Let's Find Orion, a Winter Constellation

Orion (oh-Rye-un) is a very bright and easy to recognize winter constellation. Known in mythology as "the hunter," Orion dominates the winter sky. Take a look at the graphic of Orion and you will see that it is easy to imagine that Orion represents the figure of a man, especially compared to other constellations that seem to have no likeness at all to the figures they are said to represent. Remember the throne of Cassiopeia, which looks more like the letter "W" or "M"?

The three stars that make up Orion's belt line up on a slant in a unique way. There is no other constellation or grouping of stars that resembles the belt. Once you spot it, you will never have any trouble finding Orion again. And, unlike Cassiopeia, Orion is very large and very bright.

Orion's Interesting Features

Orion has some interesting features to see. For instance, Orion contains two of the brighter stars in the night sky and they are different colors. You can compare them without the aid of binoculars or a telescope. Look at Orion's right shoulder (your left as you face the chart) and you will see the red star Betelgeuse (BET-el-jews). Then look at his left knee (to your right), which is diagonally across from his shoulder in the quadrangle below his belt. There you will find the blue/white star Rigel (RYE-jel).

Another very interesting feature found in Orion is located on the "sword" that hangs from his belt. Look carefully at the three small stars that appear to be hanging from the belt and you will see a fuzzy patch. That is the Great Orion Nebula or M42. A nebula is a gaseous cloud. This particular nebula is a nursery. Just imagine - as you gaze at this fuzzy patch, stars are being formed and being born! Although this fuzzy patch isn't as pretty as the Hubble Space Telescope photo of M42 shown at the left, it is a good challenge for your observing skills.

Locate Orion in your Sky

Don't forget to allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness for about 15 minutes so that your vision will be at its very best.

Face southeast after dark, about 7:00 PM, to see Orion above the horizon. If you hunt for "the hunter" later in the evening, keep in mind that he will be higher in the sky and more to the south. Since Orion is a winter constellation, you will have plenty of opportunities to find him. During the next few months, he will appear to drift to the south and then on westward until he sinks below the western horizon. By the end of February, you will have to face south to find him at 7:00 PM. January and February are the best months to observe Orion since the lengthening daylight hours of March rob the darkness from the early evening sky!

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