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April

  • Ant - Antlia the Air Pump

    IAU Constellation
    Ant - Antlia the Air Pump

    Size

    62 of 88
    Astronomical Regions
    Southern
  • Boo - Bootes the Herdsman or Bear Driver

    IAU Constellation
    Boo - Bootes the Herdsman or Bear Driver

    Size

    13 of 88
    Astronomical Regions
    Northern

    Intro and Visual description

    Skywatchers have long-repeated the catch-phrase "Arc to Arcturus" (Arc-TUR-us). Follow the curve of the Big Dipper’s handle to the fourth brightest star in the sky. Arcturus belongs to the ancient constellation Bootes (BOW-oh-tees). Look for a pentagon above Arcturus forming the torso of the herdsman.

    Some prefer to see Bootes as a one-scoop ice cream cone. Just to one side lies Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown. With bright Gemma ("Jemma") in its center, like a second scoop of ice cream that melted in the heat of summer and fell off the top.

  • CVn - Canes Venatici the Hunting Dogs

    IAU Constellation
    CVn - Canes Venatici the Hunting Dogs

    Size

    38 of 88
    Astronomical Regions
    Northern

    Intro and Visual description

    Lies under the arc of the Big Dipper’s handle.

  • Cen - Centaurus the Centaur

    IAU Constellation
    Cen - Centaurus the Centaur

    Size

    9 of 88
    Astronomical Regions
    Southern

    Intro and Visual description

    Partially visible only in March and April from 35 degrees north latitude.

    Hadar, a knee of the Centaur, is on a line from Alpha Centauri to Crux.

  • Cha - Chamaeleon

    IAU Constellation
    Cha - Chamaeleon

    Size

    79 of 88
    Astronomical Regions
    Southern
    Circumpolar (southern)
  • Cir - Circinus the Drafting Compasses (35)

    IAU Constellation
    Cir - Circinus the Drafting Compass

    Size

    85 of 88
    Astronomical Regions
    Southern
    Circumpolar (southern)
  • Com - Coma Berenices the Hair of Berenice

    IAU Constellation
    Com - Coma Berenices the Hair of Berenice

    Size

    42 of 88
    Astronomical Regions
    Northern

    Intro and Visual description

    To the east of Leo is the constellation Coma Berenices (KOH-ma Bear-uhn-EE-chayz), which pictures the braided hair streaming down from the back of Berenice’s head. Between Leo, Virgo, and Bootes.

  • Crv - Corvus the Crow

    IAU Constellation
    Crv - Corvus the Crow

    Size

    70 of 88
    Astronomical Regions
    Southern

    Intro and Visual description

    On the back of Hydra, kite-shaped pattern, low in the south.

  • Crt - Crater the Cup

    IAU Constellation
    Crt - Crater the Cup

    Size

    53 of 88
    Astronomical Regions
    Southern

    Intro and Visual description

    Dim stars on the back of Hydra; shape of a cup.

  • Hya - Hydra the Water Snake

    IAU Constellation
    Hya - Hydra the Water Snake

    Size

    1 of 88
    Astronomical Regions
    Southern
    Equatorial

    Intro and Visual description

    Hydra the Water Snake is the largest and longest of the constellations, stretching from Cancer to Libra. Several constellations and asterisms ride on its back; from head to tail they are Sextans the Sextant, Crater the Cup, Corvus the Crow, and Noctua the Owl.

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Tau - Taurus the Bull

IAU Constellation
Tau - Taurus the Bull

Size

17 of 88
Astronomical Regions
Zodiac
Northern
Equatorial

Intro and Visual description

Taurus the Bull is easily spotted. Its head is the Hyades, a V-shaped cluster of stars. His horns point outward from the V. Aldebaran is the red eye of the Bull as he charges down upon us.

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| And | Ant | Aps | Aql | Aqr | Ara | Ari | Aur | Boo | Cae | Cam | Cap | Car | Cas | Cen | Cep | Cet | Cha | Cir | CMa | CMi | Cnc | Col | Com | CrA | CrB | Crt | Cru | Crv | CVn | Cyg | Del | Dor | Dra | Equ | Eri | For | Gem | Gru | Her | Hor | Hya | Hyi | Ind | Lac | Leo | Lep | Lib | LMi | Lup | Lyn | Lyr | Men | Mic | Mon | Mus | Nor | Oct | Oph | Ori | Pav | Peg | Per | Phe | Pic | PsA | Psc | Pup | Pyx | Ret | Scl | Sco | Sct | Ser | Sex | Sge | Sgr | Tau | Tel | TrA | Tri | Tuc | UMa | UMi | Vel | Vir | Vol | Vul |

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Kerry Magruder, Brent Purkaple, and Aja Tolman, editors, "The Sky Tonight: Cultural Archaeology of the Stars" (December 21, 2019 - ongoing), skytonight.org.


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