Sirius marks Canis Major, the great dog, and therefore
is sometimes known as the "dog star"; north of Sirius is
another bright star, Procyon, marking Canis Minor the
little dog. The north part of the rich winter stars is
marked by Capella in Auriga the chariot driver and the
twin stars Castor and Pollux pointing out Gemini.
Other bright star patterns are rising in the east; the
big dipper, part of Ursa Major the Great Bear, is now
visible in the northeast, and Regulus announces the
arrival of Leo the lion; just west of him, you may have
missed faint Cancer the crab.