June Constellations: What Stars to See This Month
The best constellations to see on June evenings are Boötes, Ursa Minor, Libra, Lupus, and Circinus. Boötes and Ursa Minor are easiest from the Northern Hemisphere, while Libra, Lupus, and Circinus are better placed for southern observers. Start around 10 p.m. local time, or a bit later in northern summer locations where the sky gets dark slowly. For even easier stargazing, use the free Star Walk 2 app to locate any constellation instantly.
Contents
- List of June constellations
- Other bright stars to see in June
FAQ: June constellations
- What constellations are best seen in June?
- What time should I look for June constellations?
- What is the easiest June constellation to find?
- What is the brightest star in the June evening sky?
- Which June constellations are visible from the Northern Hemisphere?
- Which June constellations are visible from the Southern Hemisphere?
- Is the Little Dipper visible in June?
- Constellations visible in June: bottom line
List of June constellations
| Constellation | Best seen from | Brightest star | How to find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boötes | Northern Hemisphere | Arcturus | Follow the Big Dipper’s handle to Arcturus |
| Ursa Minor | Northern Hemisphere | Polaris | Use Dubhe and Merak in the Big Dipper as pointer stars |
| Libra | Both hemispheres | Zubeneschamali | Look between Spica and Antares |
| Lupus | Southern Hemisphere | Uridim | Look between Scorpius and Centaurus |
| Circinus | Southern Hemisphere / tropics | Xami | Find Alpha Centauri, then look nearby |
Constellations are listed from the most prominent to the faintest in the evening sky:
- ☆☆☆ — very bright and easy to see.
- ☆☆ — moderately bright; visible with some effort.
- ☆ — faint; best seen under dark skies, and binoculars may help.
Boötes
- Brightness: ☆☆☆
- Visible between: 90°N to 50°S
- Brightest star: Arcturus (mag -0.05)
- Notable deep-sky object: NGC 5466 (mag 9.1)
How to find Boötes in the sky
Boötes is one of the easiest June constellations to find, thanks to bright orange Arcturus and the constellation’s large kite-shaped star pattern.
In much of the Northern Hemisphere Boötes lies directly overhead on June evenings. Begin by locating the Big Dipper asterism in the constellation Ursa Major. Follow the arc of the Big Dipper's handle southward. This curve will lead you to Arcturus (mag -0.05), a bright orange star. Once you’ve found Arcturus, look just above it for a kite-shaped pattern of stars — that’s the constellation Boötes.
Another helpful landmark is Corona Borealis, a small arc of stars to the east of Boötes. It resembles a sideways letter “C” or a smiling mouth, as if the stars are smiling back at you. 😊
In the Southern Hemisphere, Ursa Major isn’t visible at this time of year from most locations, so instead, look toward the northern horizon for a bright orange star rather low in the sky — that’s Arcturus. The kite-shaped pattern below is the constellation Boötes.
Unfortunately, Corona Borealis won't smile at you from these latitudes. Here, it appears more like a sad face. 😢
Mythology
According to Greek mythology, Boötes and Ursa Major are actually a mother and son, represented by Arcas and Callisto. Callisto, the daughter of King Lycaon of Arcadia, won the love of Zeus and gave birth to Arcas. She left her child with her father, the king, who raised Arcas as his own son.
Some time after, King Lycaon tried to prove that Zeus was not all-seeing. He served Arcas as a meal to Zeus. Zeus saw through the trick, struck Lycaon’s sons with lightning, and turned the king into a wolf. Then, he brought Arcas back to life.
Jealous of Zeus’s unfaithfulness, his wife, Hera, turned Callisto into a bear. Callisto wandered the forests alone for many years. When Arcas grew up and became a hunter, he met this bear. Not knowing that it was his mother, he started chasing her. Callisto hid in a holy temple, and Arcas did not dare follow her there.
To spare them both from tragedy, Zeus placed them in the night sky. Callisto became Ursa Major (or the Great Bear in Latin), and Arcas became Boötes (the Herdsman in Latin). They watch over each other from the stars forever.
