Auriga
The charioteer bright as a beacon
Best on December–February evenings · northern sky.
Auriga is a large, prominent constellation riding the winter Milky Way just north of Orion. Its defining feature is Capella, one of the brightest stars in the entire night sky, making Auriga easy to spot even from light-polluted areas. A rough pentagon of stars traces the charioteer's outline, with Capella blazing at the top.
How to find it
On winter evenings, look high in the northern sky for a brilliantly yellow-white star near the top of the sky — that's Capella, and you've already found the heart of Auriga. A useful hop: follow Orion's Belt stars upward and to the right; that line arcs toward Capella. The pentagon of stars surrounding it fills in the rest of the constellation.
Brightest stars
Capella dominates at magnitude 0.08, one of the five brightest stars visible from northern latitudes and a warm yellow-white color that sets it apart. Menkalinan (β Aur) is a solid second at magnitude 1.9, with Mahasim (magnitude 2.62) and Kabdhilinan (magnitude 2.69) rounding out the pentagon.
Worth seeing
The pentagon shape itself is the reward — a neat, easy-to-trace figure anchored by dazzling Capella, and a satisfying star-hop destination on any clear winter night.
Frequently asked
When is Auriga visible?
Winter evenings, roughly December through February, when it rides high in the northern sky — making it one of the best-placed winter constellations for northern hemisphere observers.
What are the brightest stars in Auriga?
Capella leads at magnitude 0.08, one of the brightest stars in the whole sky. Menkalinan follows at magnitude 1.9, with Mahasim (2.62), Kabdhilinan (2.69), and Haldus (2.99) completing the main pattern.
Which hemisphere is Auriga best seen from?
The northern hemisphere, where it climbs high overhead on winter evenings. Southern hemisphere observers can catch it low in the north but miss much of its altitude and impact.
Nearby constellations
Gemini · Perseus · Taurus · Orion · Cancer · Aries · Cassiopeia · Ursa Major