Named star patterns beyond the official constellations.
30 asterisms + finder maps
An asterism is a familiar star pattern, such as a dipper, diamond, hook, crown, or seasonal guidepost. Open any entry for a finder map, observing notes, and a suggested field of view for roughly 50°N.
Plan your observing Tonight planner (PDF) Seasonal guide (PDF)
Winter: Orion, Taurus, Auriga, Gemini.
Spring: Leo, Boötes, Virgo, Coma, the Dippers.
Summer: Lyra, Cygnus, Aquila, Hercules, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Delphinus.
Autumn: Pegasus, Cassiopeia, Perseus, Aquarius, Pisces, Cetus.
Year-round: Circumpolar northern patterns stay above your horizon.
common observer pattern · high confidence
The famous ladle is the brightest northern guide-pattern: use Merak-to-Dubhe to hop to Polaris, then follow the bent handle to Arcturus. At 50°N it is circumpolar but rides highest on spring evenings.
Span: 25.7° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 25.7°; use at least 36.0° field for context.
Brightest: V 1.77 · Sample: Alioth, Dubhe, Alkaid, Mizar
skylore / traditional name · medium confidence
A fainter dipper wrapped around the north celestial pole. Polaris and Kochab are easy; the middle stars are a useful naked-eye transparency test from Alberta suburbs.
Span: 18.9° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 18.9°; use at least 26.4° field for context.
Brightest: V 2.02 · Sample: Polaris, Kochab, Pherkad, 22Eps UMi
common observer pattern · high confidence
Vega, Deneb, and Altair frame the Milky Way's summer river. The triangle is huge, high, and forgiving: start with Vega overhead, then sweep east to Deneb and south to Altair.
Span: 38.0° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 38.0°; use at least 53.2° field for context.
Brightest: V 0.03 · Sample: Vega, Altair, Deneb
common observer pattern · high confidence
The long axis of Cygnus turns into a cross flying down the Milky Way. Binoculars enrich the field around Sadr, but the cross itself is cleanly naked-eye.
Span: 22.3° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 22.3°; use at least 31.2° field for context.
Brightest: V 1.25 · Sample: Deneb, Sadr, Gienah, Delta Cygni
common observer pattern · high confidence
Four second-magnitude corner stars make autumn's large empty-looking square. The northeast corner, Alpheratz, now belongs to Andromeda even though the pattern is still the Great Square.
Span: 20.6° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 20.6°; use at least 28.9° field for context.
Brightest: V 2.06 · Sample: Alpheratz, 53Bet Peg, 54Alp Peg, Algenib
common observer pattern · high confidence
Betelgeuse, Sirius, and Procyon make a compact winter landmark. From 50°N it clears the southeast in early evening by midwinter and is brilliant even through light haze.
Span: 27.1° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 27.1°; use at least 37.9° field for context.
Brightest: V -1.46 · Sample: Sirius, Procyon, Betelgeuse
common observer pattern · high confidence
A tour of the brightest winter sky: Capella, Aldebaran, Rigel, Sirius, Procyon, Pollux, and Castor. It is too large for one binocular field, so use it as an evening route-map.
Span: 65.8° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 65.8°; use at least 92.2° field for context.
Brightest: V -1.46 · Sample: Sirius, Capella, Rigel, Procyon
skylore / traditional name · medium confidence
Mintaka, Alnilam, and Alnitak form the straight belt that makes Orion unmistakable. The line points down toward Sirius and up toward Aldebaran.
Span: 2.7° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 2.7°; use at least 3.8° field for context.
Brightest: V 1.70 · Sample: Alnilam, Alnitak, Mintaka
common observer pattern · high confidence
The short hanging sword below the belt contains the Orion Nebula around Theta Orionis. Naked-eye it is a misty patch; 7x50 binoculars show the glow, and a small scope starts resolving the Trapezium area.
Span: 1.1° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 1.1°; use at least 3.0° field for context.
