Until the advent of global positioning technologies and maps, constellations have (literally) been the guiding stars for people worldwide.

Depending on the time of the year and your location, different stars are visible. There are plenty of sources online that can assist you to identify shapes and positions of constellations. If you do not have a veteran stargazer on hand to show you the ropes, the guide below might help you locate some easily noticeable constellations.

Orion, ‘The Hunter’

Orion is one of the easiest constellations to spot in the night sky. You can begin by searching for the three bright stars that form the straight line of the hunter’s belt. From there you will be able to spot the Betelgeuse, the bright star that forms the armpit of the hunter, and follow that towards the east along the hunter’s arm which is holding a bow. If you look carefully, you can spot the other stars that fill out the upper body of the hunter and also his sword hanging from the belt.

Taurus, ‘The Bull’

If you have located Orion, it becomes easier to spot the constellation of Taurus. The Bull is located above Orion and is often identified by first finding the large red star known as Aldebaran, near the fork of the bull’s horn. The Crab Nebula forms the ‘bottom horn’ of the bull. Above this constellation, you can also locate another famous cluster of stars called the Pleiades.

The Big Dipper, Ursa Major, ‘The Great Bear’

The Big Dipper is technically not a constellation, but part of a constellation known as Ursa Major. In the northern hemisphere, the Big Dipper is generally the most easily identifiable pattern of stars in the sky. Once you have located the Big Dipper, you can identify that the handle is actually the neck and head of the Great Bear or Ursa Major. The ‘cup’ forms the bear’s chest and the ‘front legs’ extend from the bottom right corner of the cup. Understanding this will massively help you to identify the Ursa Major, once you have located the Big Dipper.

The Little Dipper or Ursa Minor, ‘The Little Bear’, and the North Star

This relatively small constellation can be located by spotting the two stars that form the right side of the ‘cup’ and follow a straight line towards the north, and you’ll be able to see the brightly shining North Star. The North Star is the end star of the Little Dipper’s ‘handle’ and it is actually the Little Bear’s tail, and the cup forms part of the bear's side. If you locate the Little Dipper, you have also spotted Ursa Minor.

Hurry up and grab your binoculars to get a sight of the constellations!