The Winter Hexagon: The Brightest Stars of Winter
The winter hexagon is the easiest way to take in the brightest stars of the cold season all at once. It is not an official constellation but a giant six-sided ring of dazzling stars, drawn by connecting the leading lights of several neighboring constellations. Once you trace it, half the winter sky suddenly makes sense.
What is the winter hexagon?
The winter hexagon links six brilliant stars into a loose oval that hangs high in the evening during the colder months. Its corners are Sirius (the brightest star in the night sky), Rigel in Orion, Aldebaran in Taurus, Capella in Auriga, Pollux in Gemini, and Procyon in Canis Minor.
Because these are some of the most luminous stars around, the shape cuts right through light pollution. You can often pick it out from a city balcony, no dark site or telescope required.
How to find it
Start with Orion, the unmistakable hunter, and find dazzling Sirius low and to its lower left. From there, simply hop your gaze from one bright star to the next, drawing the ring in your mind. Reddish Betelgeuse, Orion's shoulder, sits roughly inside the hexagon as a bonus marker.
Notice the colors as you go: golden Capella, orange Aldebaran, blue-white Rigel and Sirius. That contrast is one of the quiet joys of winter stargazing.
Tips for spotting the winter hexagon
- Find Orion first, then use it as your launchpad to the surrounding stars.
- Look on a clear evening when the stars have climbed well above the horizon.
- Let your eyes adjust to the dark for several minutes before tracing the shape.
- Compare the star colors to tell each corner apart.
- Face south from the Northern Hemisphere for the best, highest view.
The hexagon is a friendly target if you are just starting your first night under the stars, and once you have traced it you can branch out to even more sights with a simple guide to what you can see in the sky tonight.
Want to draw the ring for yourself? Open the Starly sky map, let it find your location, and watch the winter hexagon light up exactly where it sits above your horizon right now.
Open the sky map with Sirius selected and ring your way around the six bright winter stars.
Frequently asked questions
What is the winter hexagon?
The winter hexagon is a large six-sided pattern formed by six brilliant stars: Sirius, Rigel, Aldebaran, Capella, Pollux, and Procyon. It is an asterism, not an official constellation, and frames much of the winter sky.
Do I need a telescope to see the winter hexagon?
No. Its corner stars are among the brightest in the sky, so you can trace the winter hexagon with your naked eye, even from a light-polluted city. Just find Orion first and hop to the bright stars around it.