Star Constellations: The Bootes
Created | Updated Aug 16, 2005
$Revision: 1.4 $.
This entry is part of the h2g2as constellations
project.
There exists an external star chart created for this entry.
| Latin: | bootes |
| genitive: | bootis |
| short form: | Boo |
| area: | 907 square degrees |
| coordinates: | 15h, +30° |
| zodiac: | no |
| origin: | ancient |
When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock I go
after it with a club.
— I Samuel 17 34 (NLT)
Boötes is the herdsman. The name Boötes is pronounced with both
vowels sounding making it three sylables: 'bo–oh–tees'. Literally
this Greek name means 'ox drover'. It's a spring constellation, and pretty
easy to find: Just follow the star chain of the Great Bear.
This is one of the oldest constellations. The name appears in Greek
mythology. The constellation however was apparently here long before the
Greeks. The herdsman has a snake serpens nearby and his dogs Canes Venatici.
Also in the sky not far away are a Lion and a Bear. Those watching their
flocks or tending their oxen had to deal with snakes and bears and lions, so it
is natural that they should include these in their constellations. As to
Boötes some say he is herding the other constellations around the pole.
Or perhaps he is only herding the bears. The Great Bear is just ahead of him.
Also just over his shoulder is the Northern Crown. Somehow it seems to fit
with a herdsman. The Greek poet Homer spoke of a mariner guiding his ship with
the Pleiades, the Bear, and Boötes. The Romans seemed to consider the
herdsman to be hunting the Great Bear.
It's brightest star is Arcturus. It is a red giant with a remarkably
large proper motion: one degree in 1570 years.
Izar is worth a closer look: It's a double star system, and
considered the most beautiful in the sky.
For amateur astronomers looking for nice Messier objects or other
interesting nebulae, the Boötes is totally boring. As mentioned, Izar is
worth a look with the telescope. Boötes has particularly many double
stars to offer.
In 1922 the Quadrantids meteors were rezoned to Boötes after the
constellation 'quadrans muralis' was removed by the IAU1 when it developed its official list of
constellations. However the Quadrantids kept their name. On a really dark
starlit night in the first week in January one watching this shower at its peak
might see more than 100 meteors per hour.
Stars, Clusters, and Nebulae
| Star | Name | Brightness (m) | Distance (lightyears) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| α Boo | Arcturus (guarder of the bear) | 0.2 | 36 | brightest star n. of the zodiac |
| β Boo | Nekkar, Nekbar (cattleman) | 3.5 | 219 | |
| γ Boo | Seginus, Ceginus2 | 3.0 | 85 | near the dogs |
| τ Boo | 4.5 | 58 | has a planet | |
| ε Boo | Izar (girdle), Mirak (loin-cloth), Pulcherrima (The Most Beautiful) | 2.4 | 210 | beautiful double star |
| μ Boo | Alkalurops (shepherd's crook) | 4.3 | 121 | multiple star system |
Astronomical Union2This name has an intersting story: If you write
'Bootes' in Arabian script, it looks similar to a Latin
'Seginus'.