Ursa Minor, the Little Dipper
- Brightness: ☆☆
- Visible between: 90°N to 10°S
- Brightest star: Polaris (mag 2.0)
- Notable deep-sky object: Ursa Minor Dwarf (mag 11.9)
How to find Ursa Minor in the sky
Ursa Minor is famous for the Little Dipper, the small dipper-shaped asterism that includes the constellation’s brightest star, Polaris. Polaris marks the end of the Little Dipper’s handle and is also known as the North Star.
For much of the Northern Hemisphere, Ursa Minor is circumpolar, meaning it stays above the horizon all night, all year. In June, it appears especially well placed for evening viewing. Polaris stays almost fixed in the sky while the rest of the stars appear to rotate around it as Earth spins.
To find Ursa Minor, start by locating the Big Dipper in the constellation Ursa Major. Look at the bowl of the Big Dipper and find the two stars on its outer edge — Dubhe (mag 1.8) and Merak (mag 2.0). Draw an imaginary line through them and extend it across the sky. The next bright star along that line is Polaris.
You can also use Cassiopeia, the W-shaped constellation, to find Polaris. Draw a line from the middle star of the "W" toward the southwest — the next bright star along that line is Polaris.
In the Southern Hemisphere, Ursa Minor is not visible from most locations. It can only be seen very low on the northern horizon in places near the equator, such as Jakarta, Indonesia (6°S) or Manaus, Brazil (3°S).
Mythology
In one Greek myth, Ursa Minor represents Ida, the nymph who helped take care of baby Zeus on the island of Crete. She did this alongside Adrasteia, who is represented by the larger constellation Ursa Major.
Interestingly, the other Greek myth associated with Ursa Minor is a slightly different version of the Boötes myth. There, Zeus turns Arcas into Ursa Minor (“lesser bear” in Latin) instead of Boötes. However, the Boötes version is more popular.
Lupus
- Brightness: ☆☆
- Visible between: 35°N to 90°S
- Brightest star: Uridim, Alpha Lupi (mag 2.3)
- Notable deep-sky objects: NGC 5882 (mag 10.1), NGC 5986 (mag 8.0), Retina Nebula (mag 10.9)
How to find Lupus in the sky
In the Northern Hemisphere, you’ll need to be fairly far south — around the latitude of Florida or lower — to see the entire Lupus constellation. For example, from New York, only the top portion or “head” of Lupus rises just above the southern horizon on June evenings.
In the Southern Hemisphere, Lupus is much easier to spot. Around 10 p.m. in June, it passes almost directly overhead. However, its stars are fairly dim, so finding brighter neighboring constellations first would be helpful:
- Start with Scorpius and its bright red star Antares (mag 1.0), which also shines almost overhead in the sky.
- Then look for Centaurus. Draw an imaginary line southwest from Antares to spot Alpha Centauri (mag -0.3), the brightest star in that direction.
Lupus and Norma are located between Scorpius and Centaurus. Lupus is the one with the brighter stars, and it lies slightly farther north than Norma.
Mythology
In Greek mythology, Lupus (Latin for “wolf”) is sometimes linked to King Lycaon of Arcadia, who we know from the myth of Boötes. According to the story, Lycaon served Zeus a meal made from the flesh of his own son, Arcas. Disgusted and enraged, Zeus turned Lycaon into a wolf and cast him into the sky, where he became the constellation Lupus.
Libra
- Brightness: ☆☆
- Visible between: 65°N to 90°S
- Brightest star: Zubeneschamali (mag 2.6)
- Notable deep-sky object: NGC 5897 (mag 8.5)
How to find Libra in the sky
Libra is one of the best zodiac constellations to look for in June evenings, though its stars are faint and you’ll need a dark sky to see its shape clearly.
In the Northern Hemisphere on June evenings, Libra rises fairly high above the southern horizon. To find it, start by locating Antares (mag 1.0), the bright red star in the constellation Scorpius, low in the southeastern sky. Then look slightly higher and to the west to spot Spica (mag 0.9), the brightest star in Virgo. The constellation Libra lies between these two bright stars.
In the Southern Hemisphere, Libra is nearly overhead in the evening sky in June. Look high above the northern horizon to spot Antares. Then, gaze westward and slightly lower to find Spica. Libra is located between these two.
Because Libra is one of the zodiac constellations, the Sun and Moon occasionally pass through it. In June 2026, the brightly-lit waxing Moon will be in Libra on June 25-26, helping you identify the area of the sky — though moonlight will make Libra’s faint stars harder to see.
