Boötes - The HerdsmanLearn about the constellation Boötes - The Herdsman, location, facts, mythology, meteor showers and deep space objects.
Boötes is generally referred to as the Bear Watcher since it appears to be watching over the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.
Location: Northern Spring 15h RA 30° Dec
The name Arcturus, the alpha star of Boötes, means bear driver. It is a zero-magnitude red giant and is the third 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 (ß Leonis).
Boötes Mythology
Exactly whom Boötes is supposed to represent is not clear. According to one version, he was a ploughman who drove the oxen in the constellation Ursa Major using his two dogs Chara and Asterion (from the constellation Canes Venatici). The oxen were tied to the polar axis and so the action of Boötes kept the heavens in constant rotation.
Boötes Deep Space Objects
Boötes has two bright galaxies. NGC 5248 (Caldwell 45) is a type Sc galaxy (a variety of spiral galaxies) of magnitude 10.2.
NGC 5676 is another type Sc galaxy of magnitude 10.9.
Boötes is home to the Quadrantid meteor shower, the most prolific annual meteor shower.
In this table, the observation month represents the month in which the object reaches its highest point in the sky. It can also be viewed a few months before and after depending on your location. Direction is the compass direction in which the object is located, with Z meaning Zenith or overhead.
| # | Image | Common Name | Constellation | Month | Coords | Direction | Mag | Size (arcmin) | Type | Star Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C45 NGC 5248 | Bootes | May | 13h 37.5m RA +08° 53m Dec | S | 10.20 | 6.2x4.5 | Spiral Galaxy | 🔍︎ |
More Constellations
| Northern Circumpolar | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camelopardalis | Cassiopeia | Cepheus | Draco | Lacerta | Ursa Major |
| Ursa Minor |
| Northern Spring | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antlia | Boötes | Cancer | Coma Berenices | Crater | Hydra |
| Leo | Leo Minor | Virgo |
| Northern Summer | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquila | Corona Borealis | Cygnus | Delphinus | Equuleus | Hercules |
| Libra | Lyra | Ophiuchus | Sagitta | Scutum | Serpens |
| Vulpecula |
| Northern Autumn | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andromeda | Aquarius | Aries | Capricornus | Pegasus | Pisces |
| Triangulum |
| Northern Winter | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auriga | Canes Venatici | Canis Major | Canis Minor | Cetus | Eridanus |
| Gemini | Lepus | Lynx | Monoceros | Orion | Perseus |
| Taurus |
