412] 



Recognizing the Stars 



USE THIS STAR MAP TO FIND THE CONSTELLATIONS 

 IN THE NORTHERN SKY, AT ANY TIME OF YEAR 



Inside the circle, you see the star groups around Polaris. You can always find them 

 on any clear night in the year, for they never go below the horizon. If you'd like 

 to locate some of these northern star groups tonight, here is what you do: 



Find the name of the present month on the circle, and turn the book so that this 

 name comes at the top. Then look on the map for the Big Dipper (Ursa Major). 



If the month on top of the circle is February, you will find the bowl of the 

 Dipper at the right of the polestar. If May is on top, the bowl will be high above 

 the pole. If it is August, the bowl will be at the left; and in November the Dipper 

 will be directly below the polestar. The sky turns a quarter way round every three 

 months; one-twelfth of the circle each month. 



This map shows the positions of the Dipper (and the other star groups) at about 

 eight o'clock in the evening. If you look for them two hours later, you will find them 

 advanced (in a counterclockwise direction) another twelfth of the way round the 

 circle. Each twelfth is two hours; each twenty-fourth is one hour. 



