A look at the constellation of Orion: its history, shape and position in the night sky When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

The constellation of Orion the Hunter becomes 'Orion the hunted' during mid-March as it lights up the southern sky and makes a tantalizing target for skywatchers.

This week, we’ll explore the constellation Orion the Hunter, which dominates the winter sky. Orion holds a plethora of beautiful celestial sights you can target, and many of them are accessible ...

To the upper left of Orion are the twins of the Gemini constellation, consisting of the bright stars called Pollux (yellowish) and Castor (blue), located 33 and 51 light-years, respectively, from ...

Orion the hunter is one of the oldest constellations. It predates ancient Greece, going all the way back to the Sumerians (circa 4000 B.C) for whom the figure represented the hero Gilgamesh ...

And, visible through binoculars and telescopes, the Hunter hosts one of the sky’s most famous sights: the Orion Nebula (M42). But there is much more to see within Orion than these familiar gems.

The Orion constellation has a very striking pattern in its stars. Four bright stars mark the Hunter's shoulders and knees: Betelgeuse and Bellatrix are his shoulders and Saiph and Rigel are his knees.

Draw a line through Orion’s belt stars and extend it to the lower left and you’ll come to Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. It’s in the constellation Canis Major…the big dog.