Bootes
click for larger image File links The following pages link to this file: Arcturus Boötes Category:Bootes constellation Categories: GFDL images | Maps of the constellations ...
Abbreviation	Boo
Genitive	Boötis
Symbology	the Bear Watcher
Right ascension	15 h
Declination	+30°
Area	907 sq. deg. Ranked 13th
Number of stars (magnitude < 3)	3
Brightest star	Arcturus (α Boo) (App. magnitude −0.04)
Meteor showers	January Bootids June Bootids Quadrantids
Bordering constellations	Canes Venatici Coma Berenices Corona Borealis Draco Hercules Serpens Virgo Ursa Major
Visible at latitudes between +90° and −50° Best visible during the month of June

Boötes, a name deriving from Egypt, is one of the 88 modern constellations and was also one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. Boötes is generally referred to as the Bear Watcher, since it appears to be watching over the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. It contains the third brightest star in the night sky, Arcturus. The genitive case is a grammatical case that indicates a relationship, primarily one of possession, between the noun in the genitive case and another noun. ... For other meanings, see Bear (disambiguation). ... According to the apocryphal Book of Enoch, the Grigori (also known as Watchers), are a group of fallen angels who mated with mortal women, giving rise to a race of giants known as the Nephilim. ... Right ascension (RA; symbol α: Greek letter alpha) is the astronomical term for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. ... In astronomy declination (dec) is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. ... Here is a list of the 88 modern constellations by their area in the sky, measured in square degrees. ... The apparent magnitude (m) of a star, planet or other heavenly body is a measure of its apparent brightness; that is, the amount of light received from the object. ... Arcturus in the constellation of Boötes. ... The apparent magnitude (m) of a star, planet or other heavenly body is a measure of its apparent brightness; that is, the amount of light received from the object. ... Categories: Planetology | Astronomy stubs ... The Quadrantids are a meteor shower. ... Canes Venatici (Latin for hunting dogs) is a small northern constellation that was introduced by Johannes Hevelius in the 17th century. ... Coma Berenices (Latin for Berenices Hair) is a traditional asterism that has since become a constellation. ... Corona Borealis (Latin for northern crown) is a small northern constellation whose main stars form a semicircular arc. ... Draco (Latin for Dragon) is a far northern constellation that is circumpolar for many northern hemisphere observers. ... Named after the Roman name (Hercules) of the Greek mythological hero Herakles, Hercules is the fifth largest of the 88 modern constellations. ... Serpens (the snake) is one of the 88 modern constellations, and was also one of the 48 listed by Ptolemy. ... See VIRGO (physics) for a French-Italian project in physics. ... Ursa Major is a constellation visible throughout the year in the northern hemisphere. ... June is the sixth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... Orion is a remarkable constellation, visible from most places on the globe (but not always the whole year long). ... Claudius Ptolemaeus, given contemporary German styling, in a 16th century engraved book frontispiece Claudius Ptolemaeus (Greek: Κλαύδιος Πτολεμαίος; c. ... Ursa Major is a constellation visible throughout the year in the northern hemisphere. ... Ursa Minor is a constellation in the northern sky, the name of which means Small Bearin Latin. ... By apparent magnitude Below the 100 Brightest stars as seen from Earth (by apparent magnitude at visible wavelengths) according to the Hipparcos sky survey. ... Arcturus in the constellation of Boötes. ...

The constellation is located between 0° and +60° declination, 13 and 16 hours of right ascension on the celestial sphere. In astronomy declination (dec) is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. ... Right ascension (RA; symbol α: Greek letter alpha) is the astronomical term for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. ... In astronomy and navigation, the celestial sphere is an imaginary rotating sphere of gigantic radius, concentric with the Earth. ...

Notable features

The name Arcturus, the alpha star of Boötes, means bear driver. It is a zero magnitude red giant and is the third brightest star as seen from Earth in the night sky. It is one of the vertices of the Spring Triangle, the other two being Spica (α Virginis) and Denebola (β Leonis). Arcturus in the constellation of Boötes. ... Many of the brighter stars are given names which are known as Bayer designations. ... Ursa Major is a constellation visible throughout the year in the northern hemisphere. ... The apparent magnitude (m) of a star, planet or other heavenly body is a measure of its apparent brightness; that is, the amount of light received from the object. ... According to the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, a red giant is a large non-main sequence star of stellar classification K or M; so-named because of the reddish appearance of the cooler giants. Examples include Aldebaran and Arcturus. ... Earth, also known as the Earth or Terra, is the third planet outward from the Sun. ... The Spring Triangle is an astronomical asterism involving an imaginary triangle drawn upon the celestial sphere, with its defining vertices at Arcturus, Spica, and alternately Denebola or Regulus. ... Spica (α Virginis) is a brilliant first-magnitude star, believed to be the star that provided Hipparchus with the data which enabled him to discover precession of the equinoxes. ... See VIRGO (physics) for a French-Italian project in physics. ... Denebola, or Beta Leonis, is the second-brightest star in the constellation of Leo. ... Leo (Latin for lion) is a constellation of the zodiac. ...