Brightest: V 2.77 · Sample: 44Iot Ori, 42 Ori, 43The2Ori, 41The1Ori
catalogue / cluster listing · high confidence
The nearest prominent open-cluster pattern forms a broad V around Aldebaran, which is a foreground star projected onto the group. It overflows binoculars but rewards slow sweeping.
Span: 4.1° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 4.1°; use at least 5.8° field for context.
Brightest: V 0.85 · Sample: Aldebaran, Theta2 Tauri, Ain, Hyadum I
catalogue / cluster listing · high confidence
The tiny blue dipper of the Pleiades is the classic binocular showpiece. Most observers see six or seven stars naked-eye; 7x50s turn it into a bright granular swarm.
Span: 1.0° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 59′; use at least 3.0° field for context.
Brightest: V 2.87 · Sample: Alcyone, Atlas, Electra, Maia
skylore / traditional name · medium confidence
The three small stars near Capella are the goat-kids carried by the Charioteer. They sit high in Alberta winter skies and make a compact naked-eye side quest beside Capella.
Span: 2.7° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 2.7°; use at least 3.8° field for context.
Brightest: V 2.99 · Sample: Almaaz, Haedus II, Saclateni
common observer pattern · high confidence
A backward question mark above Regulus sketches the lion's head and mane. It is one of the easiest ways to find Leo before the spring galaxy fields rise.
Span: 14.5° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 14.5°; use at least 20.3° field for context.
Brightest: V 1.35 · Sample: Regulus, Algieba, 17Eps Leo, 36Zet Leo
catalogue / cluster listing · high confidence
Melotte 111 is a loose naked-eye haze under dark skies and a perfect binocular cluster. Its sparse arc of fourth- and fifth-magnitude stars fits the spring transition from Leo toward Boötes.
Span: 11.2° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 11.2°; use at least 15.7° field for context.
Brightest: V 4.26 · Sample: 43Bet Com, 15Gam Com, 41 Com, 12 Com
common observer pattern · high confidence
The lopsided four-star keystone anchors Hercules and points the way to M13 on the western edge. From 50°N it is a high summer pattern, best when the Milky Way is climbing.
Span: 8.8° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 8.8°; use at least 12.3° field for context.
Brightest: V 2.81 · Sample: 40Zet Her, 67Pi Her, 44Eta Her, 58Eps Her
skylore / traditional name · medium confidence
Delphinus's compact diamond and tail has long been nicknamed Job's Coffin. It is small, neat, and easy to hold in a single binocular field east of Altair.
Span: 5.8° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 5.8°; use at least 8.2° field for context.
Brightest: V 3.63 · Sample: Rotanev, Sualocin, Epsilon Delphini, Gamma2 Delphini
skylore / traditional name · medium confidence
A delicate semicircle between Boötes and Hercules, centred on bright Alphecca. It is a simple naked-eye crown on late-spring evenings and a good bridge toward the summer sky.
Span: 7.4° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 7.4°; use at least 10.3° field for context.
Brightest: V 2.23 · Sample: Alphecca, 3Bet CrB, 8Gam CrB, 4The CrB
common observer pattern · high confidence
Sagittarius becomes a squat teapot pouring steam into the Milky Way. From Alberta it stays low, so choose a clear southern horizon and transparent summer night.
Span: 14.1° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 14.1°; use at least 19.7° field for context.
Brightest: V 1.85 · Sample: Kaus Australis, Nunki, Ascella, Kaus Media
common observer pattern · high confidence
The northern claws and red Antares curve into the scorpion's long low hook. At 50°N only the upper hook is comfortable; the tail needs a flat southern horizon.
Span: 28.6° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 28.6°; use at least 40.1° field for context.
Brightest: V 0.96 · Sample: Antares, 35Lam Sco, The Sco, 26Eps Sco
common observer pattern · high confidence
A small Y-shaped jar near the celestial equator marks the water-bearer's stream. It is subtle but satisfying once the bright summer stars have moved west.
Span: 9.4° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 9.4°; use at least 13.2° field for context.
