Sky Watch 4 : 8th May - Finding Gemini (The Twins)

Last week we used Venus to guide us to Auriga and I mentioned about Gemini being close by. You can see how close from the diagram below:-

Simply imagine a line between Venus and the bright star of Auriga = Capella. Go out from the line at 90º and you come to the brightest two stars of Gemini = Castor (on the right) and Pollux (on the left). The other stars of Gemini are based in a rectangular shape below Castor and Pollux. This is a lovely constellation. Best viewed in the west around 10pm.

Earlier in the year, Gemini appears in a more normal, horizontal view, rather than being tipped over in the sky as it reaches the western horizon. I have shown the constellation in this way below:-