![]() ![]() Low in the southwest is the hook-shaped constellation Scorpius the Scorpion. Cygnus the Swan, Aquila the Eagle, and Lyra the Harp are more easily seen under dark skies. Each of these stars is part of its own constellation. These may be the first stars you see as the sky begins to darken. Next, turn your gaze high overhead for the three bright stars that make up the Summer Triangle. This group of stars is also officially known as Ursa Minor the Little Bear. Polaris is at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper. When you face the North Star, you’re facing due north. Polaris is not a particularly bright star, but it does remain fixed in the sky throughout the night and throughout the year. Use the two stars at the end of the Dipper’s bowl to lead you to Polaris, also known as the North Star. Ursa Major the Great Bear is the official constellation here, but you’ll need dark skies to see its fainter stars. It’s a familiar name for this pattern of stars, especially used by observers in the United States, but it’s not one of the 88 constellations recognized by astronomers worldwide. The Big Dipper is not officially a constellation it’s what astronomers sometimes call an asterism. As we approach autumn, it gradually appears lower to the northern horizon. In the spring and summer, the Dipper is easy to find shortly after sunset. ![]() As famous as the Dipper is, it’s not always easily visible from our latitude in Tennessee. Look low in the northwest for the Big Dipper. ![]()
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