The Summer Triangle consists of 3 bright stars in 3 separate constellations: Vega, Deneb and Altair. Chart via EarthSky.
Summer Triangle: Watch before dawn
Before sunup on March mornings, look for the Summer Triangle. Although it’s not summer at our northern latitudes, the Summer Triangle’s three bright stars – Vega, Deneb and Altair – are visible now in the east before sunrise. They’re all 1st-magnitude stars and the brightest stars in their constellations. The three stars are: Vega in Lyra the Harp, Deneb in Cygnus the Swan and Altair in Aquila the Eagle.
The Summer Triangle isn’t one of the officially recognized 88 constellations. Like the Big Dipper, it’s what’s called an asterism, a pattern of stars that’s easy to pick out.
For much of the Northern Hemisphere, the Summer Triangle stars are up for at least part of the night every night of the year. Are you in the Southern Hemisphere? You probably won’t see the entire Summer Triangle yet before sunup from your part of the world. The star Deneb will be challenging to find in the glare of sunrise at southern temperate latitudes.
To gauge the size of the Summer Triangle, hold a one-foot (30cm) ruler at arm’s length from your eye. The ruler (about 1/3 of a meter) pretty much fills the gap between Vega and Altair, the Summer Triangle’s 1st- and 2nd-brightest stars, respectively.
Under a dark sky and on a moonless night, the Great Rift passes right through the Summer Triangle. Also, in this image we can see the asterism of the Summer Triangle, a giant triangle in the sky composed of the three bright stars Vega (top left), Altair (lower middle) and Deneb (far left). Image via NASA/ A. Fujii/ ESA.
Prominent after sunset around the northern summer solstice
Like all the stars, the stars of the Summer Triangle rise four minutes earlier with each passing day. That also means, the stars rise two hours earlier with each passing month. Why is this happening? It’s happening because Earth is orbiting the sun, and our night sky is pointing outward toward an ever-changing panorama of stars.
Around May 1, the Summer Triangle will climb over the eastern horizon around local midnight (1 a.m. daylight saving time).
When middle to late June comes rolling along, you’ll see the Summer Triangle sparkling in the east at evening dusk. Watch for it around the time of the June solstice. It’s a sure sign of summer’s return to the Northern Hemisphere.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Steve Wilson captured this image on October 8, 2023, from Kansas and wrote: “Went out to a dark sky site south of Salina, Kansas to the Maxwell Wildlife Refuge to take this photo of the Milky Way and the Summer Triangle.” Thank you, Steve!
Bottom line: Watch for the three bright stars of the Summer Triangle – Vega, Deneb and Altair – before dawn in March, before midnight in May and at dusk near the June solstice.
The Summer Triangle consists of 3 bright stars in 3 separate constellations: Vega, Deneb and Altair. Chart via EarthSky.
Summer Triangle: Watch before dawn
Before sunup on March mornings, look for the Summer Triangle. Although it’s not summer at our northern latitudes, the Summer Triangle’s three bright stars – Vega, Deneb and Altair – are visible now in the east before sunrise. They’re all 1st-magnitude stars and the brightest stars in their constellations. The three stars are: Vega in Lyra the Harp, Deneb in Cygnus the Swan and Altair in Aquila the Eagle.
The Summer Triangle isn’t one of the officially recognized 88 constellations. Like the Big Dipper, it’s what’s called an asterism, a pattern of stars that’s easy to pick out.
For much of the Northern Hemisphere, the Summer Triangle stars are up for at least part of the night every night of the year. Are you in the Southern Hemisphere? You probably won’t see the entire Summer Triangle yet before sunup from your part of the world. The star Deneb will be challenging to find in the glare of sunrise at southern temperate latitudes.
To gauge the size of the Summer Triangle, hold a one-foot (30cm) ruler at arm’s length from your eye. The ruler (about 1/3 of a meter) pretty much fills the gap between Vega and Altair, the Summer Triangle’s 1st- and 2nd-brightest stars, respectively.
Under a dark sky and on a moonless night, the Great Rift passes right through the Summer Triangle. Also, in this image we can see the asterism of the Summer Triangle, a giant triangle in the sky composed of the three bright stars Vega (top left), Altair (lower middle) and Deneb (far left). Image via NASA/ A. Fujii/ ESA.
Prominent after sunset around the northern summer solstice
Like all the stars, the stars of the Summer Triangle rise four minutes earlier with each passing day. That also means, the stars rise two hours earlier with each passing month. Why is this happening? It’s happening because Earth is orbiting the sun, and our night sky is pointing outward toward an ever-changing panorama of stars.
Around May 1, the Summer Triangle will climb over the eastern horizon around local midnight (1 a.m. daylight saving time).
When middle to late June comes rolling along, you’ll see the Summer Triangle sparkling in the east at evening dusk. Watch for it around the time of the June solstice. It’s a sure sign of summer’s return to the Northern Hemisphere.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Steve Wilson captured this image on October 8, 2023, from Kansas and wrote: “Went out to a dark sky site south of Salina, Kansas to the Maxwell Wildlife Refuge to take this photo of the Milky Way and the Summer Triangle.” Thank you, Steve!
Bottom line: Watch for the three bright stars of the Summer Triangle – Vega, Deneb and Altair – before dawn in March, before midnight in May and at dusk near the June solstice.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Abdul Thomas captured this image through a telescope in Leeds on February 2, 2024, and said: “Mizar and Alcor, a double star system in the northern constellation of Ursa Major the Great Bear. These 2 stars are clearly visible with the unaided eye and located on the handle of The Plough (Big Dipper) asterism.” Thank you, Abdul!
Mizar and Alcor
Mizar and its fainter companion star Alcor make up one of the most famous double stars in the sky. These two stars are bound to one another by gravity. And they’re located in the famous Big Dipper, an asterism which is ascending in the northeast on February and March evenings. You can spot this pair easily, and it’s lots of fun to see them! Look at the middle star in the Dipper’s handle. You’ll spot Mizar first, because it’s brighter. Look closely, and you’ll see fainter Alcor right next to Mizar.
Historically, Mizar and Alcor are a test of eyesight. But even people with less-than-perfect eyesight can see the two stars, especially if they’re looking in a dark, clear sky. This pair of stars in the Big Dipper’s handle has the nickname of horse and rider. If you can’t see fainter Alcor with the unaided eye, use binoculars to see Mizar’s nearby companion.
On February and March evenings, the Big Dipper is ascending in the northeast. The famous star pair Mizar and Alcor is the 2nd star to the end of the Dipper’s handle. Look closely, and you’ll see the 2 points of light. Mizar is the brighter one, and Alcor is the fainter one.
