Arcturus a star in the spring constellation Bootes has a dec

Arcturus, a star in the spring constellation Bootes, has a declination of +19 degrees. True or False: It does not go through the zenith of an observer in Ames.

Solution

Answer: YES

Explaination: Arcturus is the 4th brightest star in the night sky, after Sirius, Canopus, and Alpha Centauri. Sirius shines brightly on winter and early spring evenings. It is not only bright but also due to its northerly location on the sky’s dome – visible for much of the year for Northern Hemisphere stargazers. Arcturus, like any star, rises 4 minutes earlier every day. In a week or so, the earlier-rising Arcturus will first beam at dusk, instead of nightfall. Arcturus’ dusk-till-dawn presence in the nighttime sky is a sure sign of spring returning to our Northern Hemisphere. The right ascension and declenation of the star Arcturus in the consellation Bootes is 14h 15m RA +19 degrees Dec. It is the brightest star in the constellation and is located approximately 36 light years from Earth.