Starwatch: Corona Borealis, crown of the north

One of the earliest recognised constellations, quite small and relatively faint, Corona Borealis forms an unmistakeable semi-circle of stars

This week, head out of the city to a dark sky location and track down the constellation of Corona Borealis, the northern crown. It is a small, relatively faint constellation but one that has been recognised for millennia. Ptolemy listed it in his 2nd century catalogue of 48 constellations. In classical Greco-Roman mythology, the semi-circle of stars is said to represent the crown given to Cretan princess Ariadne by the god Dionysus. Other cultures see things very differently. The constellation has been variously described as a heavenly castle, a boomerang, a group of dancing sisters, a string of jewels and a broken dish.