Constellation of the Month: Hercules

 

Hercules is probably, of the 88 official constellations, the most prominent one that lacks any first magnitude or second magnitude stars.  For one, it's rather large.  For another, it's at the celestial latitude such that in temperate areas (like the continental U.S.) it crosses the meridian at the zenith, thus avoiding those pesky lighted up skies at the horizon.  Also, the constellation's pattern is conspicious, with a quadrilateral of stars in its center, commonly referred to as the "Keystone".  There observers can find the M13 globular cluster...M92, another globular cluster, is located on the constellation's northern side.  Hercules is juxtaposed between Ophiuchus on its south and Draco on its north, with Lyra's bright star Vega just to its east. As earlier noted, it has no first or second magnitude stars, but plenty of third and fourth magnitude that are easily visible to the naked eye.  Of course, Hercules represents the mythological Greek hero...and it's one of my favorite constellations to observe.  Next month I'll continue this series with another constellation...