Fig. 377.
332. Boötes, Hercules, and the Northern Crown.—Arcturus, the principal star of Boötes, may be found by drawing a line from Zeta to Eta of the Dipper, and then prolonging it with a slight bend, as shown in Fig. 378. Arcturus and Polaris form a large isosceles triangle with a first-magnitude star called Vega. This triangle encloses at one corner the principal stars of Boötes, and the head of the Dragon near the opposite side. The side running from Arcturus to Vega passes through Corona Borealis, or the Northern Crown, and the body of Hercules, which is marked by a quadrilateral of four stars.
Fig. 378.
Boötes, who is often represented as a husbandman, Corona Borealis, and Hercules, are delineated in Fig. 379. These constellations are visible in the evening from May to September.
Fig. 379.
Fig. 380.
333. The Lyre, the Swan, the Eagle, and the Dolphin.—Altair, the principal star of Aquila, or the Eagle, lies on the opposite side of the Milky-Way from Vega. Altair is a first-magnitude star, and has a faint star on each side of it, as shown in Fig. 380. Vega, also of the first magnitude, is the principal star of Lyra, or the Lyre. Between these two stars, and a little farther to the north, are several stars arranged in the form of an immense cross. The bright star at the head of this cross is called Deneb. The cross lies in the Milky-Way, and contains the chief stars of the constellation Cygnus, or the Swan. A little to the north of Altair are four stars in the form of a diamond. This asterism is popularly known as Job's Coffin. These four stars are the chief stars of Delphinus, or the Dolphin. These four constellations are shown together in Fig. 381. The Swan is visible from June to December, in the evening.