After the excitement earlier this week with Venus and the moon, we now turn toward the northern sky – and its famous constellation Cassiopeia the Queen. This constellation appears high in the northeast at nightfall as seen from latitudes in the northern hemisphere now (it cannot be seen easily, or at all, from Earth’s southern hemisphere). At this time of year, Cassiopeia swings directly over Polaris, the North Star, at around 6 to 7 p.m. local clock time. Cassiopeia – sometimes called The Lady of the Chair – is famous for having the shape of a telltale W or M. You will find this configuration of stars as a starlit M whenever she reigns highest in the sky, hovering over Polaris.

Favorite photos of moon and Venus December 26 and 27, 2011

From a dark country sky, you’ll see that Cassiopeia sits atop the luminous band of stars known as the Milky Way. Arching from horizon to horizon, this soft-glowing boulevard of stars represents an edgewise view into the flat disk of our own Milky Way galaxy. When Cassiopeia climbs above Polaris, the North Star, on these dark winter evenings, note that this hazy belt of stars that we call the Milky Way extends through the Northern Cross in your western sky and past Orion the Hunter in your eastern sky.

Northern Cross stands upright on winter evenings

Find Orion the Hunter and see the Milky Way

This winter Milky Way is fainter than the glorious broad band of the Milky Way we see in summer. That’s because in summer we are looking toward the star-rich center of the galaxy. In winter, we are looking toward the galaxy’s outer edge.

As the night marches onward, Cassiopeia – like the hour hand of a clock – circles around the North Star, though in a counter-clockwise direction.

By dawn, you will find Cassiopeia has swept down in the northwest – to a point below the North Star. At that time, if you’re at a southerly latitude, you might not be able to see Cassiopeia. The constellation might be below your horizon. But if you’re located at a latitude like those in the northern U.S., you will still see Cassiopeia sitting on or near your northern horizon.

Look northward on this cold winter evening to see the Queen Cassiopeia sitting proudly on her throne, atop the northern terminus of the Milky Way!

Bottom line: Watch for the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen on these winter evenings. It is shaped like an M or W. You’ll find Cassiopeia in the northeast at nightfall, sweeping higher in the north as night progresses.