Summer Constellations Guide

While you are outside this summer, take a look for some of the major constellations. Below you will see several maps looking at different parts of the sky. This is the night sky view from Pennsylvania. It will vary some across the country, but not significantly.

Here is the view if you are looking west during the evening. These constellations will set rather early.

The constellations vary by season. The simple reason is that the Earth is on the opposite side of the sun during the winter. So, the night sky faces a different part of the universe. Basically, in the winter, we are looking at the stars that would appear during the daylight during the summer. But, the sun is so bright, they cannot be seen.

Here is the view towards the northern part of the sky. The entire sky appears to rotate around "celestial north"

These constellations will be in the sky most of the night. Here is the view this evening if you are looking straight up at the sky.

If you are up before dawn, you can see a few constellations more common to the Southern Hemisphere.

This is the view looking south before dawn.

I hope this can serve as a guide to enjoying a few of the major constellations in the night sky this summer. Thanks for reading and just look up, you never know what you will see!