Arcturus is the second brightest star in the sky, and is almost straight over head as twilight deepens. It has been historically a very important navigation star. Fremont mentions it dozens of times in his reports.

In Chinese mythology, it is the tip of the horn of a giant dragon which rules the sky. The constellation it resides in is Boötes, which looks something like an ice cream cone, or perhaps a kite.

To find Arcturus, first find the big dipper. Then “arc to Arcturus” by following an imaginary extension of the curved handle of the dipper, as in the diagram.

 

 

[star use=’today’ star_name=’arcturus’ header=’date’]