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What constellations can be seen in the Spring?
Home » Astronomy » Identifying Constellations » What constellations can be seen in the Spring?We’ve learned the movements of the sky and the celestial dome. If we watched all night the constellations would change from one season to the next during its course. Let’s begin identifying constellations seen between 9:00 and 10:00 p.m. in mid-March—the time of vernal equinox.
In the northern hemisphere, face north and identify the “Big Dipper”—Ursa Major. You’ll find it upside down and just west of Polaris. Northwest is pentagon-shaped Auriga. On the northeast horizon—the bright orange star Arcturus signifies Bootes. Overhead on the ecliptic plane you will see the bright stars—Castor and Pollux—the heads of the stick figures of Gemini. West is red Aldeberan—alpha in V-shaped Taurus. East is white Regulus and the backwards “question-mark” of Leo. South is the brightest star in the northern sky—Sirius—alpha Canis Major. Southwest is hourglass-shaped Orion and its three bright “belt” stars. East of Sirius is a handful of bright stars—Puppis. Low southeast is box-shaped Corvus.
In the southern hemisphere, Taurus will appear northwest, with Gemini low north and Leo northeast. Orion is west, while Canis Major is overhead. Brilliant star Canopus in Carina is almost due south while the brilliant stars of the Milky Way in Vela lead southeast to the “Southern Cross”—Crux.
Don’t forget Earth keeps moving and these stars will have changed position if you wait too late to look!
Related Identifying Constellations Articles
- Introduction to Constellations
- What constellations can be seen in the Spring?
- What constellations can be seen in the Summer?
- What constellations can be seen in the Fall?
- What constellations can be seen in the Winter?
- What constellations can be seen all the time?