Boötes

The Herdsman

A spring constellation shaped like a kite or ice-cream cone, led by orange Arcturus, the brightest star in the northern sky.

Chart drawn as the sky looks when you face the constellation: north is up and east is to the left. Dot size shows brightness, and color hints at temperature. The connecting lines are one common stick figure; other traditions draw them differently.

Best season: Spring
Best months: April through August, high in the east to overhead on spring evenings
Visibility: Visible from everywhere in the United States
Abbreviation: Boo

How to find it

Follow the curve of the Big Dipper's handle away from the bowl. The arc leads to Arcturus, a bright orange star.
From Arcturus, a kite shape of stars stretches back toward the Dipper.

Brightest stars

Arcturus (orange giant, brightest star north of the celestial equator)
Izar (a colorful double star)
Muphrid

What to look for

Arcturus's orange color, easy to see even in a bright sky.
The kite shape, with Arcturus at its bottom.

Binocular and telescope targets

Izar: a colorful double star, orange and blue-white, in a small telescope

Using it to find other things

Arc to Arcturus, speed to Spica: the Big Dipper's handle leads to Arcturus, then Spica in Virgo.
Corona Borealis lies just east of the kite.

About this constellation

Boötes is simple to locate because of the famous arc: follow the handle of the Big Dipper and you reach Arcturus. It is the fourth-brightest star in the whole sky.

The Quadrantid meteor shower, one of the strongest of the year, appears to come from near Boötes in early January.

Related guides

Visibility depends on your latitude, the date, and the time of night. The months above assume a typical evening from the contiguous United States, so use a planetarium app to confirm what is up tonight. Never look at the Sun through binoculars or a telescope without a proper solar filter.

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