Starwatch: Sagitta’s arrow shape makes it easy to see against a dark sky
The third-smallest constellation can be found partway along one of the imaginary lines of the summer triangle We are on the hunt for another small, northern summer constellation this week: Sagitta, the arrow. Although it consists of just a handful of faint stars, Sagitta’s distinctive shape (it really does look like an arrow) makes it easy to identify against a dark sky. The chart shows the view…
In the realm of summer constellations, Sagitta stands out with its unmistakable arrow shape. Despite being the third-smallest constellation in the sky, this diminutive grouping is easy to spot against a dark backdrop.
To locate Sagitta, look partway along the imaginary line connecting two of the stars forming the summer triangle - Vega and Altair. This line leads directly to the arrow-shaped constellation. From London, observers can find Sagitta by facing south and gazing upwards at 10:30 PM BST on Monday night.
Sagitta's presence in the night sky is not a recent discovery. The ancient astronomer Ptolemy, writing in the 2nd century, included it on his list of 48 constellations found in his seminal work, The Almagest. Over the centuries, various myths have attributed significance to the arrow. It could be the one fired by Hercules to slay the eagle tormenting Prometheus, or perhaps one of Cupid's infamous arrows.
Interestingly, the constellation can be seen from both hemispheres. To observers in the southern hemisphere, Sagitta will appear lower in the northern sky during August compared to its vantage point from the UK.
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