The Constellation Bootes, the Herdsman
Click on image for full size
Bootes
Bootes, the herdsman, rides through the sky during the late Spring and
early Summer. Bootes is fun to look at because it has the shape of a
kite, with the bright star
Arcturus
at the point of the kite where the tail is attached.
Arcturus is the brightest
star in Bootes, and the fourth brightest star in the whole sky.
It is a very large ("supergiant"!) star, with a bright orange-red
color.
Bootes was identified with
a farmer who plows the land during spring. The Romans believed that
Bootes was the herdsman of the seven oxen represented by the seven
stars of the Big Dipper.
Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!
The
Fall 2009 issue of The Earth Scientist, which includes articles on student research into building design for earthquakes and a classroom lab on the composition of the Earth’s ancient atmosphere, is available in our
online store.
You might also be interested in:
How did life evolve on Earth? The answer to this question can help us understand our past and prepare for our future. Although evolution provides credible and reliable answers, polls show that many people turn away from science, seeking other explanations with which they are more comfortable.
...more
What's in a Name: Greek for "Bearkeeper". The bear is the constellation Ursa Major (the Great Bear). Claim to Fame: 4th brightest star in the sky. The reddish light of Arcturus striking a photoelectric
...more
Ursa Major is a very famous constellation. It is also called the Great Bear. Ursa Minor is the Little Bear. The body and tail of the Big Bear make up the Big Dipper. There are a lot of myths about this
...more
Callisto was a river goddess. Callisto was the favorite companion of the moon goddess Diana. She used to accompany Diana on the hunt. One day the god Jupiter saw the beautiful Callisto and fell in love
...more
Bootes, the herdsman, rides through the sky during the late Spring and early Summer. Bootes is fun to look at because it has the shape of a kite, with the bright star Arcturus at the point of the kite
...more
Hydra, the sea serpent, may be the longest and largest of all constellations, but its stars are very faint. It is so long that four constellations run along its northern side. These are Cancer, Leo, Virgo
...more
Leo, the lion, is easy to find because his head looks like a backward question mark with the bright star Regulus at the bottom. Regulus, Leo's brightest star, means "little king" in Latin. This star is
...more
What's in a Name: Star designated 40 in the constellation Eridanus. Claim to Fame: One of the first white dwarfs found. A white dwarf is the exposed extremely hot core of a star that has blown off its
...more
