Around 9:30 p.m. Thursday, June 9, enjoy the 5-day-old moon in the west. The moon sits in the front part of Leo the Lion six degrees west (to the right) of the bright star Regulus.
Fifteen degrees east (left) of Regulus is Jupiter, below the rump of Leo. Toward the south is Spica, the brightest star in Virgo the Virgin.
In the southeast is Scorpius the Scorpion with Mars to the west (right) of the Scorpion’s pincers and Saturn to the east (left) of the bright star Antares at the heart of the Scorpion.
Almost directly south and 76 degrees above the southern horizon is Arcturus in Bootes the Herdsman. The handle of the Big Dipper points to Arcturus which is easy to find as it is the fourth brightest star in the sky.
The moon dims the sky a bit, but now is a good time to further investigate Bootes, besides enjoying Arcturus. Bootes is presently overhead around 9:30 p.m. and resembles a slightly squished pentagon of stars joined on its southern edge by bright orange Arcturus. Flanking Arcturus on its eastern and western sides are bright stars to complete the constellation.
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Just to the east (left) of Bootes is Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown. Corona Borealis consists of six relatively bright stars forming a wide cup or “U.” The open portion of the “U” faces north, and the entire constellation is about as wide as your fist as viewed if you extend your arm toward the sky.
