the evening sky. It represents the Face of the Bull and it's beautiful in binoculars.

The Pleiades – or 7 Sisters – known around the world

The Pleiades star cluster - aka the 7 Sisters or M45 - is visible from almost every part of the globe. It looks like a tiny, misty dipper of stars.

Great Square of Pegasus gallops into the autumn sky

The Great Square of Pegasus consists of 4 stars of nearly equal brightness in a large square pattern. It's a great jumping-off point for star-hopping.

Teapot of Sagittarius points to Milky Way center

As you gaze toward the famous Teapot asterism in the constellation Sagittarius, you are looking toward the center of our Milky Way galaxy.

The Scorpion’s Crown and its stellar neighborhood

Bright red Antares, and the 3 stars of the Scorpion's Crown, belong to a young group of stars called the Scorpius-Centaurus Association.

The Northern Cross: Find the backbone of the Milky Way

The Northern Cross is an asterism - or recognizable pattern of stars - within the constellation Cygnus the Swan. Here's how to find it in your sky.

Summer Triangle: Star pattern of the season

On June and July evenings, you’ll find the Summer Triangle in the east at nightfall. It swings high overhead after midnight and sits in the west at daybreak.

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