Starwatch: the hair and the dogs that became stand-alone constellations

Ptolemy originally regarded the stars of Coma Berenices as the tuft of Leo's tail and saw Canes Venatici as part of the great bear

This week, we can track down two faint northern springtime constellations.

Canes Venatici is the Latin for hunting dogs". It is associated with the neighbouring constellation of Bootes, the herdsman, and sits below the handle of the plough asterism in the constellation of Ursa Major, the great bear.