THE PATTERNS

See if you can spot these four famous asterisms as they appear in the night sky throughout the astronomical calendar

THE PLOUGH AND THE ‘W’

The Plough and a ‘W’ shape formed by Cassiopeia’s brightest stars appear to circle around Polaris, the North Star, every night. Use pointer stars Merak and Dubhe at the Plough’s front to find Polaris, then continue to Cassiopeia. If the skies are dark enough, you may be able to make out the rest of Ursa Minor’s dim stars.

SPRING TRIANGLE

The underappreciated Spring Triangle makes its way into the night sky in February, and by April it’s high enough to be a beautiful sight. Though the Triangle is broader than its summer cousin (see below), its corner stars Regulus (in Leo), Arcturus (in Boötes) and Spica (in Virgo) make this Triangle more understated.

SUMMER TRIANGLE

The Summer Triangle of Deneb (brightest star in Cygnus, the Swan), Vega (in Lyra, the Harp) and Altair (in Aquila, the Eagle) appears late in spring. Imagine the two birds soaring overhead after a long summer sunset. Despite the name, the Summer Triangle can still be seen in January.

THE TEAPOT

Sagittarius rides low in the southern sky all summer. Its brightest stars form a famous asterism that looks like a Teapot. If your skies cooperate, you may see what looks like a puff of steam billowing from the Teapot’s spout. That’s the central part of the Milky Way; the light of countless far-off stars and dust blurred together.