BoötesBoötes

What it looks like

Boötes is a large northern constellation drawn as a herdsman driving the bears around the pole. Its brightest stars form a kite or ice-cream-cone shape, with Arcturus at the base. The constellation is easily found by following the arc of the Big Dipper's handle.

Brightest stars

Boötes is anchored by Arcturus, a red giant and the fourth-brightest star in the entire night sky.

Mythology and history

In Greek myth, Boötes is usually identified with Arcas, son of Callisto, who was placed in the sky beside his mother, the Great Bear.

Arcas and Callisto

Boötes is often identified with Arcas, son of Zeus and Callisto. When Callisto was transformed into a bear by the jealous Hera, Arcas nearly killed her while hunting, not recognising her. Zeus intervened and placed them both in the sky — Callisto as Ursa Major and Arcas as Boötes, the Bear Driver. Another tradition identifies Boötes with Icarius, the Athenian who welcomed Dionysus and was taught to make wine, only to be killed by shepherds who thought he had poisoned them.

How to find it

Follow the curve of the Big Dipper's handle — 'arc to Arcturus' — and you land on the bright orange star.

• Use the Big Dipper's handle as a pointer to Arcturus.
• Look for the kite shape that makes up the rest of the constellation.
• Best on spring and summer evenings from the northern hemisphere.

Key facts

Abbreviation

Boo

Genitive

Boötis

Meaning

The Herdsman

Brightest star

Arcturus

Main stars

7

Area rank

13th

Best visible

June

Declination

+30°

Meteor showers

January Bootids, June Bootids, Quadrantids

Neighbours

Canes Venatici, Ursa Major, Draco, Hercules, Corona Borealis, Serpens Caput, Virgo, Coma Berenices

Deep-sky objects

Boötes contains few bright deep-sky objects, but it is home to the Boötes Void — a vast region of space nearly devoid of galaxies, roughly 250 million light-years across. The Quadrantid meteor shower radiates from the constellation's northern reaches.

Frequently asked questions

What does the constellation Boötes look like?

Boötes is a northern constellation known as the Herdsman, dominated by the brilliant orange star Arcturus, the brightest star in the northern sky.

What is the brightest star in Boötes?

The brightest star in Boötes is Arcturus, shining at around magnitude -0.05.

When is Boötes best visible?

Boötes is best seen from both hemispheres during June.

What is the story behind Boötes?

In Greek myth, Boötes is usually identified with Arcas, son of Callisto, who was placed in the sky beside his mother, the Great Bear.

Which constellations are near Boötes?

Boötes borders Canes Venatici, Ursa Major, Draco, Hercules, Corona Borealis, Serpens Caput, Virgo and Coma Berenices.