Finding Constellations From the Northern Cross

The Northern Cross, or Cygnus, the Swan, is visible during the summer and fall lying directly along the Milky Way. Which name you use depends on whether you see it as a constellation (a group of stars that REPRESENTS something) or an asterism (a group of stars that LOOKS like something). Ursa Major is a constellation; the Big Dipper is an asterism. Using the stars of Cygnus as pointers, it is easy to locate several other nearby constellations.

Polaris

CYGNUS NORTHERN CROSS Deneb

DRACO DELPHINUS

Altair Vega Named Stars SAGITTA LYRA of Cygnus

p Deneb q Albiero

AQUILA

To get your bearings, draw a line from q through s and continue on. It takes you straight to Polaris, the North Star.

If you draw a line from v in the middle of Cygnus through s, you’ll end up at Eltanin in the head of Draco, the Dragon. This is a long, sinuous constellation that wraps around the bowl of the Little Dipper.

Going from Deneb through t, you’ll be able to find a small grouping of five stars that form Delphinus, the Dolphin.

Drawing a line from t through w, you’ll end up at Lyra, the Lyre. This small constellation includes Vega, which along with Deneb and Altair form the Summer Triangle, a popular asterism which is very easy to spot.

Backtracking from Deneb through v and continuing on, you’ll find a small group of four stars which form Sagitta, the Arrow. And continuing on, you arrive at Aquila, the Eagle. The head of the Eagle contains Altair, the third point of the Summer Triangle.

So now, where before you could only see one constellation, you can see six and find due North. Have fun finding other constellations!

2003, Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site