A bright winter pattern with three stars in a straight belt and broad shoulder-to-knee outline.

Spotting cue: Find the belt first; it points down toward Sirius on clear evenings.

Home of the Big Dipper asterism, useful for navigating northern skies through most of the year.

Spotting cue: Use the Dipper’s two outer bowl stars to point directly to Polaris.

A clear “W” shape opposite the Big Dipper across Polaris, prominent in northern autumn nights.

Spotting cue: Scan for the tilted “W” high in the northeast after dusk.

Also called the Northern Cross, stretched through the Milky Way with a long spine and crossbar.

Spotting cue: Start at bright Deneb and trace the cross shape outward.