How to Use Orion to Find Other Constellations
Know where Orion is., Memorize the "corner" stars in Orion., Time to start navigating!, Continue following Saiph and Bellatrix and you will encounter Perseus, the hero from Greek mythology., Follow Rigel and Betelgeuse, the two brightest stars in...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know where Orion is.
If you have no clue where it is, use star charts, such as David Levy's 'A Guide to Sky watching'.
Google Sky Map is also an excellent resource for the novice.
Note that Orion is not visible around June.
It is visible in the morning from July to mid-December, all night in late December, and in the evening from January to May. -
Step 2: Memorize the "corner" stars in Orion.
Betelgeuse is in the top left, and glows reddish orange.
It also fluctuates in brightness over the course of several years.
To its right, Bellatrix (The Amazon Star) is a pale blue.
Below Bellatrix is Rigel, a blue super-giant star, and the brightest in Orion.
The dimmest star is Saiph, to the left of Rigel and below Betelgeuse.
Between all of these stars is Orion's Belt, the three bright stars in a row.
Underneath Orion's Belt is his sword, which contains the Orion Nebula.
This is a good target for binoculars or a small telescope. , Start with the two dimmest corner stars, Bellatrix and Saiph.
Follow them up to encounter Aldebaran, the brightest star in Taurus, and the Pleiades, a bright star cluster.
Follow them down to reach Beta Canis Majoris and Adhara.
To the left of these stars is the sky's brightest star, Sirius. (The sun is actually the brightest.) For this one, you can also follow Orion's belt right and left, respectively. , In Perseus is Algol, one of a class of eclipsing variable stars, and the "Old Faithful" of the winter sky.
Every
2.8 days its larger, dimmer companion obscures the brighter companion, leading to a sudden dimming that lasts for a few hours. , (Fun fact:
Pollux is the brightest star with a confirmed planet.
Don't try to use a telescope to look for it though, it's not visible.) Castor is a sextuple star system, but only 3 can be seen in a telescope.
One of these stars, YY Geminorium, is a variable. , Procyon has a white dwarf companion, Procyon B, which can be seen in a large telescope.
Going backwards leads to Aries, the Ram.
Just under it is the dim constellation of Cetus.
Omicron Ceti, known as Mira, is a long-period red giant variable.
It changes from magnitude 8 (invisible) to magnitude 2 (one of the brightest stars in the sky) over 11 months. , Auriga rides Taurus, the Bull.
Capella is the highest first-magnitude star, and is visible year-round from the northern US. , A good set of star charts or Google Sky Map will help you out here. -
Step 3: Time to start navigating!
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Step 4: Continue following Saiph and Bellatrix and you will encounter Perseus
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Step 5: the hero from Greek mythology.
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Step 6: Follow Rigel and Betelgeuse
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Step 7: the two brightest stars in Orion
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Step 8: up to enter Gemini and view its two brightest stars
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Step 9: Castor and Pollux.
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Step 10: Tracing from Bellatrix to Betelgeuse leads to Canis Minor
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Step 11: shining with the bright stars Procyon and Gomeisa.
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Step 12: Draw an imaginary line from Rigel to Bellatrix and you will crash into Capella
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Step 13: the brightest star in the constellation Auriga.
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Step 14: After you have found these stars
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Step 15: use them to find more constellations.
Detailed Guide
If you have no clue where it is, use star charts, such as David Levy's 'A Guide to Sky watching'.
Google Sky Map is also an excellent resource for the novice.
Note that Orion is not visible around June.
It is visible in the morning from July to mid-December, all night in late December, and in the evening from January to May.
Betelgeuse is in the top left, and glows reddish orange.
It also fluctuates in brightness over the course of several years.
To its right, Bellatrix (The Amazon Star) is a pale blue.
Below Bellatrix is Rigel, a blue super-giant star, and the brightest in Orion.
The dimmest star is Saiph, to the left of Rigel and below Betelgeuse.
Between all of these stars is Orion's Belt, the three bright stars in a row.
Underneath Orion's Belt is his sword, which contains the Orion Nebula.
This is a good target for binoculars or a small telescope. , Start with the two dimmest corner stars, Bellatrix and Saiph.
Follow them up to encounter Aldebaran, the brightest star in Taurus, and the Pleiades, a bright star cluster.
Follow them down to reach Beta Canis Majoris and Adhara.
To the left of these stars is the sky's brightest star, Sirius. (The sun is actually the brightest.) For this one, you can also follow Orion's belt right and left, respectively. , In Perseus is Algol, one of a class of eclipsing variable stars, and the "Old Faithful" of the winter sky.
Every
2.8 days its larger, dimmer companion obscures the brighter companion, leading to a sudden dimming that lasts for a few hours. , (Fun fact:
Pollux is the brightest star with a confirmed planet.
Don't try to use a telescope to look for it though, it's not visible.) Castor is a sextuple star system, but only 3 can be seen in a telescope.
One of these stars, YY Geminorium, is a variable. , Procyon has a white dwarf companion, Procyon B, which can be seen in a large telescope.
Going backwards leads to Aries, the Ram.
Just under it is the dim constellation of Cetus.
Omicron Ceti, known as Mira, is a long-period red giant variable.
It changes from magnitude 8 (invisible) to magnitude 2 (one of the brightest stars in the sky) over 11 months. , Auriga rides Taurus, the Bull.
Capella is the highest first-magnitude star, and is visible year-round from the northern US. , A good set of star charts or Google Sky Map will help you out here.
About the Author
Laura White
Enthusiastic about teaching hobbies techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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