The stars in tonight’s sky form many familiar patterns that make their host constellations easy to identify. For northern observers, the stars of the Big Dipper appear high overhead around 10 pm. Six of the seven Dipper stars shine at second magnitude.
Eight first magnitude stars are visible in the evening: Arcturus in the constellation Boötes (the Herdsman), Deneb in Cygnus (the Swan), Vega in Lyra (the Lyre), Spica in Virgo (the Maiden), Capela in Auriga (the Charioteer), Pollux in Gemini (the Twins), Regulus in Leo (the Lion), and Procyon in Canis Minor (the Little Dog). The bright Antares in Scorpius may or may not be visible above the southeastern horizon, depending on the location and geography. The supergiant rises higher later in the evening.
For observers in the southern hemisphere, the brightest stars appearing overhead in the evening are Rigil Kentaurus and Hadar (Alpha and Beta Centauri) in the constellation Centaurus, and Acrux and Mimosa in Crux. Alpha and Beta Centauri point toward Gacrux, the star at the top of the Southern Cross. Sirius and Canopus, the brightest stars in the sky, appear above the western and southwestern horizon in the evening. They are the luminaries of the constellations Canis Major (the Great Dog) and Canis Minor (the Little Dog).
The stars visible tonight depend on the observer’s location and the time of night. The star maps below show the first and second magnitude stars visible in the night sky around 10 pm in the mid-northern, equatorial, and mid-southern latitudes.
Northern hemisphere
Arcturus, the brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere and the fourth brightest star in the sky, is the nearest first magnitude star to the zenith around 10 pm. The giant star appears at the base of the Kite, a relatively bright asterism that dominates the constellation Boötes (the Herdsman).
Arcturus can be found using Alkaid, Mizar and Alioth, the stars that form the handle of the Big Dipper in Ursa Major (the Great Bear). The curved line of the Dipper’s handle leads first to Arcturus and then to Spica, the lucida of the zodiac constellation Virgo.
Megrez and Phecda, the inner stars of the Big Dipper’s bowl, point in the general direction of Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, and a line extended from Megrez through Dubhe leads to Capella, the brightest star of Auriga (the Charioteer).
Stars visible tonight in the northern hemisphere, image: Stellarium
Stars in the northern sky
The bright stars of Cassiopeia (the Queen) – Caph, Schedar, Gamma Cassiopeiae, Ruchbah and Segin – are prominent above the northern horizon. These five stars form Cassiopeia’s W, one of the most familiar features of the northern night sky. The W asterism appears in the northern half of the sky for most observers.
A line extended from Gamma Cassiopeiae through the fainter Ruchbah leads to Mirfak, the brightest star in Perseus, and a line drawn from Schedar through Caph points to Alderamin, the lucida of the constellation Cepheus (the King).
The young yellow-white supergiant Mirfak (Alpha Persei) is the brightest member of the Alpha Persei Cluster, an open cluster visible to the unaided eye in good conditions. The star cluster has an apparent magnitude of 1.2 and stretches across 6.1 degrees of the sky.
Polaris, the North Star, appears higher in the sky, directly north. The yellow-white supergiant marks the end of the Little Dipper’s handle and is the brightest star in the constellation of Ursa Minor (the Small Bear).
Capella, the brightest star in Auriga (the Charioteer) and the sixth brightest star in the sky, appears in the northwestern sky, and Deneb, the luminary of Cygnus, lies in the northeast.
Both stars are part of prominent northern asterisms. Capella is part of Auriga’s hexagon and Deneb marks the top of the Northern Cross. The two bright asterisms make their host constellations very easy to recognize.
Stars in the northern sky tonight, image: Stellarium
Stars in the eastern sky
The supergiant Deneb appears above the northeastern horizon. It is by far the most distant first magnitude star. It lies 2,615 light-years away. With an intrinsic luminosity of 196,000 Suns, the massive supergiant shines at magnitude 1.25 and is the 19th brightest star in the sky.
Deneb forms the Summer Triangle with the brighter Vega in the constellation Lyra (the Harp) and Altair in Aquila (the Eagle). Vega is visible in the northeastern sky and Altair rises later in the evening. These stars dominate the northern summer sky and, as the summer approaches, they will keep rising earlier in the evening. Vega and Altair appear brighter than Deneb because they lie in the Sun’s neighbourhood. Vega lies 25 light-years away and Altair, 16.73 light-years away.
The fast-spinning Rasalhague (Alpha Ophiuchi) appears almost directly east. It is the brightest star in the constellation Ophiuchus (the Serpent Bearer). The subgiant star appears on the imaginary line drawn from Vega to Antares.
