Arc to Arcturus, the springtime star
At mid-northern latitudes, look for the brilliant star Arcturus to climb over your eastern horizon around 9 to 10 p.m. local time in late February. South of the equator, this northerly star rises considerably later in the evening. Click here to know when Arcturus rises into your sky.
Extend the natural arc of the Big Dipper handle to verify that you’ve found Arcturus. The Big Dipper can actually be seen from as far south as the tropical and subtropical regions of the Southern Hemisphere. However, the Big Dipper doesn’t reach its high point for the night in late February until an hour or two after the midnight hour.
In the Northern Hemisphere, Arcturus counts our faithful springtime star. At present, Arcturus rises about three hours after sunset at mid-northern latitudes. Yet this shining beauty of a star rises about 4 minutes earlier each day whereas the sun sets a bit later daily. All added up, that means Arcurus will be sparkling above the horizon at dusk/nightfall in late March to announce the return of spring to the Northern Hemisphere!
Use the Big Dipper to locate the yellow-orange star Arcturus before going to bed tonight!
Author
Bruce McClure
Bruce McClure is the chief writer for the popular EarthSky Tonight pages. Since joining EarthSky in 2004, he has written thousands of astronomy articles, enjoyed here by millions. He also writes, gives planetarium shows and hosts a wide assortment of public astronomy programs in and around his home in upstate New York. If you ask an astronomy question on our site, it’s likely to be Bruce that answers it. His love for the heavens has taken him to Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, and he has sailed the North Atlantic, earning his celestial navigation certificate through the School of Ocean Sailing and Navigation. Bruce is also a sundial aficionado. He says his number one passion – besides his wife Alice – is stargazing.
Article published on EarthSky.org
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