Izar (ε Boo), having an apparent magnitude of 2.7, is the third brightest star in the constellation. It is actually a binary star and has a companion of 5.12^m. IZAR was founded in December 2000 following the merger of Astilleros Españoles S.A. (AESA) and Empresa Nacional Bazán. ... Binary star A binary star system consists of two stars both orbiting around their barycenter. ...

τ Boötis is known to be orbited by a planet. Infrared image of the star GQ Lupi (A) orbited by a planet (b) at a distance of approximately 20 times the distance between Jupiter and our Sun. ...

The meteor shower Quadrantids within this constellation is named after the defunct constellation Quadrans Muralis (which is now a part of Boötes). The Quadrantids are a meteor shower. ...

Notable deep sky objects

NGC 5466 is a loose globular cluster that can be observed with most telescopes. It was discovered by William Herschel on May 17, 1784. Sir Wilhelm Friedrich Herschel (November 15, 1738 Hanover - August 25, 1822 Windsor) was a German-born astronomer and composer who became famous for discovering the planet Uranus, and made many other astronomical discoveries. ... May 17 is the 137th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (138th in leap years). ... 1784 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

Mythology

Including the fainter stars, Boötes appears to be a large human figure, looking toward Ursa Major [1] (http://borghetto.astrofili.org/costellazioni/bootes.JPG). Exactly whom Boötes is supposed to represent is not clear. According to one version, he was a ploughman who drove the oxen in the constellation Ursa Major using his two dogs Chara and Asterion (from the constellation Canes Venatici). The oxen were tied to the polar axis and so the action of Boötes kept the heavens in constant rotation. Ursa Major is a constellation visible throughout the year in the northern hemisphere. ... Ursa Major is a constellation visible throughout the year in the northern hemisphere. ... Canes Venatici (Latin for hunting dogs) is a small northern constellation that was introduced by Johannes Hevelius in the 17th century. ...

Boötes was also supposed to have invented the plough. This is said to have greatly pleased Ceres, the goddess of agriculture who asked Jupiter to give Boötes a permanent fixture in the heavens as a reward for doing this. For the constellation known as The Plough see Ursa Major. ... For other uses, see Ceres (disambiguation). ... Zeus Kroniōn (descendant of Cronus), or simply Zeús or Zdeús (Greek Ζεύς) or Dias (Greek Δίας) (divine king) is the leader of the gods and god of the sky and thunder in Greek mythology. ...

Another version portrays Boötes as a grape grower called Icarius, who one day allowed the Roman god Bacchus to inspect his vineyards. Bacchus revealed the secret of wine making to Icarius, who was so impressed by this alcoholic beverage that he invited his friends round to sample it. Having never tasted wine before, they all drank too much and woke up the next morning with terrible hangovers; and they made the mistaken assumption that Icarius had tried to poison them. It was decided that Icarius should pay the price with his own life, and he was swiftly murdered in his sleep. In Greek mythology, there were two people named Icarius, or Ikários (and one named Icarus) Icarius was the son of Oebalus and Gorgophone and, by Periboea, father of Penelope and Perilaus. ... Bacchus is the name of: the Roman god Bacchus, known to the Greeks as Dionysus the asteroid 2063 Bacchus the Bacchus grape variety, grown predominantly in Germany the painting Bacchus by Leonardo da Vinci This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share... Grow and harvest grapes. ... A hangover is the after-effect following the consumption of large amounts of one drug or another. ...

Following another reading the constellation is identified with Arcas, son of Zeus and Callisto. Arcas was brought up by his maternal grandfather Lycaon, to whom one day Zeus went and had a meal. To verify that the guest was really the king of the gods, Lycaon killed his grandson and prepared a meal made from his flesh. Zeus noticed and became very angry, transforming Lycaon into a wolf and gave back life to his son.