Rasalhague forms a large polygon with several other bright stars in Ophiuchus that takes up much of the eastern sky in the evening.
Antares and the Scorpion’s claws make an appearance above the southeastern horizon in the evening. The red supergiant rises a little higher in the sky after 10 pm. The stars of the fainter Libra (the Scales) appear as the extended claws of Scorpius.
Arcturus, the brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, appears high in the southeastern sky. The giant makes it easy to identify the fainter stars of the constellations Corona Borealis (the Northern Crown) and Hercules.
Stars in the eastern sky tonight, image: Stellarium
Stars in the western sky
The brightest stars in the western sky are Procyon and Pollux, the lucidae of the constellations Canis Minor (the Little Dog) and Gemini (the Twins). Pollux and its neighbour Castor mark the heads of the mythical twins represented by the constellation Gemini.
Regulus appears higher in the evening sky. It appears at the base of the Sickle of Leo, an asterism that outlines the Lion’s head. Regulus and the Sickle can be used to find Alphard, the brightest star in Hydra. Even though it is the largest constellation in the sky, Hydra does not contain any other particularly bright stars and Alphard appears relatively isolated. It is the brightest star southwest of Regulus.
Stars in the western sky tonight, image: Stellarium
Stars in the southern sky
Spica is the brightest star appearing above the southern horizon in the evening. Virgo’s brightest star appears at the base of the Y of Virgo, a large and conspicuous asterism that dominates the constellation.
The four brightest stars in Corvus (the Crow) – Gienah, Algorab, Kraz and Minkar – form a quadrilateral asterism known as Spica’s Spanker or the Sail. The northern side of the star pattern points towards Spica.
Spica forms the Spring Triangle with the brighter Arcturus in Boötes and Regulus in Leo. The elongated triangle dominates the evening sky throughout the spring months.
Arcturus and Spica form another seasonal asterism, the Great Diamond (or the Diamond of Virgo), with Cor Caroli in Canes Venatici (the Hunting Dogs) and Denebola at the Lion’s tail. The Great Diamond makes it easy to find the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, which lies near the centre of the asterism.
Menkent, the third brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus, makes an appearance above the southern horizon in the evening. The giant star marks the Centaur’s shoulder. Unlike the brighter Rigil Kentaurus and Hadar (Alpha and Beta Centauri), Menkent is visible to most northern observers. It is the only bright star in Centaurus easily visible from the mid-northern latitudes at certain times of the year.
Stars in the southern sky tonight, image: Stellarium
Equatorial latitudes
For observers near the equator, Arcturus and Spica, the luminaries of the constellations Boötes (the Herdsman) and Virgo (the Maiden), are the brightest stars appearing high overhead in the evening. Both stars can be identified using the handle of the Big Dipper. Following the curved line of the Dipper’s handle leads first to Arcturus and then to Spica.
Arcturus and Spica form an asterism known as the Spring Triangle with Regulus in the constellation Leo (the Lion). They also form the Diamond of Virgo (the Great Diamond) with Denebola in Leo and the fainter Cor Caroli in Canes Venatici (the Hunting Dogs). Cor Caroli is the brightest star between Alkaid in Ursa Major (the Great Bear) and Denebola in Leo.
Stars visible tonight in equatorial latitudes, image: Stellarium
Stars in the northern sky
The stars of Ursa Major (the Great Bear) dominate the northern sky in the evening. The constellation’s seven bright stars – Alkaid, Mizar, Alioth, Megrez, Phecda, Merak, and Dubhe – form the Big Dipper, one of the most recognizable asterisms in the sky. The stars of the Dipper’s handle can be used to find Arcturus and Spica, and the inner stars of the bowl point in the direction of Regulus.
The Little Dipper is much fainter and more difficult to spot. Its brightest star, Polaris, is mostly invisible from locations close to the equator because it lies next to the north celestial pole. Kochab and Pherkad, the outer stars of the Little Dipper’s bowl, can be spotted above the northern horizon in the evening.
The fainter stars of the Dragon’s tail lie in the region between the Big and Little Dippers. The Dragon’s head is outlined by a quadrilateral asterism that appears between the Little Dipper’s bowl and the bright Vega in the constellation Lyra.
Stars in the northern sky tonight in equatorial latitudes, image: Stellarium
Stars in the eastern sky
The stars of Aquila (the Eagle) and Ophiuchus (the Serpent Bearer) rise in the east in the evening. Altair, the brightest star in Aquila and the 12th brightest star in the sky, appears low above the eastern horizon around 10 pm. The rest of the bird-like pattern of the celestial Eagle rises earlier in the evening.
