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CrB - Corona Borealis the Northern Crown

  • 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.

  • CrB - Corona Borealis the Northern Crown

    IAU Constellation

    CrB - Corona Borealis the Northern Crown

    Size

    73 of 88

    Astronomical Regions

    Northern

    Intro and Visual description

    A semicircle of stars between Bootes and Hercules, featuring the bright star Gemma (jewel). To locate the Northern Crown, find Arcturus and Vega, the two brightest stars in the northern hemisphere. Draw a straight line between them and you will find not only the mighty Hercules, but the splendid Corona Borealis.

  • Her - Hercules the Hero

    IAU Constellation

    Her - Hercules the Hero

    Size

    5 of 88

    Astronomical Regions

    Northern

    Intro and Visual description

    Located between Ophiuchus and Draco. Look for the Keystone, a trapezoid of four stars.

  • Ser - Serpens the Snake

    IAU Constellation

    Ser - Serpens the Snake

    Size

    23 of 88

    Astronomical Regions

    Northern
    Equatorial
    Southern

    Intro and Visual description

    Located in the hands of Ophiuchus, Serpens is the only constellation divided into two parts: Serpens Caput (=head) and Serpens Cauda (=tail), with Ophiuchus between them.

  • Urania's Mirror (1825) card: Hercules

    Image

    UM-1825-Hercules
  • Urania's Mirror (1825) figure: Corona Borealis

    Image

    UM-1825-CoronaBorealis
  • Corona Ariadnae

  • Corona Firmiana

    Asterism Visual Appearance

    The Head of Salzburg.

    Asterism Origin and History

    Named by Thomas Corbinianus to honor the Benedictine abbot of Salzburg.

  • Septentrionalis

  • Vulgo

Pagination

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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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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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