Constellations

Aries

Viewing Time: Winter

Brightest Star: Hamal

DSO: N/A

Recognize:

Myth: Golden Fleece

Taurus

Viewing Time: Winter

Brightest Star: Aldebaran

DSO: Pleiades Cluster

Recognize:

Myth: Zeus

Zeus as a bull to seduce a woman

Gemini

Viewing Time: Winter - Early Spring

Brightest Star: Pollux

DSO: Eskimo Nebula

Recognize: Looks like two people

Myth: Misc.

Based off of the mythological “twins”, Castor and Pollux, who actually are half-brothers

Cancer

Viewing Time: Spring

Brightest Star: Altarf

DSO: Bee Hive Cluster

Recognize: Crab “Pincer”

Myth: Heracles

A crab that bit Heracles while he was fighting the Hydra

Orion

Viewing Time: Winter

Brightest Star: Rigel

DSO: Orion Nebula

Recognize: Orion Belt

Myth: Misc.

Orion was a hunter who Artemis fell in love with, but was killed indirectly by Apollo

Perseus

Viewing Time: Early Winter

Brightest Star: Mirfak

DSO: Little Dumbbell Nebula

Recognize:

Myth: Perseus

Perseus was a great hero who defeated many monsters and the queen of an isle

Virgo

Viewing Time: Spring - Early Summer

Brightest Star: Spica

DSO: Sombrero Galaxy

Recognize: Looks like a person

Myth: Misc.

Contains a cluster of over 2000 galaxies

Cygnus

Viewing Time: Early Fall

Brightest Star: Daneb

DSO: Cygnus X1 (Black Hole)

Recognize: The wings of a bird

Myth: Zeus

Zeus transforms into bird to seduce woman