Spring Night Sky: What to Observe

Spring brings a transition in the night sky. The brilliant winter constellations sink toward the western horizon, replaced by subtler but equally fascinating patterns rising in the east. While the spring sky has fewer dazzling stars than winter, it compensates with something unique: this is galaxy season, when the window into deep extragalactic space opens wide.

The Arc to Arcturus

The defining navigation trick of the spring sky is the Arc to Arcturus. Follow the curve of the Big Dipper's handle and extend it in a smooth arc southward. The first bright star you reach is Arcturus, a golden-orange giant in the constellation Bootes. At magnitude -0.05, Arcturus is the brightest star in the Northern Hemisphere sky and the fourth-brightest overall.

Continue the arc beyond Arcturus, and you reach Spica, a blue-white star in Virgo. This arc-to-Arcturus-and-spike-to-Spica is one of the most useful sky navigation tools available.

Key Spring Constellations

Leo the Lion

Leo is the signature constellation of spring, sitting high in the south during evening hours. Its distinctive backward question mark (the Sickle) represents the lion's head and mane, with the bright star Regulus at its base. Leo contains several fine galaxies, including the Leo Triplet (M65, M66, and NGC 3628) -- excellent targets for telescope users.

Virgo the Maiden

Virgo is a large constellation south of Bootes, anchored by the star Spica. It hosts the Virgo Cluster, a massive concentration of galaxies about 55 million light-years away. Dozens of Messier galaxies reside here, making spring the prime season for galaxy hunting.

Bootes the Herdsman

A kite-shaped constellation with brilliant Arcturus at its base. Bootes contains several attractive double stars for telescope observers.

Canes Venatici (The Hunting Dogs)

A small constellation between the Big Dipper and Bootes containing the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51), one of the most beautiful face-on spiral galaxies. It is visible as a faint smudge through binoculars from dark sites and shows spiral structure through larger telescopes.

Coma Berenices

A faint but charming constellation consisting of a loose scatter of stars, actually an open star cluster visible to the naked eye. Behind it lies another rich galaxy cluster.

Galaxy Season

In spring, we look out of the plane of the Milky Way rather than along it. Without the dense star fields and dust of the galactic disk blocking our view, we can see far into intergalactic space. The result is an abundance of galaxies visible through telescopes and even binoculars:

• M81 and M82: A galaxy pair in Ursa Major. M81 is a grand spiral, and M82 is an irregular galaxy with active star formation. Both fit in the same binocular field.
• M51 (Whirlpool Galaxy): A stunning face-on spiral interacting with a smaller companion galaxy.
• M104 (Sombrero Galaxy): An edge-on galaxy in Virgo with a prominent dark dust lane.
• M65/M66/NGC 3628 (Leo Triplet): Three galaxies close together in Leo.
• Markarian's Chain: A curved string of galaxies in the Virgo Cluster, visible through medium to large telescopes.

Other Spring Highlights

• M3: A brilliant globular cluster between Bootes and Canes Venatici. Rivals M13 in beauty.
• Cor Caroli: A beautiful double star in Canes Venatici, easily split in small telescopes.
• The Big Dipper: At its highest point in spring evenings, making it easy to use for finding Polaris and navigating to other constellations.

Planets in Spring

Spring evenings are the best time from northern latitudes to spot Mercury in the evening sky, because the ecliptic makes a steep angle with the western horizon. Check planet positions tonight for current visibility. Venus as an evening star during spring can climb very high, remaining visible for hours after sunset.

Spring Observing Tips

• Embrace galaxy hunting. A telescope and a detailed star chart open up dozens of galaxies in Leo, Virgo, and Coma Berenices.
• Use averted vision. Galaxies are often faint. Looking slightly to the side of the target activates more sensitive parts of your retina.
• Enjoy comfortable temperatures. Spring evenings are much warmer than winter, making longer sessions more pleasant.
• Take advantage of the Messier Marathon window. Late March through early April is the only time all 110 Messier objects can be observed in a single night.

Explore the Spring Sky

Open StarGlobe to identify spring constellations and plan your galaxy-hunting sessions. While the spring sky may lack winter's raw brilliance, it offers depth -- literally, as you peer millions of light-years into the universe through a window that only opens for a few months each year. See also our winter, summer, and autumn sky guides.