One of my favorite objects in the night sky is Orion, but here in the northern hemisphere, it’s primarily a winter constellation. I have definitely spent a few chilly nights at a telescope checking out all the wonders of Orion. 

After all, Orion has a recognizable pattern of stars, from the bright shoulders of Betelguese (explode, please) and Bellatrix to the distinct three stars of Orion’s belt, made up of Mintaka, Alnilam, and Alnitak. Down at Orion’s foot is Rigel, another bright, easy-to-find star which is a blue supergiant. And within Orion is the Orion Nebula or Messier 42. This object is a star-forming region that has inspired many an astrophotographer to set up their gear and image the night away. You can make it out with the unaided eye as a dark blur on the night sky. 

Also found in Orion is the famous Horsehead Nebula, IC 434, another favorite of observers. This will require at least a small telescope, as will several other smaller nebulae and stars. If you want to see Barnard’s Loop or the Flame Nebula, you’ll need a larger telescope. But, more to the point, Orion has been missing from our night sky but is starting to rise late at night in the east. He’s reclined on his side, and as the summer progresses, he’ll be up earlier and earlier in the night. And what a welcome sight he is.

However, it’s still summer, so if you keep looking overhead, you can still find the Summer Triangle, which Pamela has talked about in previous episodes. Once again, the three bright stars that make up this asterism are Vega, Deneb, and Altair. But it’s a fun challenge to try to pick out a fourth star and create a sort of flattened quadrilateral. This star is Rasalhague, the head of Ophiuchus, another of my favorite constellations. It’s only a 2nd magnitude star, and the trick to finding it is to go about three fist-lengths to the right of Vega and then three fist-lengths up from Altair. We’ll have links to star charts in our show notes so that you can go outside and find this star on your own. Enjoy!

More Information

Orion The Hunter Returns Late July Or Early August (EarthSky)

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, July 23 – 31 (Sky & Telescope)

Orion – Constellation Guide (freecharts.com)

Is Ophiuchus A Constellation Or A Sign? (EarthSky)