Hobbies And Interests
Ursa Major
The tail of Draco separates the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. The Big Dipper asterism lies within Ursa Major and is one of the most identifiable features of the northern sky. The most historically significant star in Draco, Thuban (alpha-Draconis), lies in the head of Draco. Nearly 5,000 years ago, Thuban was the star closest to the north celestial pole. In 2011, Polaris is considered the north star, but the ancient Egyptians would have viewed Thuban as their north star.
Ursa Minor
Although many of the stars in Ursa Minor are easily obscured by light pollution, this constellation contains the Little Dipper asterism with the North Star, Polaris, at the end of the handle. As with Draco, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are north circumpolar constellations.
Hercules
The four stars comprising the head of Draco lie near the constellation Hercules. The stars in Draco are not nearly as bright as the stars in other constellations. None of Draco's stars even make the list of the 25 brightest stars in the night sky. However, the brightest of Draco's stars, Eltanin (gamma-Draconis), can be found in the head of Draco and is the star closest to the constellation Hercules.
Other Adjacent Constellations
Although constellations are associated with a specific set of stars, they actually are defined by coordinates and cover a region bordered by other constellations. Due to Draco's large size, it is bordered by eight constellations. In addition to Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, and Hercules, Draco's other neighbors are Cepheus, Camelopardalis, Cygnus, Lyra, and Bootes.