Right Ascension and Declination

Master star charts! Learn to find celestial coordinates like Right Ascension and Declination for stars and constellations.

Star Charts Click here for the Star Maps What constellation is the star Deneb in? Look at map 1 Estimate the RA and Dec. for Deneb. Use star chart 1. Right ascension lines are all along the outside edge. Answers should be in hours and minutes of right ascension. Declination lines are the circles found inside the map. Your answer should be in degrees of declination. (Note: Map 1 only is only the Northern Hemisphere.) How would you know how bright a star is on this map? Where can you find the key? Look on Map 1 What do you think the magnitude of Deneb is? How did you come up with that answer? Count and record how many stars you find on the Star Chart 1 –Northern Region map that has a magnitude 0.0 or brighter? On that same map, find Vega. What other name does Vega have, based on the naming scheme developed by Johann Bayer? The symbol a refers to the brightest star in a constellation, b the second brightest, and so on.) Using the same map, find Cassiopeia. Give the names of the two named stars in the constellation and what Bayer letter or Greek Letter represents each. Look at Star Chart 2. Find Canis Major. What is the magnitude of the star Sirius? Now use the next page... Star Chart 2. This is the equatorial region of the celestial sky. Notice you will have both north (+) and south (-) declination. Which star is brighter than Sirius? (look on all of the sky maps) Find Taurus. About how many stars are in the Pleiades cluster from the magnitude circles? When will the sun be passing through this constellation, near the Pleiades? Use the dates along the ecliptic line. The Pleiades is also labeled M45. What does M45 mean? Find Gemini. What is the name of the β star in the constellation Gemini? Castor is the α star. Is the brightest “star” in Gemini the alpha star? How can you tell? When looking in the night sky from Virginia Beach, you certainly see fewer stars than are on this map. Many constellations are actually easier to find in conditions such as these.a. How many stars do you think you can see in the constellation Auriga from Virginia Beach? Why? Using star chart 3 – Equatorial Region, find Scorpius. How many stars do you think you can see in this constellation from Virginia Beach? Why? Use the third map. Using Star Chart 2 and 3 Equatorial Region, name all of the constellations that lie on the ecliptic. Using the previous question's answer, list the approximate time the sun passes through it each one. Find the constellation with a star named Mirfak. How many stars with magnitude four or brighter are visible within that constellation? Using Star Chart 3 - What is the right ascension and declination of Spica in the constellation VIRGO? 12 h 25 min RA and 12 degrees Dec 13 h 25 min RA and -12 degrees Dec 15 degrees 25 min of Dec and -12 degrees RA 15h 25min Dec and -12 degrees RA Using Star Chart 3 - What is the right ascension and declination of Arcturus in BOOTES 14 h 5 min Dec and +19 degrees RA 12h 25 min RA and +19 degrees Dec 15 h 55 min RA and -19 degrees Dec 14 h 5 min RA and +19 degrees Dec Using star Chart 3 - What is the right ascension and declination of Deneb in CYGNUS? 20 h 45 min RA and +46 degrees Dec 45 h 20 min RA and + 46 degrees Dec 20 degrees Dec and 19 h 22 min RA 21 h 15 min RA and -46 degrees Dec Go back to Star Chart 2 - What is the RA and Dec of Betelguise in the constellation Orion? Go back to Star Chart 1 - What is the RA and Dec of Polaris? This one may seem tricky.... do you best.