Zenith
Aquila
Delphinus
Vulpecula
Hercules
Lyra
Albireo
Corona
Borealis
Sagia
Scutum
Serpens
Ophiuchus
Sagiarius
Cygnus
Scorpio
Serpens
Vega
Deneb
Capricorn
Draco
South
The night sky in
summertime
YOU WILL NEED
› Star chart
› Red-light flashlight
› Warm jacket
HERE’S HOW:
1. In the summertime it won’t get dark until
late, so you will have to stay up later to
watch the stars. Up high in the sky near the
zenith, you will see a bright star. That is Vega,
the principal star in the constellation of Lyra.
2. A little to the left next to Vega, you will see
another bright star — Deneb, the principal
star in the Cygnus constellation. It will also
be up high in the sky.
3. The constellation of Cygnus looks a little like
a giant cross, so it is sometimes also called
the “Northern Cross.” If it’s really dark, you
will be able to see that Cygnus is right in the
middle of the Milky Way.
TIP!
The Milky Way is easiest to s
ee in late
summer or early autumn. It g
ets dark
earlier then, and it’s easier t
o see its
gently glowing white strip r
unning
across the sky’s zenith. Wait
until just
before or just after a new m
oon, so its
light doesn’t interfere with y
our viewing.
TIP!
If you cannot make out the M
ilky Way in the
night sky, take another look a
t your star chart.
Can you find Cygnus, the sw
an? It will be
gliding along the Milky Way
.
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