Mizar alone is a quadruple star
Mizar is perhaps the Big Dipper’s most famous star, glorified in the annals of astronomy many times over. Apart from Alcor, Mizar by itself is a double star. In fact, it was the first double star known. An Italian astronomer brought it to the attention of Galileo in 1617. A third Italian astronomer, Giovanni Battista Riccioli, wrote about Mizar as a double star.
Few, if any, astronomers back then even dreamed that double stars were anything other than chance alignments of physically unrelated stars. Yet, in 1889, a spectroscope revealed that the brighter component of Mizar’s two stars consisted of two stars itself. This made Mizar the first binary star ever discovered by spectroscopic means.
Later, Mizar’s dimmer telescopic component also showed itself to be a spectroscopic binary, meaning that Mizar consists of two sets of binaries, making it a quadruple star.
Mizar and Alcor. Mizar is the brighter of the two. Image via Fred Espenak/ AstroPixels.com. Used with permission.
And Alcor is double
As for Alcor, scientists long believed that Mizar and Alcor were not gravitationally bound and did not form a true binary star system. Not until 2009 did our knowledge expand. Two groups of astronomers independently reported that Alcor is itself a binary, consisting of Alcor A and Alcor B. Astronomers now believe that the Alcor binary system is gravitationally bound to the Mizar quadruple system. That makes this “double” star six stars in all, but we can only see two with the unaided eye.
Mizar and Alcor have proven to not only be a test of human eyesight, but a test of the limits of our technological vision as well.
Located in the handle of the Big Dipper, Mizar (brighter at right center) and Alcor (fainter and centered) make up one of the most famous visual double stars in the sky. Image via ESO/ Online Digitized Sky Survey.
Bottom line: Famous star pair Mizar and Alcor is easy to find in the handle of the Big Dipper. Mizar is really four stars, and Alcor is two stars. So what we see as two stars are really six in one!
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Abdul Thomas captured this image through a telescope in Leeds on February 2, 2024, and said: “Mizar and Alcor, a double star system in the northern constellation of Ursa Major the Great Bear. These 2 stars are clearly visible with the unaided eye and located on the handle of The Plough (Big Dipper) asterism.” Thank you, Abdul!
Mizar and Alcor
Mizar and its fainter companion star Alcor make up one of the most famous double stars in the sky. These two stars are bound to one another by gravity. And they’re located in the famous Big Dipper, an asterism which is ascending in the northeast on February and March evenings. You can spot this pair easily, and it’s lots of fun to see them! Look at the middle star in the Dipper’s handle. You’ll spot Mizar first, because it’s brighter. Look closely, and you’ll see fainter Alcor right next to Mizar.
Historically, Mizar and Alcor are a test of eyesight. But even people with less-than-perfect eyesight can see the two stars, especially if they’re looking in a dark, clear sky. This pair of stars in the Big Dipper’s handle has the nickname of horse and rider. If you can’t see fainter Alcor with the unaided eye, use binoculars to see Mizar’s nearby companion.
On February and March evenings, the Big Dipper is ascending in the northeast. The famous star pair Mizar and Alcor is the 2nd star to the end of the Dipper’s handle. Look closely, and you’ll see the 2 points of light. Mizar is the brighter one, and Alcor is the fainter one.
Mizar alone is a quadruple star
Mizar is perhaps the Big Dipper’s most famous star, glorified in the annals of astronomy many times over. Apart from Alcor, Mizar by itself is a double star. In fact, it was the first double star known. An Italian astronomer brought it to the attention of Galileo in 1617. A third Italian astronomer, Giovanni Battista Riccioli, wrote about Mizar as a double star.
Few, if any, astronomers back then even dreamed that double stars were anything other than chance alignments of physically unrelated stars. Yet, in 1889, a spectroscope revealed that the brighter component of Mizar’s two stars consisted of two stars itself. This made Mizar the first binary star ever discovered by spectroscopic means.
Later, Mizar’s dimmer telescopic component also showed itself to be a spectroscopic binary, meaning that Mizar consists of two sets of binaries, making it a quadruple star.
Mizar and Alcor. Mizar is the brighter of the two. Image via Fred Espenak/ AstroPixels.com. Used with permission.
And Alcor is double
As for Alcor, scientists long believed that Mizar and Alcor were not gravitationally bound and did not form a true binary star system. Not until 2009 did our knowledge expand. Two groups of astronomers independently reported that Alcor is itself a binary, consisting of Alcor A and Alcor B. Astronomers now believe that the Alcor binary system is gravitationally bound to the Mizar quadruple system. That makes this “double” star six stars in all, but we can only see two with the unaided eye.
Mizar and Alcor have proven to not only be a test of human eyesight, but a test of the limits of our technological vision as well.
Located in the handle of the Big Dipper, Mizar (brighter at right center) and Alcor (fainter and centered) make up one of the most famous visual double stars in the sky. Image via ESO/ Online Digitized Sky Survey.
Bottom line: Famous star pair Mizar and Alcor is easy to find in the handle of the Big Dipper. Mizar is really four stars, and Alcor is two stars. So what we see as two stars are really six in one!
The constellation Lynx lies far in the north and passes overhead in the Northern Hemisphere on March evenings. It resides not far from Gemini’s twin stars, Castor and Pollux.
The constellation of the Lynx, named for the wild cat, may be dim, but it holds a few notable deep-sky objects, including the strange globular cluster known as the Intergalactic Wanderer. March is a great time to view Lynx when it’s positioned high in the sky, passing overhead for those in the Northern Hemisphere. Learn more about the constellation’s stars and how to find it.
The creation of the constellation Lynx
The Lynx is another constellation, similar to Lacerta and Leo Minor, that astronomer Johannes Hevelius created out of the vast darkness between major constellations in the late 1600s. Hevelius supposedly named this smattering of dim stars for a lynx, due to its fine eyesight. It would take someone with equally fine eyesight to discern the form of a lynx here.
View larger. | The constellation Lynx keeps company with many other animals in the sky, including a giraffe, bear, lion and crab. Image via Stellarium.
Finding the constellation Lynx
The Lynx is located between well-known constellations. Look for it in front of the nose and front paws of Ursa Major, the Great Bear. On the opposite side from Ursa Major, Lynx is bordered by Castor and Pollux the Twins and Auriga the Charioteer with its brilliant star Capella. If you can find Ursa Major and Auriga, the quiet dark space between them is the home of the Lynx.
View larger. | The constellation Lynx may be subtle, but the surrounding constellations are not. Lynx lies in front of the bear’s head in Ursa Major. The bright star Capella in Auriga the Charioteer is on the other side of Lynx from Ursa Major. The Twin stars Castor and Pollux are to the west. Image via Stellarium.
