Home > Constellations, Ephemeris Program, Observing > Ephemeris: 06/10/2024 – Finding Draco the Dragon

Ephemeris: 06/10/2024 – Finding Draco the Dragon

June 10, 2024

This is Ephemeris for Monday, June 10th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 31 minutes, setting at 9:28, and it will rise tomorrow at 5:56. The Moon, halfway from new to first quarter, will set at 1:09 tomorrow morning.

High in the northern sky at 11 p.m. lies the twisted constellation, that of Draco the dragon. This dragon is more like the snakelike Chinese dragon than the dinosaur-like dragon of European legend. I find it better to start at the tail of Draco, to trace him out in the stars. Draco’s tail starts, or ends, between the bowl of the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper high in the north-northwest. The Dragon is seen in a line of stars that extends parallel to the handle of the Big Dipper before curving around the bowl of the Little Dipper then bends back down to the level of Polaris in the north-northeast before turning toward the east. The head of Draco is an odd box of stars near the bright star Vega, high in the east. Though not made up of very bright stars, Draco has an easy shape to trace.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT–4 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

A Finder chart to locate the constellation Draco the dragon in the north
A Finder chart to locate the constellation Draco the dragon in the north, for about 11 pm, June 10th. Its tail ends between the Big and Little Dippers (Ursa Major and Ursa Minor). Its body winds around the Little Dipper, and his head ends up close to the bright star Vega in the east. Created using Stellarium and GIMP.
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