Draco, the Dragon is not as well known as its neighbors – the Big and Little Dippers, or Big and Little Bears – but it is a beautiful pattern to find in the sky. Look between the two Dippers to see a thin line of faint stars that hooks half-way around the Little Dipper, then curves the other way, topped off with a diamond-shaped head.
Friday:
Though named for a famous hero, the constellation Hercules is a challenge. A clear evening this month will find its “keystone” or “bow-tie” shape directly between the bright star Vega, two thirds of the way up in the sky in the east near midnight, and brilliant orange-white Arcturus, high in the southwestern sky.
Saturday:
New on the scene this month is an old favorite, the Summer Triangle. Near 10 o’clock, the brightest star of this trio, Vega, is in the east, about two thirds of the way up from the horizon. Deneb is much lower and in the northeast, to Vega’s left. The third member is rising in the east, known as Altair. They will grace the evening skies through the rest of the year.