The stars of the Lynx
The two brightest stars in Lynx lie together in the very corner of the constellation. Find them under Ursa Major’s front paws and above the head of Leo the Lion. The star closer to Leo is Alpha Lyncis at magnitude 3.14. It lies 222 light-years away. The star above it, at magnitude 3.82, has the designation 38 Lyncis. It lies at a distance of 122 light-years from us.
The stars of Lynx form a crooked line. The constellation lies above the 2 bright stars in Gemini the Twins. Lynx’s 2 brightest stars lie in the bottom corner in this chart. Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Galaxies in the constellation Lynx
The brightest galaxy in Lynx is about six degrees from the stars Alpha and 38 Lyncis. Look in the direction of Castor and Pollux in Gemini. This galaxy, NGC 2683, also lies straight up from the constellation Cancer. If you extend a line from the Beehive Cluster at the center of Cancer through the star Iota Cancri, you’ll come to NGC 2683 just across the border in Lynx. NGC 2683 has a magnitude of 9.69 (seeing it requires at least a medium-sized telescope) and lies 16 million light-years away. This spiral galaxy, which bears the nickname the UFO Galaxy, is oriented nearly edge-on from our perspective.
The Hubble Space Telescope took this image of the spiral galaxy NGC 2683. It has the nickname the UFO Galaxy. Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Another notable galaxy, near the center of the constellation, is the Bear Paw Galaxy, or NGC 2537. It’s a challengingly faint dwarf galaxy with a magnitude of 11.7. It consists of a half circle shape with a line sticking out of it. Does it look like a bear’s paw to you?
The Bear Paw Galaxy, NGC 2537, has a magnitude of 11.7. Image via Wikimedia Commons.
The Intergalactic Wanderer
The last deep-sky target we’ll cover in Lynx is the Intergalactic Wanderer, NGC 2419. It lies seven degrees from the star Castor, when heading north in the direction of Polaris. The Intergalactic Wanderer is a globular cluster shining at magnitude 10.4. You will need a large telescope to see it. An unnamed magnitude 7.2 star lies beside NGC 2419.
This globular cluster got its name because it’s at such a tremendous distance from us; approximately 300,000 light-years away. Normal globular clusters are huge groupings of stars that are gravitationally bound to a galaxy and rotate around it, outside of the central region of a galaxy.
But the Intergalactic Wanderer is even farther away from the Milky Way than some of our galaxy’s satellite galaxies, such as the Magellanic Clouds. Therefore, the Intergalactic Wanderer seems to be near the theoretical limit for globular clusters bound to our galaxy.
NGC 2419, or the Intergalactic Wanderer, is a globular star cluster that lies farther away from our Milky Way galaxy than its largest satellite galaxies. Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Bottom line: The constellation Lynx represents a cat and passes high overhead in March skies for the Northern Hemisphere. Learn its stars and deep-sky objects.
The constellation Lynx lies far in the north and passes overhead in the Northern Hemisphere on March evenings. It resides not far from Gemini’s twin stars, Castor and Pollux.
The constellation of the Lynx, named for the wild cat, may be dim, but it holds a few notable deep-sky objects, including the strange globular cluster known as the Intergalactic Wanderer. March is a great time to view Lynx when it’s positioned high in the sky, passing overhead for those in the Northern Hemisphere. Learn more about the constellation’s stars and how to find it.
The creation of the constellation Lynx
The Lynx is another constellation, similar to Lacerta and Leo Minor, that astronomer Johannes Hevelius created out of the vast darkness between major constellations in the late 1600s. Hevelius supposedly named this smattering of dim stars for a lynx, due to its fine eyesight. It would take someone with equally fine eyesight to discern the form of a lynx here.
View larger. | The constellation Lynx keeps company with many other animals in the sky, including a giraffe, bear, lion and crab. Image via Stellarium.
Finding the constellation Lynx
The Lynx is located between well-known constellations. Look for it in front of the nose and front paws of Ursa Major, the Great Bear. On the opposite side from Ursa Major, Lynx is bordered by Castor and Pollux the Twins and Auriga the Charioteer with its brilliant star Capella. If you can find Ursa Major and Auriga, the quiet dark space between them is the home of the Lynx.
View larger. | The constellation Lynx may be subtle, but the surrounding constellations are not. Lynx lies in front of the bear’s head in Ursa Major. The bright star Capella in Auriga the Charioteer is on the other side of Lynx from Ursa Major. The Twin stars Castor and Pollux are to the west. Image via Stellarium.
The stars of the Lynx
The two brightest stars in Lynx lie together in the very corner of the constellation. Find them under Ursa Major’s front paws and above the head of Leo the Lion. The star closer to Leo is Alpha Lyncis at magnitude 3.14. It lies 222 light-years away. The star above it, at magnitude 3.82, has the designation 38 Lyncis. It lies at a distance of 122 light-years from us.
The stars of Lynx form a crooked line. The constellation lies above the 2 bright stars in Gemini the Twins. Lynx’s 2 brightest stars lie in the bottom corner in this chart. Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Galaxies in the constellation Lynx
The brightest galaxy in Lynx is about six degrees from the stars Alpha and 38 Lyncis. Look in the direction of Castor and Pollux in Gemini. This galaxy, NGC 2683, also lies straight up from the constellation Cancer. If you extend a line from the Beehive Cluster at the center of Cancer through the star Iota Cancri, you’ll come to NGC 2683 just across the border in Lynx. NGC 2683 has a magnitude of 9.69 (seeing it requires at least a medium-sized telescope) and lies 16 million light-years away. This spiral galaxy, which bears the nickname the UFO Galaxy, is oriented nearly edge-on from our perspective.
The Hubble Space Telescope took this image of the spiral galaxy NGC 2683. It has the nickname the UFO Galaxy. Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Another notable galaxy, near the center of the constellation, is the Bear Paw Galaxy, or NGC 2537. It’s a challengingly faint dwarf galaxy with a magnitude of 11.7. It consists of a half circle shape with a line sticking out of it. Does it look like a bear’s paw to you?
The Bear Paw Galaxy, NGC 2537, has a magnitude of 11.7. Image via Wikimedia Commons.
The Intergalactic Wanderer
The last deep-sky target we’ll cover in Lynx is the Intergalactic Wanderer, NGC 2419. It lies seven degrees from the star Castor, when heading north in the direction of Polaris. The Intergalactic Wanderer is a globular cluster shining at magnitude 10.4. You will need a large telescope to see it. An unnamed magnitude 7.2 star lies beside NGC 2419.
This globular cluster got its name because it’s at such a tremendous distance from us; approximately 300,000 light-years away. Normal globular clusters are huge groupings of stars that are gravitationally bound to a galaxy and rotate around it, outside of the central region of a galaxy.