In the meantime Callisto had been transformed into a she-bear, by Zeus' wife, Hera, who was angry at Zeus' infidelity. When he was grown up, Arcas met with the she-bear and, since obviously he didn't recognize her as his mother, he began to chase Callisto. Callisto, followed by Arcas, sheltered herself in a temple, a sacred place whose profaners were convicted to death. To avoid such fate, Zeus decided to set them in the sky, Arcas as Boötes and Callisto as Ursa Major.

This is a rare version of the myth surrounding Ursa Major, as the myth usually holds that Arcas is transformed into a bear as well (becoming Ursa Minor), and in such versions Boötes has no part. Ursa Minor, and Ursa Major, are constellations whose identification only originated in later classical Greece, and in Rome, and as such Boötes kept separate associations dating from much earlier.

Boötes was considered to be Atlas by some ancient greek legends, as well as those in other early mediterranian cultures, since it takes an appropriate position in the sky (its arms near the pole star, but its body standing on/near the ecliptic). As such, together with earlier interpretations of other constellations in the zodiac sign of libra (i.e. of Draco (constellation), Ursa Major and Ursa Minor it may have formed the origin of the myth of the apples of the Hesperides, which forms part of The Twelve Labours of Herakles. In Greek mythology, Atlas was the son of the Titan Iapetus and the nymph Clymene, and brother of Prometheus. ... This article is in need of attention. ... The plane of the Ecliptic is well seen in this picture from the 1994 lunar prospecting Clementine spacecraft. ... This article is about the astrological concept. ... Libra (♎, and Latin for balance) is a constellation of the zodiac. ... Draco (Latin for Dragon) is a far northern constellation that is circumpolar for many northern hemisphere observers. ... Ursa Major is a constellation visible throughout the year in the northern hemisphere. ... Ursa Minor is a constellation in the northern sky, the name of which means Small Bearin Latin. ... For the ancient Greek city Hesperides see Benghazi. ... The Twelve Labours of Herakles are a series of stories connected by a continuous narrative, concerning a penance carried out by Herakles. ... For the son of Alexander the Great, see Heracles (Macedon). ...

Andromeda is a constellation named for the princess Andromeda (which is Greek for Ruler over men), a character in greek mythology. ... Aquarius (♒), being Latin for of the water, is one of the oldest recognized constellations along the zodiac, the suns apparent path. ... Aquila (Latin for Eagle), is one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy and is now also part of the list of 88 constellations acknowledged by the IAU. It lies roughly at the celestial equator. ... ARA may stand for: Armada Republica Argentina, the navy of Argentina. ... The constellation Argo Navis drawn by Johannes Hevelius in 1690 Argo Navis (or simply Argo) was a large southern constellation representing the Argo, the ship used by Jason and the Argonauts in Greek mythology. ... For the rocket, see Aries (rocket) Aries (♈) is one of the constellations of the zodiac, and its name is Latin for Ram. ... Categories: Constellations listed by Ptolemy | Modern constellations | Constellations | Auriga constellation ... In astronomy and astrology, Cancer (♋), Latin for crab, is one of the twelve constellations of the zodiac. ... Canis Major (Latin for big dog) is one of the 88 modern constellations, and was also in Ptolemys list of 48 constellations. ... Canis Minor (Latin for little dog) is one of the 88 modern constellations, and was also in Ptolemys list of 48 constellations. ... Capricornus (♑), a name meaning Horned Goat in Latin, is one of the constellations of the zodiac. ... Cassiopeia is a northern constellation which greek mythology considered to represent a vain queen. ... For other uses, see Centaurus (disambiguation). ... Cepheus is a northern constellation named after a character in Greek mythology, and is considered to representing a king. ... Cetus (a name from Greek mythology, referring to a Whale or Sea Monster) is a constellation of the southern sky, in the region known as the Water, near other watery constellations like Aquarius, Pisces, and Eridanus. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Corona Borealis (Latin for northern crown) is a small northern constellation whose main stars form a semicircular arc. ... Corvus (Latin for Raven/Crow) is a small southern constellation with only 11 stars visible to the naked eye (brighter than magnitude 5. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Constellations listed by Ptolemy | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Cygnus (Latin for swan) is a northern constellation. ... Delphinus (disambiguation). ... Draco (Latin for Dragon) is a far northern constellation that is circumpolar for many northern hemisphere observers. ... References Burnham, Robert (1978). ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Constellations listed by Ptolemy | Modern constellations | Constellations ... In mythology, the Gemini are Castor and Polydeuces. ... Named after the Roman name (Hercules) of the Greek mythological hero Herakles, Hercules is the fifth largest of the 88 modern constellations. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Constellations listed by Ptolemy | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Leo (Latin for lion) is a constellation of the zodiac. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Constellations listed by Ptolemy | Modern constellations | Constellations | Lepus constellation ... Libra (♎, and Latin for balance) is a constellation of the zodiac. ... For the autoimmune disorder see lupus erythematosus. ... The constellation Lyra (Latin for Lyre) already formed part of Ptolemys list of 48 constellations and is also one of the 88 modern constellations approved by the IAU. Lyra is not very big but still easy to find because its principal star, Vega, is also a vertex of Summer... Ophiuchus (known as the serpent holder) is one of the 88 constellations, and was also one of the 48 listed by Ptolemy. ... Orion, a constellation often referred to as The Hunter, is a prominent constellation, perhaps the best-known in the sky. ... Pegasus is a northern constellation, named after the mythological Pegasus. ... Perseus is a northern constellation, named after the Greek hero who slew the monster Medusa. ... Pisces (♓, Latin for fish (plural)) is a zodiac constellation which lies between Aquarius to the west and Aries to the east. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Constellations listed by Ptolemy | Modern constellations | Constellations | Piscis Austrinus constellation ... Sagitta, being Latin for Arrow, is the third-smallest of all constellations (only Equuleus and Crux are smaller). ... Sagittarius (♐, and Latin for Archer) is a constellation of the zodiac, commonly depicted as a centaur drawing a bow. ... Scorpius (♏, and Latin for scorpion) is one of the constellations of the zodiac. ... Serpens (the snake) is one of the 88 modern constellations, and was also one of the 48 listed by Ptolemy. ... Taurus (♉) is one of the constellations of the zodiac, and its name is Latin for Bull. ... Triangulum is a small northern constellation whose three brightest stars, of third and fourth magnitude, form an elongated triangle. ... Ursa Major is a constellation visible throughout the year in the northern hemisphere. ... Ursa Minor is a constellation in the northern sky, the name of which means Small Bearin Latin. ... See VIRGO (physics) for a French-Italian project in physics. ...

