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As you gaze skyward on a pleasant summer’s evening, you quickly are drawn to two particular stars. High in the south lies Arcturus, our sky’s brightest star, and nearly overhead shines Vega, a tad dimmer than Arcturus.
Between these two luminaries is a region which, at first, might seem to have little of interest. Look again, but more closely.
One-third between Arcturus and Vega is a star about as bright as those of the Big Dipper. Gemma is the brightest member of Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown. When viewed from a dark location, such as along the Blue Ridge Parkway or at a state park, a semi-circle of dimmer stars can be found centered on Gemma. This is the crown.
Move one-third more between Arcturus and Vega, and another feature can be spotted, one slightly fainter than the Northern Crown. The “Keystone of Hercules” comprises four stars arranged in the shape of a keystone. These stars need dark, moonless skies to be traced.
Now, once you’ve spied those two stellar configurations, move on to summer’s other, more well-known attractions such as the Summer Triangle and the softly glowing band of the Milky Way. Take your time and take in what the night sky holds for you.
The story above first appeared in our July / August 2024 issue.
