Tonight over Athens, 7 of the bright, easy-to-spot constellations climb high into a dark sky. Here's what's up, how high, and which way to face.
DARK-SKY WINDOW TONIGHT · ATHENS
Dark by10:01 PM
Until6:06 AM
High up now7
Never rise here9
Altitudes computed for Athens (38.0°, 23.7°) during tonight's dark hours.
High in the sky over Athens tonight
82° UPBoötesthe Herdsman
Looksouthern sky
Anchor starArcturus
How to know itA kite-shaped figure led by Arcturus, the brightest star of the northern spring sky.
53° UPLyrathe Lyre
Lookeastern sky
Anchor starVega
How to know itSmall but led by Vega, one of the brightest stars in the sky and a corner of the Summer Triangle.
49° UPUrsa Majorthe Great Bear / the Big Dipper
Looknorth-western sky
Anchor starAlioth
How to know itHome to the Big Dipper (the Plough), whose two end stars point to Polaris, the North Star.
39° UPCygnusthe Swan / the Northern Cross
Looknorth-eastern sky
Anchor starDeneb
How to know itA great cross of stars flying down the summer Milky Way, with brilliant Deneb at its tail.
32° UPLeothe Lion
Lookwestern sky
Anchor starRegulus
How to know itA backwards question-mark (the "Sickle") forms the Lion’s head, anchored by bright Regulus.
25° UPAquilathe Eagle
Lookeastern sky
Anchor starAltair
How to know itBright Altair completes the Summer Triangle with Vega and Deneb, straddling the celestial equator.
21° UPScorpiusthe Scorpion
Looksouthern sky
Anchor starAntares
How to know itA genuinely scorpion-shaped curve of stars led by red Antares, riding low across the southern summer sky.
“Up” is the highest the centre of each pattern gets above the horizon tonight — your fist at arm's length spans about 10°. Directions are where to face when it's best placed.
Low on the horizon from Athens
These clear the horizon but stay low, so trees and buildings may hide them: Cassiopeia (~14°, northern) · Sagittarius (~10°, south-eastern) · Centaurus (~0°, southern).
Out of reach from Athens
At Athens's latitude these never climb above the horizon, so you can't see them from here at any time of year: Pegasus, Gemini, Andromeda, Perseus, Crux, Taurus, Canis Major, Orion, Carina. To catch them, you'd need to travel toward the Southern Hemisphere.