Starwatch: Auriga in the zenith

The sparkling constellation of Orion marches westwards from the SE each evening to cross the meridian at 20:00. At the same time, Capella in Auriga the Charioteer passes within 10 of our zenith, closer than any other of the brightest 30 stars in the sky. Our chart of Auriga stretches as far north as Delta at a declination (the celestial equivalent of latitude) of 54 N so that it passes directly overhead as seen from N England.