Hercules the Strongman and a great globular cluster

Hercules the Strongman is a great constellation to view in Northern Hemisphere summer. With binoculars you can see Hercules' remarkable star cluster, M13.

See 3 small constellations near the Summer Triangle

You need a dark country sky to see these 3 small constellations: Vulpecula, Delphinus and Sagitta. They are all near the Summer Triangle.

Scorpius the Scorpion and its legendary stinger

The southernmost constellation of the zodiac is Scorpius the Scorpion. It's easy to spot on July evenings from most of the globe. It has a distinctive J shape.

Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, is overhead now

Corona Borealis, aka the Northern Crown, looks like the letter C. A dark sky is best for seeing this faint semicircle of stars. It's between Arcturus and Vega.

Circinus the Drawing Compass, Alpha Centauri’s neighbor

Circinus the Drawing Compass is a dim constellation located next to the 3rd brightest star in the sky, Alpha Centauri. It looks like a pair of tweezers.

Ursa Minor the Lesser Bear contains the Little Dipper

Ursa Minor is the Lesser Bear, but you might recognize it as the Little Dipper. Also, its brightest star is Polaris, the North Star.

Boötes the Herdsman and its bright star Arcturus

Boötes the Herdsman is a large constellation that holds one of the brightest stars in the sky, Arcturus. Only 3 other stars in the night sky are brighter.

Draco the Dragon and Thuban, a former pole star

Tonight, look for the winding shape of Draco the Dragon in the northern sky. This constellation contains Thuban, a former pole star.

Cygnus the Swan flies along the Milky Way

Cygnus the Swan is a constellation that lies in front of the starlit band of the Milky Way. Its brightest star, Deneb, is part of the Summer Triangle.

Lyra the Harp contains Vega, a summer gem

The constellation Lyra the Harp hosts the 2nd brightest star in the northern sky, Vega. Look for it on northern summer nights.

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