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.

The constellation Norma is home to the Great Attractor

The constellation Norma lies in southern skies and is home to the Great Attractor, the Norma cluster and other deep-sky objects.

Virgo the Maiden represents a harvest goddess

Virgo the Maiden is the largest of the zodiac constellations. It's large and faint, but its brightest star Spica is easy to find.

Meet Crux, the constellation of the Southern Cross

Crux, the constellation of the Southern Cross, is a hallmark of southern skies and contains the open cluster known as the Jewel Box.

How to see the Northern Crown (Corona Borealis)

Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, is an almost-perfect semicircle of stars. Learn to find it and identify its brightest star, and about its mythology.

Crater the Cup sits upon Hydra the Snake’s back

Crater the Cup is a dim constellation that sits on the back of Hydra the Water Snake. You can see Crater best on March, April and May evenings in a dark sky.