Mythology
Libra, meaning “weighing scales” in Latin, is one of the 12 zodiac constellations — and the only one of them named after an object rather than an animal or mythological figure.
In Greek mythology, the scales are often linked to Themis, the goddess of divine law and order. A Titaness, Themis, was seen as a symbol of justice and balance. Another figure associated with Libra is Astraea, the daughter of Themis and Zeus. Astraea represented purity and justice, and during the Golden Age, she lived among humans. But as humanity became corrupt, she left Earth and rose to the heavens, becoming the constellation Virgo.
Circinus
- Brightness: ☆
- Visible between: 20°N to 90°S
- Brightest star: Xami, Alpha Circini (mag 3.2)
- Notable deep-sky objects: NGC 5823 (mag 7.9), Pismis 20 (mag 7.8)
How to find Circinus in the sky
Circinus is a small and faint constellation, with its brightest star reaching only magnitude 3. Despite its dim stars, it’s easy to locate thanks to its proximity to Alpha Centauri, one of the brightest stars in the night sky (mag -0.3).
In the Northern Hemisphere, Circinus is visible only from latitudes south of 20°N — places like India, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Look low above the southern horizon on a clear night. First, find Alpha Centauri, then, just to the east of it, look for three faint stars forming a shape like a pair of tweezers — that’s Circinus.
In the Southern Hemisphere, Circinus is much easier to see. Look high above the southern horizon to find Alpha Centauri, then look eastward to spot the elongated triangle of stars that make up Circinus.
Mythology
The constellation Circinus has no known myths associated with it. It was first defined in 1756 by the French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille. Its name comes from Latin and means "compass", referring to the drafting tool used for drawing circles — not to be confused with Pyxis, a separate constellation representing a mariner’s compass used for navigation.
Other bright stars to see in June
Besides the constellations above, June is also a great time to look for the Summer Triangle in the Northern Hemisphere — the bright pattern formed by Vega, Deneb, and Altair. It rises in the eastern sky on June evenings and can help you find Lyra, Cygnus, and Aquila later in the night.
Read more: Summer Triangle Complete Guide
FAQ: June constellations
What constellations are best seen in June?
The best constellations to see on June evenings are Boötes, Ursa Minor, Libra, Lupus, and Circinus. Boötes and Ursa Minor are especially good for northern observers, while Lupus and Circinus are better seen from the Southern Hemisphere.
What time should I look for June constellations?
Start observing around 10 p.m. local time. At higher northern latitudes, you may need to wait a bit longer until the sky gets fully dark.
What is the easiest June constellation to find?
Boötes is one of the easiest June constellations to find. Its brightest star, Arcturus, is very bright and orange-colored, and the constellation itself has a large kite-shaped pattern.
What is the brightest star in the June evening sky?
Among the constellations in this article, the brightest star is Arcturus in Boötes, with a magnitude of -0.05. It is one of the brightest stars in the entire night sky.
Which June constellations are visible from the Northern Hemisphere?
The best June constellations for northern observers are Boötes and Ursa Minor. Libra is also visible from much of the Northern Hemisphere, while Lupus and Circinus are harder to see unless you are at lower northern latitudes.
Which June constellations are visible from the Southern Hemisphere?
From the Southern Hemisphere, the best June constellations are Libra, Lupus, and Circinus. Boötes is also visible from many southern locations, but it appears lower in the northern sky. Ursa Minor is mostly a Northern Hemisphere constellation and can only be seen very low near the northern horizon from places close to the equator.
Is the Little Dipper visible in June?
Yes. The Little Dipper, part of Ursa Minor, is visible in June from much of the Northern Hemisphere. Its most famous star is Polaris, the North Star, which marks the end of the Little Dipper’s handle.
Constellations visible in June: bottom line
The best constellations to see in June are Boötes, Ursa Minor, Libra, Lupus, and Circinus. For northern observers, start with bright Arcturus in Boötes and Polaris in Ursa Minor. From southern latitudes, look for Libra, Lupus, and faint Circinus near Alpha Centauri. To find any of them instantly, open Star Walk 2, search for the constellation’s name, and follow the arrow on the sky map.
If you’d like to challenge yourself and spot more bright stars using just your knowledge of the night sky, check out this infographic on 15 stars everyone can find.
