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Boötes (The Herdsman)
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Constellations Visible in Canadian Skies
Select a constellation from the list below to learn more:
Aquarius
Aquila
Aries
Auriga
Boötes
Cancer
Canis Major
Canis Minor
Capricornus
Cassiopeia
Cygnus
Gemini
Hercules
Hydra
Libra
Leo
Lyra
Orion
Perseus
Pisces
Sagittarius
Scorpius
Taurus
Ursa Minor and Ursa Major
Virgo
Legend
Many different stories exist about the identity of Boötes. One story is that he was Icarius, a Greek shepherd who was taught by the god Dionysus how to make wine. Icarius wanted to share this wonderful discovery, so he gave the other shepherds some wine to taste. He warned them to mix the wine with water, but the shepherds didn't listen and were very sick the next day. Thinking they had been poisoned, they killed Icarius. When Dionysus heard what had happened, he raised Icarius to the sky to become the constellation Boötes.
The brightest star in Boötes is called Arcturus. You can find this star by following the arc of the tail of Ursa Major. A helpful saying to remember is "Arc to Arcturus."