But the Intergalactic Wanderer is even farther away from the Milky Way than some of our galaxy’s satellite galaxies, such as the Magellanic Clouds. Therefore, the Intergalactic Wanderer seems to be near the theoretical limit for globular clusters bound to our galaxy.
NGC 2419, or the Intergalactic Wanderer, is a globular star cluster that lies farther away from our Milky Way galaxy than its largest satellite galaxies. Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Bottom line: The constellation Lynx represents a cat and passes high overhead in March skies for the Northern Hemisphere. Learn its stars and deep-sky objects.
The Death Valley superbloom is happening now. It’s the best display of spring wildflowers since 2016. Image via National Park Service.
Death Valley superbloom 2026
For the first time in a decade, Death Valley National Park is experiencing a superbloom. Death Valley is the hottest and driest place in North America. While the park normally sees about 2 inches of rain in a year, it had 2.5 inches – more than a year’s worth – between November and January. The extra rain awakened dormant seeds, providing the first superbloom in Death Valley since 2016.
We are having the best bloom year since 2016 and many sprouts have not yet flowered. The showy yellow Desert Gold is one of the most prominent flowers, but there are a large variety of other species blooming as well. Low-elevation flowers are blooming throughout the park and will likely persist until mid-late March, depending on the weather. Higher elevations will have blooms April-June.
A rare spectacle
Superblooms don’t happen on a schedule, but they occur about once a decade. The past superblooms have been in 2016, 2005 and 1998. The extra abundance of flowers can also attract more pollinators, so keep an eye out for more bees, butterflies, birds and more.
This rare and short-lived phenomenon is important to the desert ecosystem. The NPS said:
In Death Valley National park, most of the showy desert wildflowers are annuals, also referred to as ephemerals because they are short-lived. Oddly enough, this limited lifespan ensures survival here. Rather than struggle to stay alive during the desert’s most extreme conditions, annual wildflowers lie dormant as seeds. When enough rain finally does fall, the seeds quickly sprout, grow, bloom and go back to seed again before the dryness and heat returns. By blooming en masse during good years, wildflowers can attract large numbers of pollinators such as butterflies, moths, bees and hummingbirds that might not otherwise visit Death Valley.
The Death Valley superbloom is underway! ? Colorful flowers are blanketing parts of the hottest place in North America. Park officials say it’s the best superbloom since 2016.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re planning to visit the park this spring. First, be patient! There will be many others visiting also, but it’s a huge park with space for everyone. Traffic might be slow, but you will eventually get to that picture-perfect site.
As of March 7, 2026, here are the best spots for wildflower viewing and what’s blooming, according to the National Park Service:
North Badwater Rd (between CA190 and Badwater Basin): Desert Gold, Brown-eyed Primrose
South Badwater Rd (near Ashford Mill): Desert Gold, Sand Verbena, Five Spot, Brown-eyed Primrose
Highway 190 (between Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek): Gravel Ghost, Phacelia, Desert Gold, Mojave Desert Star
To keep up-to-date on what’s blooming and where, visit the NPS website.
And, of course, don’t pick the wildflowers! Capture them only with your camera. And if you get a great photo, submit it to us!
Bottom line: A Death Valley superbloom is happening now! This rare event only happens about every decade. Read more about what flowers are blooming and where in Death Valley National Park.
The Death Valley superbloom is happening now. It’s the best display of spring wildflowers since 2016. Image via National Park Service.
Death Valley superbloom 2026
For the first time in a decade, Death Valley National Park is experiencing a superbloom. Death Valley is the hottest and driest place in North America. While the park normally sees about 2 inches of rain in a year, it had 2.5 inches – more than a year’s worth – between November and January. The extra rain awakened dormant seeds, providing the first superbloom in Death Valley since 2016.
We are having the best bloom year since 2016 and many sprouts have not yet flowered. The showy yellow Desert Gold is one of the most prominent flowers, but there are a large variety of other species blooming as well. Low-elevation flowers are blooming throughout the park and will likely persist until mid-late March, depending on the weather. Higher elevations will have blooms April-June.
A rare spectacle
Superblooms don’t happen on a schedule, but they occur about once a decade. The past superblooms have been in 2016, 2005 and 1998. The extra abundance of flowers can also attract more pollinators, so keep an eye out for more bees, butterflies, birds and more.
This rare and short-lived phenomenon is important to the desert ecosystem. The NPS said:
In Death Valley National park, most of the showy desert wildflowers are annuals, also referred to as ephemerals because they are short-lived. Oddly enough, this limited lifespan ensures survival here. Rather than struggle to stay alive during the desert’s most extreme conditions, annual wildflowers lie dormant as seeds. When enough rain finally does fall, the seeds quickly sprout, grow, bloom and go back to seed again before the dryness and heat returns. By blooming en masse during good years, wildflowers can attract large numbers of pollinators such as butterflies, moths, bees and hummingbirds that might not otherwise visit Death Valley.
The Death Valley superbloom is underway! ? Colorful flowers are blanketing parts of the hottest place in North America. Park officials say it’s the best superbloom since 2016.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re planning to visit the park this spring. First, be patient! There will be many others visiting also, but it’s a huge park with space for everyone. Traffic might be slow, but you will eventually get to that picture-perfect site.
As of March 7, 2026, here are the best spots for wildflower viewing and what’s blooming, according to the National Park Service:
North Badwater Rd (between CA190 and Badwater Basin): Desert Gold, Brown-eyed Primrose
South Badwater Rd (near Ashford Mill): Desert Gold, Sand Verbena, Five Spot, Brown-eyed Primrose
Highway 190 (between Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek): Gravel Ghost, Phacelia, Desert Gold, Mojave Desert Star
To keep up-to-date on what’s blooming and where, visit the NPS website.
And, of course, don’t pick the wildflowers! Capture them only with your camera. And if you get a great photo, submit it to us!
Bottom line: A Death Valley superbloom is happening now! This rare event only happens about every decade. Read more about what flowers are blooming and where in Death Valley National Park.
In May 2024, a hyperactive sunspot region blasted an X2.9 flare. When the solar superstorm hit Mars, it resulted in a large amount of material spewing outward (to the left in this image), then pummeling both Earth and Mars. New research shows spacecraft at the red planet glitched, and the Martian atmosphere become supercharged. P.S. The 2 bright white spots by the sun are Jupiter and Venus. Image via SOHO (ESA & NASA), NASA/SDO/AIA/ JHelioviewer/ D. Müller.
In May 2024, a solar superstorm hit Mars. Two European Space Agency spacecraft at Mars observed the impacts, and now a new study has been released.
