Winter Hexagon

The Wintersechseck is a distinctive constellation of bright stars 1 size on the southern winter sky. It is not a constellation in the sense of the International Astronomical Union ( IAU) but an asterism.

It consists of the following fixed stars (clockwise):

• Capella in Fuhrmann
• Aldebaran in Taurus
• Rigel in Orion
• Sirius in Canis Major
• Procyon in Canis Minor
• Pollux in Gemini.

From Central Europe from the Wintersechseck in the months of January until March to 22 clock high above the southern horizon CET, but can already be observed in the fall in the second half of the night.

Compared to Spring Triangle, Triangle summer and autumn square the hexagon is not quite regular. It looks a little "bent", but is almost symmetrical - with two approximately right angles at the opposite ( brightest ) stars Capella and Sirius. It can be seen very distinctive and well in the city in spite of light pollution from street lighting.

A prominent star near the center of the Wintersechsecks is Betelgeuse, the left shoulder star of Orion. He, together with Sirius and Procyon the Winter Triangle.

With a good pair of binoculars are in the area of the hexagon some interesting objects to observe: the Orion nebula below Orion's belt, the two bright star cluster Pleiades ( Seven Sisters ) and Hyades (both in Taurus, each at least 100 stars, freiäugig 6-10) and two other star clusters: M35 at the end of the twins, and M41 at Sirius. Furthermore, the Crab Nebula M1 ( expanding gas cloud in Taurus, the rest of the supernova of 1054 ) and the planetary nebula NGC 2392 south of Pollux, and dozens of bright double stars in different colors.

• Asterism