One such in
Canis Minor is the galaxy NGC 2538, situated in the far eastern part of the constellation on the boundary with Hydra constellation.
Canis Minor looks more like the tail of a dog than a dog.
ON MARCH evenings, as winter slowly changes to spring, the last "winter" constellations, Gemini and
Canis Minor, move to the western side of the sky.
Venus dominates the western sky after nightfall, sitting in the midst of Taurus--but also, more broadly, in the midst of the departing throng of Auriga, Orion, Gemini,
Canis Minor, and Canis Major.
Procyon is the only bright light of the little constellation
Canis Minor.
Sirius is often paired with Procyon, the brightest star in
Canis Minor, the Little Dog.
Almost twice as high above Sirius (depending on your latitude), and perhaps a bit left, shines Procyon in
Canis Minor. High above Procyon beam the two brightest stars of Gemini: Castor and Pollux, accompanied this season by brighter Mars.
When I'm bundled up like the younger brother from the movie A Christmas Story, the deep-freeze of a winter's night makes me wonder if Canis Major and
Canis Minor are Labrador retrievers.
Canis Minor, Gemini, and Auriga are still fairly high.
What season comes to mind when someone mentions Gemini and
Canis Minor? I'll bet most of you think first of winter.
Glance at the chart at right and you'll find that its eastern half features constellational extroverts such as Orion, the Hunter; Auriga, the Charioteer; Taurus, the Bull; Gemini, the Twins; and the hunting dogs, Canis Major and
Canis Minor. But the western half contains mostly introverted groups with few bright stars.
With constellations named Canis Major,
Canis Minor, and Canes Venatici, dogs are well represented in the heavens.