The storm triggered the largest electron surge ever recorded in Mars’ upper atmosphere. It dramatically boosted charged particles.
Both orbiters also recorded glitches in their computers. This is an expected result of solar storms that also affect satellites in Earth orbit.
In May 2024, Earth was hit by the biggest solar storm recorded in over 20 years. It sent our planet’s atmosphere into overdrive, triggering shimmering auroras that were seen as far south as Mexico. This storm also hit Mars. And the European Space Agency’s two Mars orbiters – Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) – were in the right place at the right time. A radiation monitor aboard TGO picked up a dose equivalent to 200 ‘normal’ days in just 64 hours.
A new peer-reviewed study published on March 5, 2026, in the journal Nature Communications now reveals in greater depth how this intense, stormy activity affected the red planet.
ESA Research Fellow Jacob Parrott was the lead author of the study. Parrott said:
The impact was remarkable: Mars’ upper atmosphere was flooded by electrons. It was the biggest response to a solar storm we’ve ever seen at Mars.
The superstorm caused a dramatic increase in electrons in two distinct layers of Mars’ atmosphere. This occurred at altitudes of around 110 and 130 km (68 and 80 miles), with numbers rising by 45% and a whopping 278%, respectively. This is the most electrons we’ve ever seen in this layer of Martian atmosphere. Parrott added:
The storm also caused computer errors for both orbiters. It’s a typical peril of space weather, as the particles involved are so energetic and hard to predict. Luckily, the spacecraft were designed with this in mind, and built with radiation-resistant components and specific systems for detecting and fixing these errors. They recovered fast.
Pioneering a new technique
To investigate the superstorm’s impact on Mars, Parrott and colleagues used a technique ESA is currently pioneering. It’s known as radio occultation.
First, Mars Express beamed a radio signal to TGO at the very moment it was disappearing over the Martian horizon. As TGO vanished, the radio signal was bent (refracted) by the various layers of Mars’ atmosphere before being picked up by the orbiter. This allowed scientists to glean more about each layer. The researchers also used observations from NASA’s MAVEN mission to confirm the electron densities.
Colin Wilson is an ESA project scientist for Mars Express and TGO, and co-author of the study. Wilson said:
This technique has actually been used for decades to explore the solar system, but using signals beamed from a spacecraft to Earth. It’s only in the past five years or so that we’ve started using it at Mars between two spacecraft, such as Mars Express and TGO, which usually use those radios to beam data between orbiters and rovers. It’s great to see it in action.
ESA uses orbiter-to-orbiter radio occultation routinely at Earth. And it plans to use it more regularly in future planetary missions.
To study Mars’ atmosphere, ESA’s 2 Mars orbiters use the radio occultation technique. Mars Express beams a radio signal toward ExoMars TGO, as TGO is about to ‘set’ behind Mars. Thus, the radio signal travels through Mars’s upper atmosphere, causing it to bend. By measuring how much the signal bends, we discover what makes up the different layers of atmosphere. Image via ESA (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Different worlds, different weather
Earth and Mars experienced this superstorm differently, and it highlights the differences between the two worlds.
At Earth, the response of the upper atmosphere was more muted, thanks to the shielding effect of Earth’s magnetic field. As well as deflecting a lot of solar storm particles away from Earth, the magnetic field also diverted some toward Earth’s poles, where they caused the sky to light up with auroras.
While their differences can make it tricky to compare planets directly, understanding how solar activity impacts the residents of the solar system – in other words, space weather forecasting – is hugely important. At Earth, solar storms can be dangerous and damaging for astronauts and equipment up in space. Plus, they can disrupt our satellites and systems (power, radio, navigation) further down.
However, studying space weather is difficult, as the sun throws out radiation and material erratically, making targeted measurements largely opportunistic. Parrot said:
Fortunately, we were able to use this new technique with Mars Express and TGO just 10 minutes after a large solar flare hit Mars. Currently we’re only performing two observations per week at Mars, so the timing was extremely lucky.
Analyzing the aftermath
Parrott and colleagues captured the aftermath of three solar events. They were all part of the same storm, but different in terms of what they throw out into space and how they do it. One was a flare of radiation, one was a burst of high-energy particles, and one was an eruption of material known as a coronal mass ejection (CME).
Together, these events sent fast-moving, energetic, magnetized plasma and X-rays flooding towards Mars. When this barrage of material hit the planet’s upper atmosphere, it collided with neutral atoms and stripped away their electrons, causing the region to fill up with electrons and charged particles. Wilson said:
The results improve our understanding of Mars by revealing how solar storms deposit energy and particles into Mars’s atmosphere. It’s important as we know the planet has lost both huge amounts of water and most of its atmosphere to space, most likely driven by the continual wind of particles streaming out from the sun.
But there’s another side to it: the structure and contents of a planet’s atmosphere influence how radio signals travel through space. If Mars’s upper atmosphere is packed full of electrons, this could block the signals we use to explore the planet’s surface via radar, making it a key consideration in our mission planning … and impacting our ability to investigate other worlds.
Bottom line: What happened when a solar superstorm hit Mars? In May 2024, the sun released a powerful X flare that caused spacecraft to glitch … and more. Read all about it here.
In May 2024, a hyperactive sunspot region blasted an X2.9 flare. When the solar superstorm hit Mars, it resulted in a large amount of material spewing outward (to the left in this image), then pummeling both Earth and Mars. New research shows spacecraft at the red planet glitched, and the Martian atmosphere become supercharged. P.S. The 2 bright white spots by the sun are Jupiter and Venus. Image via SOHO (ESA & NASA), NASA/SDO/AIA/ JHelioviewer/ D. Müller.
In May 2024, a solar superstorm hit Mars. Two European Space Agency spacecraft at Mars observed the impacts, and now a new study has been released.
The storm triggered the largest electron surge ever recorded in Mars’ upper atmosphere. It dramatically boosted charged particles.
Both orbiters also recorded glitches in their computers. This is an expected result of solar storms that also affect satellites in Earth orbit.
In May 2024, Earth was hit by the biggest solar storm recorded in over 20 years. It sent our planet’s atmosphere into overdrive, triggering shimmering auroras that were seen as far south as Mexico. This storm also hit Mars. And the European Space Agency’s two Mars orbiters – Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) – were in the right place at the right time. A radiation monitor aboard TGO picked up a dose equivalent to 200 ‘normal’ days in just 64 hours.
A new peer-reviewed study published on March 5, 2026, in the journal Nature Communications now reveals in greater depth how this intense, stormy activity affected the red planet.
ESA Research Fellow Jacob Parrott was the lead author of the study. Parrott said:
The impact was remarkable: Mars’ upper atmosphere was flooded by electrons. It was the biggest response to a solar storm we’ve ever seen at Mars.
