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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.
July 10, 2026
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.
July 9, 2026
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.
July 7, 2026
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.
July 3, 2026
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.
June 25, 2026
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.
June 23, 2026
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.
June 12, 2026
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.
June 10, 2026
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.
June 4, 2026
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.
May 27, 2026
