NamedLight Blog
Astronomy tips, gift ideas, and stories from the stars.
Constellation Guides
Pegasus: The Winged Horse and the Autumn Square
Pegasus dominates the autumn sky with one of the most recognizable star patterns of the year -- a giant square of four stars that signals the change of season and anchors one of the richest corners of the sky.
Constellation Guides
Aquila: The Eagle and the Stars of Late Summer
Aquila the Eagle rides the Milky Way in the late summer sky, anchored by Altair — one of the closest bright stars to Earth and one of the fastest-spinning stars you can see with the naked eye.
Constellation Guides
Cygnus: The Swan Soaring Through the Milky Way
Cygnus is one of the most recognizable constellations in the summer sky — a cross-shaped pattern of stars stretching across the Milky Way, anchored by one of the most extraordinary stars in the galaxy.
Constellation Guides
Boötes: The Herdsman and the Brightest Star in the Northern Sky
Boötes is one of the oldest named constellations in the sky, and it contains Arcturus — the brightest star in the northern hemisphere. Here's what to know about it and how to find it.
Constellation Guides
Scorpius: The Scorpion of Summer and Its Brilliant Stars
Scorpius is one of the few constellations that genuinely looks like what it's named for. It's also one of the most dramatic in the sky — anchored by a red supergiant, curving through the Milky Way, and carrying one of the oldest rivalries in mythology.
Constellation Guides
Lyra: The Harp of Orpheus and the Stars Within It
Small but unmistakable in the summer sky, Lyra contains one of the brightest stars visible from Earth, one of astronomy's most iconic dying stars, and a myth about love, loss, and the limits of what even the greatest gifts can overcome.
Constellation Guides
Orion: The Hunter, His Stars, and How to Find Him
No constellation is more instantly recognizable than Orion. Here's the mythology behind the Hunter, the remarkable stars within his borders, and how to find him in the winter sky.