STAR MAPS
to an observer in London, Cologne or Calgary. A minor
allowance must be made for atmospheric refraction.
Similarly, to an observer at latitude 51 degrees north, a
star with a declination south of 39 degrees will never
rise. Canopus lies at declination 52 degrees 42 minutes;
therefore it is invisible from London, but can be seen from
any latitude south of 37 degrees 20 minutes north, again
neglecting the effects of refraction.
The charts given here show the northern (right) and the
southern (left) aspects of the sky from the viewpoint of an
observer in northern latitudes. They are self-explanatory;
the descriptions given below apply in each case to the late
evening, but more accurate calculations can be made by
consulting the notes at the side of each chart.Chart 1.In winter, the southern aspect is dominated by Orion
and its retinue. Capella is almost at the zenith or overhead
point, and Sirius is at its best. Observers in Britain can see part
of Puppis, but Canopus is too far south to be seen from any
part of Europe. The sickle of Leo is very prominent in the east;Ursa Major is to the north-east, while Vega is at its lowest
in the north. It is circumpolar from London but not from
New York, and is not on the first chart.
Chart 2.In spring, Orion is still above the horizon until past
midnight; Leo is high up, with Virgo to the east. Capella is
descending in the north-west, Vega is rising in the north-east;
these two stars are so nearly equal in apparent magnitude
(0.1 and 0.0) that, in general, whichever is the higher in the
sky will also seem the brighter. In the west, Aldebaran and
the Pleiades are still visible.
Charts 3–6. In early summer (Chart 3), Orion has set and,
to British observers, the southern aspect is relatively barren,
but observers in more southerly latitudes can see Centaurus
and its neighbours. During summer evenings (Chart 4), Vega
is at the zenith and Capella low in the north; Antares is at its
highest in the south. By early autumn (Chart 5), Aldebaran
and the cluster of the Pleiades have reappeared, and the
Square of Pegasus is conspicuous in the south, with
Fomalhaut well placed. And by early winter (Chart 6), Orion
is back in view, with Ursa Major lying low in the northern sky.SOUTH NORTHE W E
30 oN40 oN50 oN60 oN60 oN50 oN40 oN30 oNECLIPTICGEMINIAURIGA
PERSEUSLYNXURSA MINORMAJORURSALEO MINORCANES VENATICIBERENICESCOMALEOVIRGOOPHIUCHUSLUPUSSCORPIUSSAGITTARIUSSCUTUM
LIBRANORMACAMELOPARDALISLYRA DRACOHERCULESHERCULESBOREALISCORONASERPENSCAUDA SERPENSCAPUTBOÖTESBOÖTESCYGNUSLACERTA
CEPHEUSCASSIOPEIA
ANDROMEDA
TRIANGULUMPEGASUSDELPHINUSEQUULEUSSAGITTAVULPECULACYGNUSAQUILAARIESPISCESCANCERHYDRA
CENTAURUSCapellaPolarisAlgolDenebAltairVegaArcturusAntaresSpicaCastor
PolluxPEGASUSPISCESAQUARIUSCAPRICORNUSGRUSPISCIS AUSTRINUSMICROSCOPIUM
TELESCOPIUM
INDUSAUSTRALISCORONAARATAURUSPISCESCETUS
ERIDANUS
FORNAXSCULPTORPHOENIXORIONSOUTH NORTHE W E
30 oN40 oN50 oN60 oN60 oN50 oN40 oN30 oN
AldebaranMiraPleiadesECLIPTICECLIPTICGEMINIAURIGAPERSEUSLYNXURSA MINORURSA MAJORLEO MINORCANES VENATICI
COMABERENICESOPHIUCHUS
SAGITTARIUSSCUTUMCAMELOPARDALISDRACOLYRA
LYRAHERCULESSERPENSCAPUTSERPENSCAUDABOÖTESCYGNUSLACERTACEPHEUSCASSIOPEIA ANDROMEDA
TRIANGULUMPEGASUSANDROMEDALACERTADELPHINUSEQUULEUSSAGITTAVULPECULACYGNUSAQUILA
ARIESARIESCapellaPolaris AlgolDenebDenebAltairFomalhautVegaArcturus
Castor
PolluxAQUARIUSCAPRICORNUSGRUSAUSTRINUSPISCISMICROSCOPIUMINDUS
PAVO
AUSTRALISCORONABOREALISCORONAPISCIS AUSTRINUSGEMINIGEMINIAURIGA AURIGAPERSEUS PERSEUSURSA MINOR LYNXURSA MAJORMINORLEO
CANES VENATICI LEOCAMELOPARDALISLYRA DRACOHERCULESBOREALISCORONA
BOÖTESCYGNUSLACERTA
CEPHEUSCASSIOPEIAANDROMEDAANDROMEDA
TRIANGULUMPISCES PEGASUS PEGASUSARIESTAURUSCETUS
ERIDANUSCANIS MAJORMONOCEROSCANISMINOR CANCER MINORCANISDORADOCAELUM
COLUMBAFORNAXLEPUSORIONSOUTH NORTHE W E
30 oN40 oN50 oN60 oN60 oN50 oN40 oN30 oNCapellaPolarisAlgolDenebVegaCastor
PolluxProcyon Procyon
SiriusBetelgeuseAldebaranMiraRigelAchernarPleiadesECLIPTICECLIPTICDELPHINUS
EQUULEUS
SAGITTAVULPECULAAQUILA
AltairHOROLOGIUMSCULPTORPHOENIXFomalhautAQUARIUSGRUS CAPRICORNUSChart 6
Chart 5
Chart 4
Morning
1 April at 5.30
15 April at 4.30
30 April at 3.30Evening
1 July at 11.30
15 July at 10.30
30 July at 9.30Morning
15 June at 4.30
30 June at 3.30
15 July at 2.30Evening
1 September at 11.30
15 September at 10.30
30 September at 9.30Morning
15 August at 4.30
30 August at 3.30
15 September at 2.30Evening
1 November at 11.30
15 November at 10.30
30 November at 9.30F Atl of Univ Phil'03stp 3/4/03 5:44 pm Page 215