ARCTURUS - is the brightest star in the constellation Bootes, and the third
brightest star in the night sky, with a visual magnitude of −0.05, after Sirius and Canopus, it is fainter than the combined light of the two main components of Alpha Centauri, which are too close together for the eye to resolve as separate sources of light, making Arcturus appear to be the fourth brightest. It is the second brightest star visible from northern latitudes and the brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere.
An easy way to find Arcturus is to follow the arc of the handle of the Big Dipper. By continuing in this path, one can find Spica as well, leading to the coinage of the popular, "Arc to Arcturus, then speed on to Spica."
brightest star in the night sky, with a visual magnitude of −0.05, after Sirius and Canopus, it is fainter than the combined light of the two main components of Alpha Centauri, which are too close together for the eye to resolve as separate sources of light, making Arcturus appear to be the fourth brightest. It is the second brightest star visible from northern latitudes and the brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere.
An easy way to find Arcturus is to follow the arc of the handle of the Big Dipper. By continuing in this path, one can find Spica as well, leading to the coinage of the popular, "Arc to Arcturus, then speed on to Spica."
