During winter in the northern hemisphere, the prominent constellation of Orion, representing a hunter, takes center stage.

One of the original 48 constellations defined by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy, it is now one of 88 recognised by the International Astronomical Union. Named after the great hunter from Greek mythology, Orion is said to have been placed in the stars by Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, after a scorpion stung his foot and killed him. In another version of the story, Artemis killed Orion either by mistake or to defend one of her companions from Orion’s forceful advances.

The diagram displays the perspective facing south-east from London at 2000 GMT on Monday, and it will remain nearly unchanged throughout the week. During the chilly nights of the northern winter, numerous individuals search for Orion’s belt. This pattern is made up of three stars: Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka. Drawing a line through these stars and towards the horizon leads to Sirius, the most luminous star in the sky. On the other hand, extending the line in the opposite direction leads to the constellation Taurus, represented by a bull.

In the late evening, if you gaze north from the southern hemisphere, you can easily spot Orion.

Source: theguardian.com