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Orion’s Belt points to Sirius on September mornings

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September 9, 2026

Orion's Belt: Star chart of human-shaped constellation with a red arrow leading from 3 stars lined up in the middle to Sirius. — Sirius is the sky’s brightest star. You can always be sure you’re looking at the correct bright star by drawing a line from Orion’s Belt to Sirius. And from the Southern Hemisphere, turn the chart upside down.

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Orion’s Belt points to Sirius

It’s one of the neatest tricks in all the heavens: Orion’s Belt points to Sirius, the sky’s brightest star.

On September mornings, you’ll find both Orion the Hunter and the very bright star Sirius in the eastern part of the sky before dawn. And before you know it, they’ll be shifting into the evening sky. So identify them now, and enjoy them for months to come.

Sometimes there are bright planets in the same region that might outshine even Sirius. For example, in September 2026, Jupiter is also in the morning sky and definitely outshines our brightest star. What’s more, bright planets often adorn the evening sky during the northern winter, when Orion and Sirius shine brightly. In these cases, how can you be sure the object you’re looking at is Sirius? The constellation Orion is your ticket. And no matter where you are, no matter what time of the year it is, Orion’s Belt always points to Sirius.

Flying into Orion’s Belt at 0.001c ?The hunter isn’t flat. It’s a real 3D region of space. (Upgraded animation!) #astronomy ?

— Tony Dunn (@tony873004.bsky.social) 2026-01-06T13:45:46.332Z

Orion returned to the morning sky in late July

Orion returned to the sky before dawn in late July and early August. Now in September, you can easily find this large constellation before sunup. Just look in the eastern part of the sky. You’ll easily notice Orion’s Belt, which consists of a short, straight row of three medium-bright stars.

And to find Sirius, draw a line through Orion’s Belt and extend that line toward the horizon. There, you’ll spot Sirius, the sky’s brightest star.

Sirius is in the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog. Indeed, it’s often called the Dog Star.

Bright, slightly fuzzy constellation over dark landscape with red arrow pointing toward an isolated star. — View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Sergei Timofeevski shared this image from November 13, 2023. Sergei wrote: “The constellation Orion the Hunter and the star Sirius rising just above the eastern horizon in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California.” Thank you, Sergei! And note bright Sirius is at the bottom, with Orion’s Belt pointing to it.

Bottom line: Use Orion’s Belt to find Sirius, the sky’s brightest star. In 2026, Jupiter is in the same region, outshining even Sirius.

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September 9, 2026

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Deborah Byrd

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Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.