When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.Spring is here and with it, a new set of sparkling constellations rises to prominence! But what are the stories behind these mesmerizing stellar citadels and how can you find them in the night sky?Humanity’s relationship with the stars stretches back for several millennia. In the modern day, we know the bright specks of their light to be incandescent orbs of glowing plasma powered by nuclear fusion, but in ancient times, the true nature of these stellar lanterns was a mystery.AdvertisementAdvertisementRather than allow the sea of stars to remain aloof, our ancestors chose to make them part of their world by linking them with storytelling and mythology. Countless cultures have imprinted their own cultural beliefs in the constellations, seeing mighty heroes, fantastic beasts and eclectic objects in the stars.Read on to discover the mythology underpinning four popular spring constellations, along with tips on how to find them in the night sky. Be sure to check out our roundup of the best smartphone astronomy apps if you’re new to the night sky, which can help you find everything from galaxies and nebulas to constellations and individual stars in the night sky.BOOTESBootes has been associated with countless myths over the centuries. In Greek mythology, Bootes is often seen as a herdsman driving a great plow in the form of the nearby “Big Dipper” asterism. The constellation is also sometimes known as Arcturus — which is also the name of its brightest star — which translates roughly to “guardian of the bears”, in reference to the constellations of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, according to the Chandra Space Telescope website.Ancient Chinese astronomers saw Bootes and Virgo as part of a larger formation of stars representing the horn of a great azure dragon, with Arcturus serving as its shining tip.How to find Arcturus using the handle of the Big Dipper asterism. | Credit: Created by Anthony Wood in CanvaYou can find the constellation Bootes using the famous stars of the Big Dipper asterism, which are located above the northern horizon throughout the year. Next, locate the three stars representing its “handle”, and follow their curve out into space — a trick known to stargazers as the “arc to Arcturus”. Follow that curve for roughly the length of the Big Dipper and you’ll find Arcturus, the fourth brightest star in the night sky.CORONA BOREALISThe great arc of stars in the constellation Corona Borealis represents the crown of Ariadne in Greek mythology, who, in some tellings, marries the god Dionysus following the defeat of the bull-like minotaur in the labyrinth below the Aegean island of Crete by the demigod Theseus.AdvertisementAdvertisementAustralian aboriginal peoples, meanwhile, saw a great boomerang in the stellar formation, while the Native American Shawnee tribe envisioned dancing star maidens. The constellation was known as Al Fakkah to medieval Arabian astronomers, who saw in it a celestial bowl, per the University of Chicago.The approximate location of T. Coronae Borealis. | Credit: Created by Anthony Wood in CanvaThe constellation can be found glittering roughly 20 degrees to the lower left of Arcturus in spring — about the width of two clenched fists held at arm’s length …