The superstorm caused a dramatic increase in electrons in two distinct layers of Mars’ atmosphere. This occurred at altitudes of around 110 and 130 km (68 and 80 miles), with numbers rising by 45% and a whopping 278%, respectively. This is the most electrons we’ve ever seen in this layer of Martian atmosphere. Parrott added:
The storm also caused computer errors for both orbiters. It’s a typical peril of space weather, as the particles involved are so energetic and hard to predict. Luckily, the spacecraft were designed with this in mind, and built with radiation-resistant components and specific systems for detecting and fixing these errors. They recovered fast.
Pioneering a new technique
To investigate the superstorm’s impact on Mars, Parrott and colleagues used a technique ESA is currently pioneering. It’s known as radio occultation.
First, Mars Express beamed a radio signal to TGO at the very moment it was disappearing over the Martian horizon. As TGO vanished, the radio signal was bent (refracted) by the various layers of Mars’ atmosphere before being picked up by the orbiter. This allowed scientists to glean more about each layer. The researchers also used observations from NASA’s MAVEN mission to confirm the electron densities.
Colin Wilson is an ESA project scientist for Mars Express and TGO, and co-author of the study. Wilson said:
This technique has actually been used for decades to explore the solar system, but using signals beamed from a spacecraft to Earth. It’s only in the past five years or so that we’ve started using it at Mars between two spacecraft, such as Mars Express and TGO, which usually use those radios to beam data between orbiters and rovers. It’s great to see it in action.
ESA uses orbiter-to-orbiter radio occultation routinely at Earth. And it plans to use it more regularly in future planetary missions.
To study Mars’ atmosphere, ESA’s 2 Mars orbiters use the radio occultation technique. Mars Express beams a radio signal toward ExoMars TGO, as TGO is about to ‘set’ behind Mars. Thus, the radio signal travels through Mars’s upper atmosphere, causing it to bend. By measuring how much the signal bends, we discover what makes up the different layers of atmosphere. Image via ESA (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Different worlds, different weather
Earth and Mars experienced this superstorm differently, and it highlights the differences between the two worlds.
At Earth, the response of the upper atmosphere was more muted, thanks to the shielding effect of Earth’s magnetic field. As well as deflecting a lot of solar storm particles away from Earth, the magnetic field also diverted some toward Earth’s poles, where they caused the sky to light up with auroras.
While their differences can make it tricky to compare planets directly, understanding how solar activity impacts the residents of the solar system – in other words, space weather forecasting – is hugely important. At Earth, solar storms can be dangerous and damaging for astronauts and equipment up in space. Plus, they can disrupt our satellites and systems (power, radio, navigation) further down.
However, studying space weather is difficult, as the sun throws out radiation and material erratically, making targeted measurements largely opportunistic. Parrot said:
Fortunately, we were able to use this new technique with Mars Express and TGO just 10 minutes after a large solar flare hit Mars. Currently we’re only performing two observations per week at Mars, so the timing was extremely lucky.
Analyzing the aftermath
Parrott and colleagues captured the aftermath of three solar events. They were all part of the same storm, but different in terms of what they throw out into space and how they do it. One was a flare of radiation, one was a burst of high-energy particles, and one was an eruption of material known as a coronal mass ejection (CME).
Together, these events sent fast-moving, energetic, magnetized plasma and X-rays flooding towards Mars. When this barrage of material hit the planet’s upper atmosphere, it collided with neutral atoms and stripped away their electrons, causing the region to fill up with electrons and charged particles. Wilson said:
The results improve our understanding of Mars by revealing how solar storms deposit energy and particles into Mars’s atmosphere. It’s important as we know the planet has lost both huge amounts of water and most of its atmosphere to space, most likely driven by the continual wind of particles streaming out from the sun.
But there’s another side to it: the structure and contents of a planet’s atmosphere influence how radio signals travel through space. If Mars’s upper atmosphere is packed full of electrons, this could block the signals we use to explore the planet’s surface via radar, making it a key consideration in our mission planning … and impacting our ability to investigate other worlds.
Bottom line: What happened when a solar superstorm hit Mars? In May 2024, the sun released a powerful X flare that caused spacecraft to glitch … and more. Read all about it here.
Daylight saving time (DST) began at 2 a.m. on March 8, 2026. Image via Miriam Alonso/ Pexels.
Daylight saving time begins Sunday
At 2 a.m. today – Sunday, March 8, 2026 – clocks in most U.S. states and many Canadian provinces leapt forward one hour. Daylight saving time (DST) began. The memory tool for your clocks is spring forward. Easy to do with clocks. Less easy – for many – with our own bodies. We hear that the number of car crashes increases with the start of daylight saving time. More people have heart attacks. Many report feeling groggy or off-kilter in the week following. Here are some tips that might help.
Eat some good breakfasts this week!
Get some sunlight.
3Keep up your exercise schedule.
Drink extra water and limit caffeine, alcohol, and sugar.
Manage your stress with whatever stress-busting techniques work for you.
Go to sleep a few minutes earlier.
Sleep in complete darkness, in a not-too-warm room.
Get up at your usual time, no matter what the sunrise is doing.
Don’t think in terms of what time it really is. As your alarm goes off at 6 a.m. Monday morning, try not to think it’s really only 5 a.m. Good luck!
Areas in green change to daylight saving time in 2026. Image via timeanddate.com. Used with permission.
The province of British Columbia – Canada’s westernmost province, with the Pacific Ocean to its west and the Rocky Mountains to its east – announced a week ago that March 8, 2026, will be its final clock change. After springing forward today, officials say the province will remain on permanent daylight saving time and will not “fall back” in November.
So British Columbia joins the Canadian Yukon, which has observed permanent DST since 2020.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Canada, clocks don’t change, and standard time is the norm throughout the year. That includes most of Saskatchewan (including Regina and Saskatoon). And it includes specific pockets such as eastern Quebec, Southampton Island in Nunavut, and certain communities in Ontario. Those areas do not change their clocks.
The U.S. has tried permanent DST, too
During World War II, the U.S. observed year-round daylight saving time from February 1942 to September 1945. It was known as “war time.”
The U.S. again tried year-round daylight saving time in 1974, during an “energy crisis” experiment. It was a response to the 1973 oil embargo. President Richard Nixon signed the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act, which put the U.S. on year-round DST starting on January 6, 1974.
The initial reaction was excellent, with a 79% approval rating in December 1973. But, once winter set in, the reality of pitch-black mornings became a major issue. In some areas, the sun didn’t rise until after 9 a.m. Public outcry grew over the safety of children waiting for school buses in the dark. After several high-profile accidents involving students, approval plummeted to 42% by February. So the experiment, originally intended to last two years, was cut short. President Gerald Ford signed a repeal, and the U.S. returned to standard time on October 27, 1974.