Brightest: V 3.84 · Sample: 48Gam Aqr, Eta Aquarii, 43The Aqr, Zeta2 Aquarii
common observer pattern · high confidence
This modest oval of fourth- and fifth-magnitude stars is the western fish of Pisces. It is a dark-sky naked-eye pattern and a useful autumn test of sky contrast.
Span: 11.1° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 11.1°; use at least 15.5° field for context.
Brightest: V 3.69 · Sample: 6Gam Psc, 28Ome Psc, 17Iot Psc, 10The Psc
modern informal / binocular asterism · high confidence
Brocchi's Cluster is the binocular asterism that really looks like its name: a straight bar with a dangling hook. It is easy to sweep up between Altair and Albireo.
Span: 11.4° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 11.4°; use at least 15.9° field for context.
Brightest: V 4.58 · Sample: 13 Vul, 15 Vul, 12 Vul, 9 Vul
common observer pattern · high confidence
Arcturus, Cor Caroli, Denebola, and Spica make a huge spring diamond spanning several constellations. It frames the Coma-Virgo galaxy region for binocular and telescope planning.
Span: 49.9° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 49.9°; use at least 69.9° field for context.
Brightest: V -0.04 · Sample: Arcturus, Spica, Denebola, Cor Caroli
common observer pattern · high confidence
The False Cross stays below the horizon from Alberta. From southern latitudes, its four stars in Vela and Carina can be mistaken for Crux, the Southern Cross, leading observers toward the wrong south-pole direction.
Span: 9.2° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 9.2°; use at least 12.9° field for context.
Brightest: V 1.86 · Sample: Eps Car, Del Vel, Iot Car, Kap Vel
common observer pattern · high confidence
Draco's head is a small tilted lozenge north of Hercules, with the Nu Draconis pair on one corner. It is circumpolar from 50°N and best placed on summer evenings.
Span: 5.7° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 5.7°; use at least 7.9° field for context.
Brightest: V 2.23 · Sample: Eltanin, Rastaban, 32Xi Dra, 25Nu 2Dra
common observer pattern · high confidence
Vega dominates Lyra, but the little parallelogram below it holds the Ring Nebula between Beta and Gamma. Naked-eye it is compact; a small scope gives the famous payoff.
Span: 7.6° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 7.6°; use at least 10.6° field for context.
Brightest: V 0.03 · Sample: Vega, 14Gam Lyr, 10Bet Lyr, 12Del2Lyr
skylore / traditional name · medium confidence
Sagitta is one of the few constellations whose main figure is also an obvious asterism: a tiny arrow in the Milky Way. It sits neatly between Altair and Albireo.
Span: 4.7° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 4.7°; use at least 6.5° field for context.
Brightest: V 3.47 · Sample: 12Gam Sge, 7Del Sge, 5Alp Sge, 6Bet Sge
common observer pattern · high confidence
The zig-zag W is circumpolar from Alberta and flips to an M when it passes over the pole. It is the northern autumn counterweight to the Big Dipper.
Span: 13.3° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 13.3°; use at least 18.6° field for context.
Brightest: V 2.23 · Sample: Schedar, Caph, γ Cas, Ruchbah
catalogue / cluster listing · high confidence
The bright association around Mirfak fills a broad binocular field. Sweep it after Cassiopeia rises: the stars look like a loose river through Perseus.
Span: 18.8° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 18.8°; use at least 26.3° field for context.
Brightest: V 1.79 · Sample: Mirfak, 44Zet Per, 45Eps Per, 39Del Per
skylore / traditional name · medium confidence
Menkar and nearby third- and fourth-magnitude stars form the whale's head below Pisces and Aries. It is best on quiet autumn nights when the eastern sky is relatively dim.
Span: 13.1° · Frame: Approximate member-star span: 13.1°; use at least 18.4° field for context.
Brightest: V 2.53 · Sample: Menkar, 86Gam Cet, 87Mu Cet, 73Xi 2Cet
Set your latitude, longitude, date, and sky darkness to rank patterns for the evening. The planner shows a useful observing window, altitude, sky visibility, and Moon conditions.
Open the observing planner Print the 50°N planner card (PDF)