Reconnect with the Cosmos - Cancer, Leo & Virgo
The Spring Equinox to Summer Solstice Sky
A couple of years ago, I designed an in-person course for Reconnecting with the Cosmos in an effort to inspire others to look at the sky again. The image below was recreated by me, but inspired by the work of Renna Shesso from her book A Magical Tour of the Night Sky. I’ve decided to share these images with you, as well as a brief look into the luminaries that are visible between 9pm and midnight in Southern Sky of the Northern Hemisphere. These same luminaries are actually visible in the Southern Hemisphere at this time of night as well. However, the image will be reversed and in the Northern Sky.
Finding Leo
Use the Big Dipper’s pointer stars (see below if you need help locating the Big Dipper’s pointer stars) in reverse for roughly 40˚ or two hand spans to place you in the middle of Leo.
Leo’s brightest star, Regulus, is a touch lower to the right.
Algieba is the lion’s mane and Denebola, his tail.
Finding Cancer
Cancer’s stars are quite dim. If you line up two hand spans from Gemini’s Castor & Pollux (see my previous Reconnect with the Cosmos post) to Leo’s Regulus, Cancer takes up the middle space between those bright stars.
Finding Virgo
Virgo is to the left of Leo and takes up about 44˚ of the ecliptic.
Follow the curve of the Big Dipper’s handle (found in the Northern sky see below) in an arc away from the ladle. You’ll reach the first bright star, Arcturus in Bootes about 30˚ away. Just about the same distance away along the same arc is Virgo’s brightest star, Spica.
Get Oriented with Polaris
Look North to find the Big Dipper.
Follow the pointing stars, Dubhe & Merak, to Polaris, or the North Star. It is the bright star located at the end of the Little Dipper’s handle.
In the Northern Hemisphere, even though the dippers rotate in the sky, they can always be found looking North.
Above 40˚ N Latitude, the dippers are always above the horizon. As you get down to 20˚ N Latitude, the Little Dipper appears to dip below the horizon and scoop up some earth.
When we look for the luminaries in the sky, we look to the Southern horizon. The luminaries move from left to right, or clockwise, in the Southern Sky. However, when you track the Dippers in the Northern Sky, you will notice that the spin is Counter-clockwise.
The Big Dipper is actually an asterism, which is a recognizable star group within a larger constellation. It makes up a small portion of Ursa Major. Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are also referred to as the Bears.
Cancer, Leo and Virgo are visible, centered high in the Southern Sky (Northern Hemisphere), at midnight on the Spring Equinox. As we approach May this same grouping moves its center stage toward 9pm. Aside from the moon, there will not be any visible luminaries in this area of the sky this time of year. Venus will grace this portion of the sky as the Evening Star in June.
You can catch the moon in these signs from March 27th through April 4th, April 24th through May 1st & May 21st through May 28th
For a personal reading
or to contemplate the cosmos with others