The Hunter. Best placed in September. It straddles the celestial equator, so it is visible from essentially anywhere on Earth at the right time of year.
Orion, known in English as the Hunter, is centred near right ascension 5.6 hours, declination +13°. It straddles the celestial equator, so it is visible from essentially anywhere on Earth at the right time of year.
It reaches its highest point in the sky around local midnight in September, which is when it is easiest to pick out. Earlier in the year it rises before dawn; later, it is already setting in the evening.
| Star | Designation | Magnitude |
|---|---|---|
| Betelgeuse | α Ori | 0.50 |
| Aldebaran | α Tau | 0.85 |
| Bellatrix | γ Ori | 1.64 |
| Elnath | β Tau | 1.65 |
| Alnilam | ε Ori | 1.70 |
| Alhena | γ Gem | 1.93 |
Not every shape people point out is a constellation. These are asterisms — patterns picked out of Orion by eye and by habit, with no official standing.
SkyRef draws Orion in its real position for wherever you are, right now, along with the other 88 IAU figures.