Orion is a remarkable constellation, visible from most places on the globe (but not always the whole year long). ... Andromeda is a constellation named for the princess Andromeda (which is Greek for Ruler over men), a character in greek mythology. ... The constellation Antlia (Latin for pump) is a relatively new constellation as it was only created in the 18th century, being too faint to be acknowledged by the ancient greeks. ... For the genus of birds, see Apus (biology). ... Aquarius (♒), being Latin for of the water, is one of the oldest recognized constellations along the zodiac, the suns apparent path. ... Aquila (Latin for Eagle), is one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy and is now also part of the list of 88 constellations acknowledged by the IAU. It lies roughly at the celestial equator. ... ARA may stand for: Armada Republica Argentina, the navy of Argentina. ... For the rocket, see Aries (rocket) Aries (♈) is one of the constellations of the zodiac, and its name is Latin for Ram. ... Categories: Constellations listed by Ptolemy | Modern constellations | Constellations | Auriga constellation ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Camelopardalis, Latin for giraffe, is the name of a large but faint northern constellation first recorded by Jakob Bartsch in 1624, but probably created earlier by Petrus Plancius. ... In astronomy and astrology, Cancer (♋), Latin for crab, is one of the twelve constellations of the zodiac. ... Canes Venatici (Latin for hunting dogs) is a small northern constellation that was introduced by Johannes Hevelius in the 17th century. ... Canis Major (Latin for big dog) is one of the 88 modern constellations, and was also in Ptolemys list of 48 constellations. ... Canis Minor (Latin for little dog) is one of the 88 modern constellations, and was also in Ptolemys list of 48 constellations. ... Capricornus (♑), a name meaning Horned Goat in Latin, is one of the constellations of the zodiac. ... Carina ( Latin for keel) is a southern constellation which forms part of the old constellation of Argo Navis. ... Cassiopeia is a northern constellation which greek mythology considered to represent a vain queen. ... For other uses, see Centaurus (disambiguation). ... Cepheus is a northern constellation named after a character in Greek mythology, and is considered to representing a king. ... Cetus (a name from Greek mythology, referring to a Whale or Sea Monster) is a constellation of the southern sky, in the region known as the Water, near other watery constellations like Aquarius, Pisces, and Eridanus. ... Chamaeleon (Latin for chameleon) is a minor southern constellation that was included in Johann Bayers Uranometria, but may have been in use somewhat earlier. ... Circinus, Latin for Compass, is one of the small southern (declination -50 to -60 degrees) constellations. ... Columba, Latin for dove, is a small constellation just south to Canis Major and Lepus, it was cut out of the constellation Canis Major by Augustin Royer, in 1679. ... Coma Berenices (Latin for Berenices Hair) is a traditional asterism that has since become a constellation. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Corona Borealis (Latin for northern crown) is a small northern constellation whose main stars form a semicircular arc. ... Corvus (Latin for Raven/Crow) is a small southern constellation with only 11 stars visible to the naked eye (brighter than magnitude 5. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Constellations listed by Ptolemy | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Crux, being Latin for cross, commonly known as the Southern Cross (in contrast to the Northern Cross), is the smallest of the 88 modern constellations, but also one of the most famous. ... Cygnus (Latin for swan) is a northern constellation. ... Delphinus (disambiguation). ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations | Dorado constellation ... Draco (Latin for Dragon) is a far northern constellation that is circumpolar for many northern hemisphere observers. ... References Burnham, Robert (1978). ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Constellations listed by Ptolemy | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations ... In mythology, the Gemini are Castor and Polydeuces. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Named after the Roman name (Hercules) of the Greek mythological hero Herakles, Hercules is the fifth largest of the 88 modern constellations. