Twenty-four star patterns to find

Twenty-four star patterns to find from the United States, each drawn from its stars' real positions: the twelve easiest first, then twelve more for when you know those. Start with the Big Dipper any time of year, Orion in winter and the Summer Triangle in summer.

• The Big DipperAll year, in the north. High up on spring evenings, low near the ground on autumn evenings.
• OrionWinter evenings, December to March: south-east, then high in the south.
• CassiopeiaAll year, in the north. High up on autumn and early winter evenings, opposite the Big Dipper.
• The Summer TriangleSummer and early autumn evenings, high overhead; low in the west by December evenings.
• LeoSpring evenings, March to May, in the south; in winter it rises in the east around midnight.
• The PleiadesAutumn and winter evenings: east after dark in November, high in the south in January.
• The Little DipperAll year, in the north; faint, so it needs a dark sky. Best on spring and summer evenings.
• The Northern CrossSummer and autumn evenings, high overhead; in November it stands upright in the west after dark.
• ScorpiusSummer evenings, June to August, low in the south. From the northern states its tail barely clears the horizon.
• TaurusAutumn and winter evenings: east after dark in November, high in the south in January, near Orion.
• GeminiWinter and early spring evenings: east after dark in December, high overhead in February.
• The Great SquareAutumn evenings, September to November, high in the south-east and then the south.
• LyraSummer and early autumn evenings, high overhead; low in the north-west by December evenings.
• Ursa MajorAll year, in the north. Highest on spring evenings; low along the northern horizon on autumn evenings.
• Canis MajorWinter evenings, January to March, low in the south; it rises in the south-east a little after Orion.
• AquilaSummer and early autumn evenings, high in the south; low in the south-west by November evenings.
• PegasusAutumn evenings, September to November, high in the south-east and then the south.
• BoötesSpring and summer evenings: east after dark in April, high in the south in June, sinking in the west by September.
• AurigaWinter evenings, December to March, high overhead; it rises in the north-east on autumn evenings.
• PerseusAutumn and winter evenings: north-east after dark in October, high overhead in December and January.
• AndromedaAutumn and early winter evenings, October to December: high in the east, then overhead.
• The TeapotSummer evenings, July to September, low in the south, just to the left of Scorpius's tail.
• The Northern CrownLate spring and summer evenings, May to August: east after dark, then high overhead.
• The KeystoneSummer evenings, June to August, very high overhead; it sinks into the west through autumn.

Constellations and star patterns

Astronomers divide the whole sky into 88 constellations, like countries on a map. Some famous shapes, like the Big Dipper, the Summer Triangle and the Great Square, are only parts of constellations or are made from several; those are called asterisms. We use the names astronomers use, and leave the stories to the many cultures that told them. Print six of them as cards to take outside, all of them as draw-it sheets (the stars as dots, you join them), or make a star wheel that shows which are up tonight.