Boötes the herdsman rises to prominence in the northern sky | Astronomy

Several weeks after the equinox, the northern spring constellation of Boötes, the Shepherd, gains prominence in the eastern sky after dusk.

The chart shows the view eastwards from London at 9:00 p.m. BST on April 6, although the view is essentially unchanged all week. At that time, darkness will be complete and the brightest star in the constellation, Arcturus, will shine brightly.

The easiest way to find the constellation is to start with the familiar shape of the plow and follow the curve of its handle downward in an arc until you come to the orange glow of Arcturus, the fourth brightest star in the night sky.

Boötes is one of the original 48 constellations defined by Ptolemy in the 2nd century. However, its origins date back thousands of years to ancient Babylon, where the constellation was associated with the god Enlil, who is said to have separated the sky from the Earth and made the world habitable.

In Greek tradition, Boötes is most often identified as a shepherd or plowman. Many mythical tales are associated with him; it functions as a kind of protector of rural life in almost all countries.

At this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere, Boötes rises at dusk and becomes well placed for late evening viewing.

From the southern hemisphere, Bootes appears low in the northern sky.