Field school / Course 01 · Four lessons
Read the
night sky.
Study the shape for each season, then test your eye. Four observations complete the course.
Orion
Find the three belt stars in a short, slanted row. The shoulders and feet draw a much larger hourglass around them.
Leo
Look for the backwards question mark of the Sickle. The long triangle to its east suggests a lion at rest.
Cygnus
Trace the long neck and the straight line of the wings. The two strokes cross at the centre of the Northern Cross.
Cassiopeia
Five bright stars make a wide W. The two inner angles are uneven, which helps the little zigzag stand apart.
Observation check
How do you recognise Orion?
Field school / completed
Four constellations, identified.
You’ve matched Orion, Leo, Cygnus and Cassiopeia to their identifying shapes.
Notes from the dome
Read from the rim.
The brass rim carries the months. The field inside holds the stars while a fine gold line picks out the chosen figure. These simplified northern-sky patterns are a field book of shapes to learn at your own pace.