Tonight we’ll look for Hercules, The Hero in Roman mythology. Hercules is the fifth largest constellation in the sky and is readily identifiable even from suburban backyards.

Hercules, The Hero. Note the ‘Keystone’ defining his torso is one of its most recognizable attributes

While there are numerous deep sky objects buried in this constellation, they’re best viewed with a telescope or even a pair of binoculars. There is a well known globular cluster known as M13 that is comprised of 400,000 stars and spanning 140 light years, first discovered by Edmund Halley who discovered the famous Halley’s Comet. If you have access to a telescope this is an easy target, but don’t worry, it’s always at the top of our list for in-person star parties when they become feasible in the future!

M13, one of the finest globular clusters in the night sky, visible from a dark sky to the unaided eye and spectacular through even small telescopes

To locate Hercules, look due East after 9:30 pm, and look first for the four stars known as the ‘Keystone’ that form the hero’s torso. Using the accompanying chart you should be able to identify most of the primary stars that define this constellation, though none of its stars are particularly bright despite its comparatively large scale.

Hercules is visible from mid-Spring and will become increasingly prominent throughout the Summer months as it gradually rotates. As long as you can identify the Keystone stars, it’s relatively easy to find the rest of him!

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Stay well, and clear skies!

Constellation Finder: Hercules, The Hero