Boötes

Boötes, the herdsman, is one of the 88 modern constellations and was also one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It contains the fourth brightest star in the night sky, Arcturus.

The constellation is located between 0° and +60° declination, 13 and 16 hours of right ascension on the celestial sphere.

Boötes
Image:Bootes_constellation_map_small.png larger image
Abbreviation	Boo
Genitive	Boötis
Meaning in English	the Herdsman
Right ascension	15 h
Declination	30°
Visible to latitude	Between 90° and -50°
On meridian	9 p.m., June 15
Area  - Total	Ranked 13th 907 sq. deg.
Number of stars with apparent magnitude < 3	3
Brightest star  - Apparent magnitude	Arcturus (α Boötis) -0.04
Meteor showers	January Bootids June Bootids Quadrantids
Bordering constellations	Canes Venatici Coma Berenices Corona Borealis Draco Hercules Serpens Virgo Ursa Major

Table of contents

1 Notable features 2 Notable deep sky objects 3 Mythology

Notable features

The name of Arcturus, the alpha star of Boötes, means bear driver. It is a zero magnitude red giant and is the fourth brightest star as seen from Earth in the night sky. It is one of the vertices of the Spring Triangle, the other two being Spica (α Virginis) and Denebola (β Leonis).

Izar (ε Boo), having an apparent magnitude of 2.7, is the third brightest star in the constellation. It is actually a binary and has a companion of 5.12^m.

The meteor shower Quadrantids within this constellation is named after the defunct constellation Quadrans Muralis (which is now a part of Boötes).

Notable deep sky objects

Mythology

The exact person who Boötes is supposed to represent is not clear. According to one version, he was a man (name would be helpful) who was robbed by his brother of everything he had. He then wandered all over the earth. At one point, he invented the plough, which is seen in the constellation, as are the two oxen which pulled it. It was also said to be Icarius, who was killed by some shepherds after they believed he poisoned them (it was really wine; they had never been intoxicated before).