The Spectacular Winter Circle

Winter brings out the best in the night sky. Some of the finest stars in our galaxy are concentrated in a region of the sky that shines with an intensity that you just can't miss on a clear night. A collection of extremely bright stars form a nice shape that is fun to look for, the Winter Circle. This asterism features 5 of the 8 brightest stars in the entire night sky, and in total 7 very bright stars that glow in the south on long winter nights.

The Winter Circle

Given that all of the stars in the Winter Circle are bright, this is a relatively easy target for city dwellers who might not normally pay attention to the night sky. The stars are part of six different constellations covering a fairly significant part of the winter sky. January evenings feature the Winter Circle moving gradually from east to west across the southern horizon. Given the span of this asterism from the lowest point at the star Sirius (see diagram) to the highest point at the star Capella, you will need a fairly clear view across the southern sky. For me, it's easy to spot one or two constellations wherever I am, but seeing all six constellations and all 7 of the bright stars in the circle requires that I have a good horizon and not much else blocking the way.

Most people can quickly and easily find the constellation Orion, and from there you can start your trip around the circle. Rigel is a blue supergiant star that is one of the kneecaps of the hunter Orion, and it is one of my favorite stars because of the intensity and color. Orion's 'belt' can help you find two other members of the circle, by following the belt up toward Aldeberan and down toward Sirius. The other stars are then easy to find looking up and left of Orion toward Gemini, Auriga and Procyon.

Finding a wide open space on a clear winter night where the grandeur of the Winter Circle is on full display is one of my favorite things. The stars are rich and intense, and the utter size of the circle make the viewing of this amazing pattern worth the effort. Dress warm and savor the moment. You will be glad you made the effort.

Image courtesy of SkySafari.

Update: good article from Sky & Telescope on the Winter Circle. They call it the Winter Hexagon.