Today, most of the U.S. does make the switch to daylight saving time, with a few notable exceptions that stay on Standard Time year-round. Most of Arizona does not observe DST (the Navajo Nation is the exception and does change clocks). Hawaii does not observe DST. And many U.S. territories do not observe DST, including American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The inventor of DST
Don’t like daylight saving time? Blame New Zealand entomologist G.V. Hudson. He 1st proposed a system resembling our modern one to the Wellington Philosophical Society in 1895. He valued those extra daylight hours after work as a time to gather insects. Be glad we didn’t use Hudson’s original proposal for a 2-hour leap! Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Bottom line: Daylight saving time in the U.S. and Canada begins March 8, 2026. Here are some suggestions for coping with the time change.
Daylight saving time (DST) began at 2 a.m. on March 8, 2026. Image via Miriam Alonso/ Pexels.
Daylight saving time begins Sunday
At 2 a.m. today – Sunday, March 8, 2026 – clocks in most U.S. states and many Canadian provinces leapt forward one hour. Daylight saving time (DST) began. The memory tool for your clocks is spring forward. Easy to do with clocks. Less easy – for many – with our own bodies. We hear that the number of car crashes increases with the start of daylight saving time. More people have heart attacks. Many report feeling groggy or off-kilter in the week following. Here are some tips that might help.
Eat some good breakfasts this week!
Get some sunlight.
3Keep up your exercise schedule.
Drink extra water and limit caffeine, alcohol, and sugar.
Manage your stress with whatever stress-busting techniques work for you.
Go to sleep a few minutes earlier.
Sleep in complete darkness, in a not-too-warm room.
Get up at your usual time, no matter what the sunrise is doing.
Don’t think in terms of what time it really is. As your alarm goes off at 6 a.m. Monday morning, try not to think it’s really only 5 a.m. Good luck!
Areas in green change to daylight saving time in 2026. Image via timeanddate.com. Used with permission.
The province of British Columbia – Canada’s westernmost province, with the Pacific Ocean to its west and the Rocky Mountains to its east – announced a week ago that March 8, 2026, will be its final clock change. After springing forward today, officials say the province will remain on permanent daylight saving time and will not “fall back” in November.
So British Columbia joins the Canadian Yukon, which has observed permanent DST since 2020.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Canada, clocks don’t change, and standard time is the norm throughout the year. That includes most of Saskatchewan (including Regina and Saskatoon). And it includes specific pockets such as eastern Quebec, Southampton Island in Nunavut, and certain communities in Ontario. Those areas do not change their clocks.
The U.S. has tried permanent DST, too
During World War II, the U.S. observed year-round daylight saving time from February 1942 to September 1945. It was known as “war time.”
The U.S. again tried year-round daylight saving time in 1974, during an “energy crisis” experiment. It was a response to the 1973 oil embargo. President Richard Nixon signed the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act, which put the U.S. on year-round DST starting on January 6, 1974.
The initial reaction was excellent, with a 79% approval rating in December 1973. But, once winter set in, the reality of pitch-black mornings became a major issue. In some areas, the sun didn’t rise until after 9 a.m. Public outcry grew over the safety of children waiting for school buses in the dark. After several high-profile accidents involving students, approval plummeted to 42% by February. So the experiment, originally intended to last two years, was cut short. President Gerald Ford signed a repeal, and the U.S. returned to standard time on October 27, 1974.
Today, most of the U.S. does make the switch to daylight saving time, with a few notable exceptions that stay on Standard Time year-round. Most of Arizona does not observe DST (the Navajo Nation is the exception and does change clocks). Hawaii does not observe DST. And many U.S. territories do not observe DST, including American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The inventor of DST
Don’t like daylight saving time? Blame New Zealand entomologist G.V. Hudson. He 1st proposed a system resembling our modern one to the Wellington Philosophical Society in 1895. He valued those extra daylight hours after work as a time to gather insects. Be glad we didn’t use Hudson’s original proposal for a 2-hour leap! Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Bottom line: Daylight saving time in the U.S. and Canada begins March 8, 2026. Here are some suggestions for coping with the time change.
The former constellation Argo Navis the Ship is now the modern constellations Puppis the Stern, Vela the Sails and Carina the Keel. You can find these constellations south of Sirius. So they are easiest to see from the Southern Hemisphere.
The constellation Puppis was once part of a much larger constellation named Argo Navis, the Ship. In the 1700s, Nicolas Louis de Lacaille divided the Ship into three constellations. They are Puppis the Stern, Carina the Keel and Vela the Sails. Sometimes Pyxis the Compass is also included as part of the former Ship. Puppis is the largest of these “new” constellations and the 20th largest in the sky. So you can imagine just how much territory Argo used to inhabit. The constellation of the Stern sails atop the flowing river of the Milky Way and holds many deep-sky delights.
Puppis is far enough south that observers can only see the entire constellation if they live around the latitude of Nashville, Tenn., 36 degrees north parallel, or farther south. However, if you’re north of this line, you can still see the northern portion of the constellation, which happens to contain three Messier objects. Messier objects are the brighter deep-sky targets – either star clusters, nebulae or galaxies – that are fun to view through binoculars or a telescope.
Look for Puppis in March after the sky gets truly dark. You should spot it close to the southern horizon. If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, it will pass overhead, near zenith. Look for the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, in its constellation Canis Major. Puppis is immediately south-southeast of Canis Major.
Let’s find the brightest star in Puppis. Focus first on Sirius, the brightest star in the sky in the constellation Canis Major. Trace a line from here down the Dog’s back, past his hind star and tail star, and then straight out toward a star almost 15 degrees away. (Measure 15 degrees by extending your arm and sticking your pinky finger and index finger out. The distance between them is roughly 15 degrees.) This leads you to Naos, or Zeta Puppis. At magnitude 2.2, it’s the brightest star in the constellation. It lies nearly 1,400 light-years away from Earth.
Heading almost 10 degrees (a fist width at arm’s length) in the direction of Canis Major’s hind legs, you’ll run into Pi Puppis. This star (actually a binary, or two stars) goes by the name Ahadi. This is the 2nd brightest star in the constellation. Pi Puppis has a magnitude of 2.7 and lies around 800 light-years away.
If you can only see the northernmost part of Puppis, the brightest star here is Rho Puppis. Rho Puppis’ other name, Tureis, means diminutive. You can find it lying about 11 degrees away from the brighter hind stars in Canis Major. Rho Puppis shines at magnitude 2.8 from a distance of 63 light-years.
