BellaOnline Forums Education Astronomy Orion's Dogs - Facts for Kids *new article*

There are several canines in the night sky, including a wolf and a fox. But the best known canine constellations are Canis Major (the Greater Dog) and Canis Minor (the Lesser Dog).

Orion's Dogs - Facts for Kids

In this picture, you can see a starry sky and 5 constellations drawn in. There is Taurus the Bull, Orion the Hunter, Lepus the Hare, and both Canis Major and Canis Minor. Canis Manor looks very minor indeed with just two stars.

Here is how Alexander Jamieson represented Canis Major in his 1822 star atlas. It looks to me as though he has his eye on Lepus the Hare.

Splendid composite image showing Geminid meteors and the starry sky above the radio telescope array at Mingantu Station in Inner Mongolia. You can see bright Sirius just above the dish and from there the Winter Triangle of bright orangey Betelgeuse and Canis Minor's Procyon.

Image Credit & Copyright: Yin Hao