1. Amateur Astronomy Identifying some stars in the northern and southern summer sky Beginner

2. Objectives Identify the Big Dipper (not a constellation, but an asterism) and use it to identify a few other stars. Identify the summer triangle. Point out these stars to friends and family.

3. Southern horizon The most easily recognized constellation is Scorpius An easily recognized asterism in the constellation Sagittarius is the teapot. The brightest star in Scorpius is Antares.

4. S-SE 6/23/05 10:30 PM

5. Northern horizon The Big Dipper (in Ursa Major) is the most easily recognized asterism (it’s not a constellation!) Use it to find The Little Dipper (Ursa Minor), Polaris (Ursa Minor), Cassiopeia, Arcturus (Bootes), Vega (Lyra), Deneb (Cygus), Altair (Aquila). Deneb is part of the asterism, The Northern Cross. Deneb, Vega, and Altair are called the Summer Triangle.

6. N 6/23/05 10:30 PM

7. Summer Triangle The Summer Triangle is formed by three bright stars, Deneb, Vega, and Altair in the constellations Cygnus, Lyra, and Aquila. Slicing through this triangle is the asterism, the Northern Cross, actually part of Cygnus the Swan. Tonight you will find the summer triangle above the eastern sky and you’ll see it all through the summer as it rises earlier and earlier.

8. E 6/ 23/05 10:30PM