The brightest stars of Ophiuchus form a large polygon that appears high in the eastern sky. Rasalhague, the constellation’s brightest star, appears roughly halfway between the brighter Vega and Antares.
The supergiant Antares appears high in the southeastern sky in the evening. The distinctly red star lies next to the Scorpion’s claws and is part of an asterism called the Fish Hook. Shaula, the second brightest star in Scorpius, marks the Scorpion’s stinger with the fainter Lesath.
The brightest stars of Sagittarius (the Archer) form a conspicuous asterism known as the Teapot. The Teapot appears below the constellation figure of Scorpius and is easily visible even from areas with some light pollution. The three stars that form the Archer’s bow – Kaus Australis and the fainter Kaus Media and Kaus Borealis – are part of the Teapot pattern.
Stars in the eastern sky tonight in equatorial latitudes, image: Stellarium
Stars in the western sky
The brightest star in the western sky in the evening is Regulus, the lucida of the constellation Leo. Regulus marks the heart of the celestial Lion and is part of an asterism known as the Sickle. The Sickle forms the Lion’s head, and the bright Denebola at the opposite end of the constellation marks the Lion’s tail.
Regulus and the Sickle can be found using the bright stars of the Big Dipper. A line drawn from Megrez through Phecda, the inner stars of the Dipper’s bowl, points toward the Lion’s head.
Regulus can be used to find Alphard, the brightest star in Hydra. Alphard is the only conspicuous star in Hydra. It appears southwest of the Sickle.
Stars in the western sky tonight in equatorial latitudes, image: Stellarium
Stars in the southern sky
The brightest stars in the southern sky in the evening are Rigil Kentaurus, Hadar, Acrux, and Mimosa. Rigil Kentaurus and Hadar (Alpha and Beta Centauri) are the brightest stars in the constellation Centaurus and the third and 11th brightest stars in the sky. Rigil Kentaurus is the brightest component of Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to the Sun. Proxima Centauri, the faintest component of the Alpha Centauri system and the nearest individual star to the Sun, does not appear in the same line of sight as the two brighter components. It appears south of Rigil Kentaurus, in the area between Hadar and Xami (Alpha Circini).
Acrux and Mimosa (Alpha and Beta Crucis) are the brightest stars of Crux, the smallest constellation in the sky. They form the Southern Cross with the fainter Gacrux, Imai, and Ginan. Alpha and Beta Centauri point towards Gacrux, the star that marks the top of the Southern Cross.
Antares and other bright stars of Scorpius appear high in the southeastern sky, and the constellation Lupus (the Wolf) can be spotted between the Fish Hook asterism in Scorpius and the constellation figure of Centaurus.
The stars of Carina (the Keel) and Vela (the Sails) dominate the southwestern sky. Canopus, the lucida of Carina and the second brightest star in the sky, is below the horizon around 10 pm, but the second magnitude Miaplacidus, Avior and Aspidiske are easy to spot above the southwestern horizon.
Avior and Aspidiske in Carina form an asterism called the False Cross with Alsephina and Markeb in the neighbouring Vela. The asterism is commonly mistaken for the Southern Cross. It is larger and fainter than the asterism in Crux.
Stars in the southern sky tonight in equatorial latitudes, image: Stellarium
Southern hemisphere
The Southern Pointers Alpha and Beta Centauri (Rigil Kentaurus and Hadar) and the bright stars of the Southern Cross dominate the sky overhead in the evening for southern observers. Alpha and Beta Centauri are called the Southern Pointers because they point toward the Southern Cross, a bright star pattern commonly used to find the southern celestial pole.
Antares and Spica, the brightest stars of the zodiac constellations Scorpius (the Scorpion) and Virgo (the Maiden), appear high in the eastern and northern sky, while Sirius in Canis Major (the Great Dog), the brightest star in the sky, appears low above the western horizon in the evening. Regulus in Leo (the Lion) lies in the northwestern sky and Arcturus in Boötes (the Herdsman) in the northern.
Other first magnitude stars visible in the evening are Canopus in the constellation Carina (the Keel) and Achernar in Eridanus (the River). Canopus appears high above the southwestern horizon and Achernar lies low in the southern sky around 10 pm.
Stars visible tonight in the southern hemisphere, image: Stellarium
Stars in the northern sky
Arcturus, Spica and Regulus form a large, elongated triangle that dominates the northern and northwestern sky in the evening. The three bright stars are part of several asterisms.
