Auriga is a sprawling, easily recognizable constellation in the northern sky. It borders Taurus directly to the east. Together with the star Elnath (β Tauri), which belongs to Taurus, Auriga forms an almost regular hexagon. The main star, Capella, is the third brightest star in the northern sky at 0.1 mag.
The northern part of Auriga is circumpolar in our latitudes, so it is visible all year round. It reaches its highest position in the night sky in winter. In about 13,000 years it will mark the celestial equator due to precession.
The starry band of the Milky Way runs through Auriga, so several interesting objects, such as star clusters and nebulae, can be seen here.
| Auriga | |
|---|---|
| Latin name | Auriga |
| Latin genitive | Aurigae |
| Abbreviation | Aur |
| Brightest star | Capella (α Aurigae) |
| Fully visible | 90° N to 34° S |
| Observation time for Central Europe | all year round |
