Tonight and for the next few nights – March 5, 6 and 7, 2017 – the moon resides inside the Winter Circle. It’s a large star configuration made of seven brilliant stars. We in the Northern Hemisphere will see the Winter Circle fill up much of our southern sky at nightfall. Elsewhere in the world – even in places where it’s not winter – the moon will also be in the midst of these stars. As seen from temperate latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, the Winter Circle will appear upside-down relative to our northern view, with the star Sirius at top and the star Capella at bottom.
As evening deepens, as seen from around the globe, the bright stars we in the Northern Hemisphere know as the Winter Circle will swing westward across the sky at the rate of about 15o per hour.
The Winter Circle – sometimes called the Winter Hexagon – is not one of the 88 recognized constellations. Rather, it’s an asterism – a pattern of stars that’s fairly easy to recognize.
Our sky charts can’t adequately convey the Winter Circle’s humongous size! It dwarfs the constellation Orion the Hunter, which is a rather large constellation, occupying the southwestern part of the Winter Circle pattern.
The Winter Circle in blue and the Winter Triangle in red. They’ll be out in the evening sky for several months to come. Image via Wikimedia Commons
Here’s how to locate the Winter Circle from mid-northern latitudes. At dusk or nightfall, look high up for the bright star Capella. This star marks the top (or more properly, the northern terminus) of the Winter Circle.
As darkness falls, look for the constellation Orion the Hunter to prowl in the southern sky. Draw a line downward through Orion’s Belt to find Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. This star marks the bottom (the southern tip) of the Winter Circle.
We include this sky chart to help you connect the Winter Circle stars.
By the way, the moon is now showing you where the sun resides (more or less) in front of the backdrop stars in the month of June. So enjoy the Winter Circle. And contemplate the sun being in this part of the sky when summer returns to the Northern Hemisphere!
Bottom line: On March 5, 2017, the moon resides inside the Winter Circle – a large star configuration made of seven brilliant stars.
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