Arcturus, the brightest star in Boötes (the Herdsman) and the fourth brightest star in the sky, appears at the base of the Kite, a pattern that dominates the Herdsman constellation. The Kite appears next to the semi-circle of the Northern Crown, a smaller asterism that gives Corona Borealis its name.
Spica, the lucida of Virgo, appears at the base of an upside-down crooked Y (the Y of Virgo) that can be used to find the Virgo Cluster of galaxies.
Arcturus and Spica form the Diamond of Virgo (the Great Diamond) with Denebola in Leo and Cor Caroli in Canes Venatici (the Hunting Dogs). The famous variable star Cor Caroli appears almost directly north in the evening, below the Y of Virgo.
Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, marks the celestial Lion’s heart and appears at the base of the Sickle of Leo. The Sickle forms the Lion’s head and makes Leo one of the most recognizable constellations in the sky.
Stars in the northern sky tonight in the southern hemisphere, image: Stellarium
Stars in the eastern sky
The bright stars of Scorpius, Sagittarius and Ophiuchus rise in the east in the early evening. The red supergiant Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius, appears high above the horizon, almost directly east.
Antares is part of the Fish Hook of Scorpius, an asterism that outlines the heart, body, tail, and stinger of the celestial Scorpion. The massive blue star Shaula marks the Scorpion’s stinger.
The brightest stars of Sagittarius (the Archer) form the Teapot, a bright, conspicuous asterism that appears next to the Milky Way’s bright band. Kaus Australis, the constellation’s brightest star, forms the Archer’s bow with the fainter Kaus Borealis and Kaus Media.
Ophiuchus (the Serpent Bearer) takes up a sizeable portion of the eastern and northeastern sky around 10 pm. The constellation’s brightest stars form a large polygon that makes it easy to locate the many bright star clusters that appear in this region of the sky. Rasalhague, the brightest star of Ophiuchus, marks the pointed side of the polygon.
Stars in the eastern sky tonight in the southern hemisphere, image: Stellarium
Stars in the western sky
Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, sets in the west in the evening. Depending on the geography, the Dog Star may or may not be visible around 10 pm. Three other bright stars in Canis Major (the Great Dog) – Adhara, Wezen and Aludra – form a triangle that makes it easy to find the fainter stars of the neighbouring Columba (the Dove) and Puppis (the Stern or Poop Deck).
Canopus, the brightest star in Carina and the second brightest star in the sky (after Sirius) appears in the southwestern sky. Unlike Sirius, which is one of our nearest neighbours, Canopus is much more intrinsically luminous and lies at a greater distance. The bright giant lies approximately 310 light-years away and shines with a luminosity of 10,700 Suns.
Puppis (the Poop Deck), Vela (the Sails) and Carina (the Keel) represent the Greek mythical ship Argo, on which Jason and the Argonauts sailed to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece. They once formed a single large constellation, Argo Navis (the Ship Argo). Argo Navis was by far the largest constellation in the sky before it was divided into the three smaller constellations.
Puppis contains only one second magnitude star, Naos. The hot blue supergiant is one of the most massive and luminous stars visible to the unaided eye. Its name is the Greek word for “ship.”
Alsephina, one of the bright stars of the neighbouring Vela, also has a name meaning “the ship,” in Arabic. Alsephina forms the False Cross with Markeb in Vela and Avior and Aspidiske in Carina. The asterism is often mistaken for the Southern Cross, which appears higher in the sky around 10 pm.
Stars in the western sky tonight in the southern hemisphere, image: Stellarium
Stars in the southern sky
The brightest star above the southern horizon in the evening is Achernar, the luminary of the constellation Eridanus (the River). Achernar marks the southernmost end of the celestial River and may be glimpsed low in the sky around 10 pm. The fast-spinning hot blue star shines at magnitude 0.40 – 0.46 and is the ninth brightest star in the sky.
Peacock, Alnair and Alpha Tucanae, the brightest stars in the Southern Birds constellations Pavo (the Peacock), Grus (the Crane) and Tucana (the Toucan), appear east and northeast of Achernar. Peacock and Alnair are second magnitude stars and Alpha Tucanae shines at third magnitude.
Most of the southern sky is populated by small and faint constellations – Hydrus, Reticulum, Mensa, Apus, Horologium, Dorado, and Mensa – that do not stand out and are challenging targets from urban areas.
Dorado (the Dolphinfish) and Mensa (Table Mountain) host the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), one of the brightest and nearest galaxies to the Milky Way, while Hydrus (the Lesser Water Snake) and Tucana host its smaller sibling, the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). On a clear, dark night, the two galaxies are easily visible to the unaided eye.
Stars in the southern sky tonight in the southern hemisphere, image: Stellarium