Cassiopeia, a Constellation Everyone Can Find

Cassiopeia is sometimes called the Enthroned Woman. This is not a very large constellation but it has five bright stars, which are shaped like a W or an M, depending on its position in the sky.

To find Cassiopeia, first locate the Big Dipper. Then find the star which joins the handle of the Big Dipper to the bowl and the star on the tail of the Little Dipper (Polaris) and extend that line to where you will find the big W.

Cassiopeia is one of the constellations near the North Star. It is high in the sky and is almost always visible if you have a clear sky. Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper are like riders on opposite sides of a Ferris Wheel. They spin around the North Pole, Polaris, once a day.

This is a great time for stargazing. It is not too cold yet and it gets dark early in the evening. Get out and look. Use a star wheel if you need to. You can google Uncle Al’s Star Wheel and download a free one.