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Constellations listed by Ptolemy | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Hydrus (Latin for Hydra, also referred to as male Hydra or little Hydra) is a minor southern constellation. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations ... For the biological genus of lizards, see Lacerta (genus). ... Leo (Latin for lion) is a constellation of the zodiac. ... Leo Minor (Latin for Small Lion) is a rather dim constellation that can - barely - be recognized as a triangle and lies between the easily discerned constellations Ursa Major and Leo. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Constellations listed by Ptolemy | Modern constellations | Constellations | Lepus constellation ... Libra (♎, and Latin for balance) is a constellation of the zodiac. ... For the autoimmune disorder see lupus erythematosus. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations | Northern constellations ... The constellation Lyra (Latin for Lyre) already formed part of Ptolemys list of 48 constellations and is also one of the 88 modern constellations approved by the IAU. Lyra is not very big but still easy to find because its principal star, Vega, is also a vertex of Summer... Mensa (Latin for Table) is a southern constellation which was first introduced by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille under the name Mons Mensae (Latin for table mountain). ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Monoceros (Latin for Unicorn) is a faint constellation on the winter night sky, surrounded by Orion to the west, Gemini to the north, Canis Major to the south and Hydra to the east. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Ophiuchus (known as the serpent holder) is one of the 88 constellations, and was also one of the 48 listed by Ptolemy. ... Orion, a constellation often referred to as The Hunter, is a prominent constellation, perhaps the best-known in the sky. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations | Pavo constellation ... Pegasus is a northern constellation, named after the mythological Pegasus. ... Perseus is a northern constellation, named after the Greek hero who slew the monster Medusa. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Pictor, being Latin for easel, is one of the minor southern (declination -50 to -60) constellations. ... Pisces (♓, Latin for fish (plural)) is a zodiac constellation which lies between Aquarius to the west and Aries to the east. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Constellations listed by Ptolemy | Modern constellations | Constellations | Piscis Austrinus constellation ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations | Puppis constellation | Argo Navis constellation ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations | Pyxis constellation | Argo Navis constellation ... For the second stomach of a ruminant animal, see this article. ... Sagitta, being Latin for Arrow, is the third-smallest of all constellations (only Equuleus and Crux are smaller). ... Sagittarius (♐, and Latin for Archer) is a constellation of the zodiac, commonly depicted as a centaur drawing a bow. ... Scorpius (♏, and Latin for scorpion) is one of the constellations of the zodiac. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations | Sculptor constellation ... For the Roman shield, see Scutum (shield). ... Serpens (the snake) is one of the 88 modern constellations, and was also one of the 48 listed by Ptolemy. ... For the Ancient Roman coin denomination, see sextans (coin). ... Taurus (♉) is one of the constellations of the zodiac, and its name is Latin for Bull. ... Telescopium - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Triangulum is a small northern constellation whose three brightest stars, of third and fourth magnitude, form an elongated triangle. ... For the northern constellation, see Triangulum. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations ... Ursa Major is a constellation visible throughout the year in the northern hemisphere. ... Ursa Minor is a constellation in the northern sky, the name of which means Small Bearin Latin. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations | Vela constellation | Argo Navis constellation ... See VIRGO (physics) for a French-Italian project in physics. ... Categories: Astronomy stubs | Modern constellations | Constellations | Volans constellation ... Vulpecula, being Latin for Fox, is a faint northern constellation located in the middle of the Summer Triangle, an asterism consisting of the stars Deneb, Vega and Altair. ...

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Boötes