One other star of note is L2 Puppis. Scientists say this star is like the sun but in the final stages of life, and it has a planet in orbit about the same distance from it as Earth is from the sun. This system could be a glimpse of our future.
The constellation Puppis the Stern has two bright neighboring stars. In fact, Sirius to the north and Canopus to the south are the 1st and 2nd brightest stars in the night sky, respectively. Image via Wikipedis (CC BY 3.0).
Going deeper in Puppis
If you have binoculars or a telescope, you can explore Puppis more deeply. It lies right on the Milky Way and is home to some sparking star clusters. The brightest of these lie in the northern half of the constellation, helpful for those in the Northern Hemisphere who want a peek. Here’s a brief look at some of its best targets.
M93 is magnitude 6.2 and lies 3,600 light-years away. It’s five degrees from Rho Puppis, toward Canis Major.
M46 lies almost 10 degrees north of M93 and about one degree from the next object, M47. M46 is magnitude 6.1 and includes a bonus object, a small nebula. Scientists think the nebula (NGC 2438, with a magnitude of 10.8) is a foreground object and not truly a part of the cluster. M46 is about 5,400 light-years away, and NGC 2438 is about 2,900 light-years away.
M47 lies next door to M46, closer to Canis Major. It’s a brighter star cluster at magnitude 4.4 and about 1,600 light-years away.
Puppis is a great location to simply sweep the sky slowly with binoculars or a telescope and look for additional clusters.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Dr Ski at Valencia Observatory took this photo on December 2, 2019, and wrote: “The Milky Way south of Canis Major is rotating into view now in the early morning. Ancient Greeks saw Vela (the Sail), Puppis (the Stern) and Carina (the Keel) as Argo Navis, the ship that Jason and the Argonauts sailed to fetch the Golden Fleece. The ‘False Cross’ is often mistaken for the Southern Cross. This section of the southern sky is replete with open clusters. Give me a pair of binoculars and I’m like a bull in a candy shop. Or is it a kid in a China shop?” Thank you, Dr Ski!
Bottom line: Puppis the Stern was once part of a larger constellation known as Argo Navis the Ship. Northerners can spot Puppis far to the south on March evenings.
The former constellation Argo Navis the Ship is now the modern constellations Puppis the Stern, Vela the Sails and Carina the Keel. You can find these constellations south of Sirius. So they are easiest to see from the Southern Hemisphere.
The constellation Puppis was once part of a much larger constellation named Argo Navis, the Ship. In the 1700s, Nicolas Louis de Lacaille divided the Ship into three constellations. They are Puppis the Stern, Carina the Keel and Vela the Sails. Sometimes Pyxis the Compass is also included as part of the former Ship. Puppis is the largest of these “new” constellations and the 20th largest in the sky. So you can imagine just how much territory Argo used to inhabit. The constellation of the Stern sails atop the flowing river of the Milky Way and holds many deep-sky delights.
Puppis is far enough south that observers can only see the entire constellation if they live around the latitude of Nashville, Tenn., 36 degrees north parallel, or farther south. However, if you’re north of this line, you can still see the northern portion of the constellation, which happens to contain three Messier objects. Messier objects are the brighter deep-sky targets – either star clusters, nebulae or galaxies – that are fun to view through binoculars or a telescope.
Look for Puppis in March after the sky gets truly dark. You should spot it close to the southern horizon. If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, it will pass overhead, near zenith. Look for the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, in its constellation Canis Major. Puppis is immediately south-southeast of Canis Major.
Let’s find the brightest star in Puppis. Focus first on Sirius, the brightest star in the sky in the constellation Canis Major. Trace a line from here down the Dog’s back, past his hind star and tail star, and then straight out toward a star almost 15 degrees away. (Measure 15 degrees by extending your arm and sticking your pinky finger and index finger out. The distance between them is roughly 15 degrees.) This leads you to Naos, or Zeta Puppis. At magnitude 2.2, it’s the brightest star in the constellation. It lies nearly 1,400 light-years away from Earth.
Heading almost 10 degrees (a fist width at arm’s length) in the direction of Canis Major’s hind legs, you’ll run into Pi Puppis. This star (actually a binary, or two stars) goes by the name Ahadi. This is the 2nd brightest star in the constellation. Pi Puppis has a magnitude of 2.7 and lies around 800 light-years away.
If you can only see the northernmost part of Puppis, the brightest star here is Rho Puppis. Rho Puppis’ other name, Tureis, means diminutive. You can find it lying about 11 degrees away from the brighter hind stars in Canis Major. Rho Puppis shines at magnitude 2.8 from a distance of 63 light-years.
One other star of note is L2 Puppis. Scientists say this star is like the sun but in the final stages of life, and it has a planet in orbit about the same distance from it as Earth is from the sun. This system could be a glimpse of our future.
The constellation Puppis the Stern has two bright neighboring stars. In fact, Sirius to the north and Canopus to the south are the 1st and 2nd brightest stars in the night sky, respectively. Image via Wikipedis (CC BY 3.0).
Going deeper in Puppis
If you have binoculars or a telescope, you can explore Puppis more deeply. It lies right on the Milky Way and is home to some sparking star clusters. The brightest of these lie in the northern half of the constellation, helpful for those in the Northern Hemisphere who want a peek. Here’s a brief look at some of its best targets.
M93 is magnitude 6.2 and lies 3,600 light-years away. It’s five degrees from Rho Puppis, toward Canis Major.
M46 lies almost 10 degrees north of M93 and about one degree from the next object, M47. M46 is magnitude 6.1 and includes a bonus object, a small nebula. Scientists think the nebula (NGC 2438, with a magnitude of 10.8) is a foreground object and not truly a part of the cluster. M46 is about 5,400 light-years away, and NGC 2438 is about 2,900 light-years away.
M47 lies next door to M46, closer to Canis Major. It’s a brighter star cluster at magnitude 4.4 and about 1,600 light-years away.
Puppis is a great location to simply sweep the sky slowly with binoculars or a telescope and look for additional clusters.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Dr Ski at Valencia Observatory took this photo on December 2, 2019, and wrote: “The Milky Way south of Canis Major is rotating into view now in the early morning. Ancient Greeks saw Vela (the Sail), Puppis (the Stern) and Carina (the Keel) as Argo Navis, the ship that Jason and the Argonauts sailed to fetch the Golden Fleece. The ‘False Cross’ is often mistaken for the Southern Cross. This section of the southern sky is replete with open clusters. Give me a pair of binoculars and I’m like a bull in a candy shop. Or is it a kid in a China shop?” Thank you, Dr Ski!
Bottom line: Puppis the Stern was once part of a larger constellation known as Argo Navis the Ship. Northerners can spot Puppis far to the south on March evenings.
