Sky Tonight—April 24, Kochab and Pherkad in the Little Dipper
Kochab and Pherkad served as twin pole stars from about 1500 BC to about 500 BC.
Sky Tonight—April 1, Use Big Dipper to find Polaris and Little Dipper
Polaris is special because it always stays in the same spot in the northern sky. It is the star around which the entire northern sky appears to turn.
Sky Tonight—March 3, Recognize the Big Dipper … and Little Dipper
This is a great time of year to begin looking for the Big Dipper in the evening.
Earthsky Tonight—July 1: Big Dipper points to Polaris, helps find Thuban
As night deepens, and the fainter stars of the Little Dipper spring into view, those of you with dark-enough skies can expect to see a winding stream of stars between…
Earthsky Tonight—June 3: See Draco the Dragon and a former pole star
First, find the Big Dipper high in the north on June evenings. The two outer stars in the Dipper’s bowl point to Polaris, the North Star, which marks the end…
Earthsky Tonight—June 2: Little Dipper, Clipped wings of Draco the Dragon
According to the Greek geographer and historian Strabo (63 B.C. to A.D. 21?) these seven stars did not make up Ursa Minor (the Little Dipper) until 600 B.C. or so.…
Earthsky Tonight—June 1: Big Dipper high in north on June evenings
Here is the legendary Big Dipper, now high in the north during the evening hours. It is one of the most familiar star patterns in the sky because its shape…
Earthsky Tonight—April 7, 2010: Kochab and Pherkad in the Little Dipper
If you draw an imaginary line between the two outer stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper – and extend that line northward on the sky’s dome – you’ll…
Earthsky Tonight — April 6, 2010: Use Big Dipper to find Polaris and Little Dipper
Polaris is special because it always stays in the same spot in the northern sky. It is the star around which the entire northern sky appears to turn.
Earthsky Tonight — March 4, 2010: Recognize the Big Dipper … and Little Dipper
How can I locate both Ursa Minor and Ursa Major? I am seeing one of them in the sky . . . but cannot tell which one and where the…