CANES VENATICI AND COMA BERENICES
Two constellations ride the sky south of the Big Dipper. At the left is Canes Venatici
(the Hunting Dogs), a modern constellation marked principally by
Cor Caroli and
considerably dimmer Chara.
These two an the star up and to the right of Cor
Caroli make the southern of the two dogs, originally called by the
star's name "Chara." The northern dog, "Asterion," is marked by
the little clump of stars down and to the left of Cor Caroli.
Farther south (to the right) is the lacy
cluster that makes the
lovely constellation Coma Berenices (Berenice's Hair). The North
Galactic Pole (NGP), the northern perpendicular to the plane of our
Galaxy, lies down and to
the left of Coma Berenices, and is marked by 31 Comae, the
north Galactic pole star, "Polaris Galacticus Borealis."