Culmination dates are when a star or constellation crosses the local meridian and reaching its highest point in the sky. In Table 1 these are conveniently expressed for 9pm, when most would be looking at the night time sky. To find the culmination times at other times of the year, subtract 15 days for ever hour that is earlier than this date. For times that are later; add 15 days for every hour. If the date is different than specified, add or subtract 28 minutes for each week that has elapsed.
| Culmination of the Constellations from Any Latitude | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constellation Name | Culmination 9pm |
Culmination 12pm |
Constellation Name |
Culmination Time |
Culmination Time |
|
| Octans | Circum. | Circum. | Apus | 05 Jul | 21 Aug | |
| Ursa Minor | Circum. | Circum. | Triangulum Australe | 07 Jul | 23 Aug | |
| Reticulum | 03 Jan | 18 Feb | Draco | 08 Jul | 24 Aug | |
| Taurus | 14 Jan | 01 Mar | Scorpius | 18 Jul | 03 Sep | |
| Caelum | 15 Jan | 02 Mar | Serpens Caput | 21 Jul | 06 Sep | |
| Ophiuchus | 26 Jul | 11 Sep | Orion | 27 Jan | 14 Mar | |
| Lepus | 28 Jan | 15 Mar | Ara | 25 Jul | 10 Sep | |
| Mensa | 28 Jan | 15 Mar | Hercules | 28 Jul | 13 Sep | |
| Pictor | 30 Jan | 17 Mar | Serpens Cauda | 01 Aug | 14 Sep | |
| Dorado | 31 Jan | 18 Mar | Corona Australis | 14 Aug | 29 Sep | |
| Lyra | 18 Aug | 03 Oct | Columba | 01 Feb | 19 Mar | |
| Scutum | 15 Aug | 31 Sep | Auriga | 04 Feb | 02 Mar | |
| Camelopardalis | 06 Feb | 24 Mar | Sagittarius | 22 Aug | 07 Oct | |
| Canis Major | 16 Feb | 04 Apr | Telescopium | 24 Aug | 09 Oct | |
| Gemini | 19 Feb | 07 Apr | Pavo | 29 Aug | 14 Oct | |
| Monoceros | 19 Feb | 07 Apr | Aquila | 30 Aug | 15 Oct | |
| Puppis | 22 Feb | 10 Apr | Sagitta | 30 Aug | 15 Oct | |
| Canis Minor | 28 Feb | 16 Apr | Vulpecula | 08 Sep | 24 Oct | |
| Volans | 04 Mar | 20 Apr | Cygnus | 13 Sep | 29 Oct | |
| Lynx | 05 Mar | 23 Apr | Delphinus | 14 Sep | 30 Oct | |
| Cancer | 16 Mar | 01 May | Microscopium | 18 Sep | 03 Nov | |
| Carina | 17 Mar | 02 May | Capricornus | 22 Sep | 07 Nov | |
| Pyxis | 21 Mar | 06 May | Equuleus | 22 Sep | 07 Nov | |
| Vela | 30 Mar | 15 May | Indus | 26 Sep | 11 Nov | |
| Sextans | 08 Apr | 23 May | Aquarius | 09 Oct | 24 Nov | |
| Leo Minor | 09 Apr | 24 May | Piscis Austrinus | 09 Oct | 24 Nov | |
| Antlia | 10 Apr | 25 May | Grus | 12 Oct | 27 Nov | |
| Leo | 15 Apr | 30 May | Lacerta | 12 Oct | 27 Nov | |
| Chamaeleon | 15 Apr | 30 May | Pegasus | 16 Oct | 01 Dec | |
| Ursa Major | 25 Apr | 09 Jun | Tucana | 01 Nov | 17 Dec | |
| Crater | 26 Apr | 10 Jun | Sculptor | 10 Nov | 26 Dec | |
| Hydra | 29 Apr | 13 Jun | Pisces | 11 Nov | 27 Dec | |
| Corvus | 12 May | 28 Jun | Cepheus | 13 Nov | 29 Dec | |
| Crux | 12 May | 28 Jun | Phoenix | 18 Nov | 03 Jan | |
| Centaurus | 14 May | 30 Jun | Andromeda | 23 Nov | 08 Jan | |
| Coma Berenices | 14 May | 30 Jun | Cassiopeia | 23 Nov | 08 Jan | |
| Musca | 14 May | 30 Jun | Andromeda | 23 Nov | 08 Jan | |
| Canes Venatici | 22 May | 07 Jul | Cassiopeia | 23 Nov | 08 Jan | |
| Virgo | 26 May | 11 Jul | Cetus | 29 Nov | 14 Jan | |
| Circinus | 14 Jun | 30 Jul | Triangulum | 07 Dec | 22 Jan | |
| Bootes | 16 Jun | 01 Aug | Hydrus | 10 Dec | 25 Jan | |
| Libra | 23 Jun | 08 Aug | Aries | 14 Dec | 29 Jan | |
| Lupus | 23 Jun | 08 Aug | Fornax | 17 Dec | 02 Feb | |
| Corona Borealis | 03 Jul | 19 Aug | Perseus | 22 Dec | 07 Feb | |
| Norma | 03 Jul | 19 Aug | Eridanus | 25 Dec | 10 Feb | |
| Horologium | 25 Dec | 10 Feb | ||||
| STARS | |||||
| Star | Culmination | Star | Culmination | ||
| Name | 9 p.m. | 12 a.m. | Name | 9 p.m. | 12 a.m. |
| Sirius | 06 Feb | 23 Dec | Canopus | 05 Feb | 22 Dec |
| α Cen | 08 Jun | 24 Apr | Arcturus | 07 Jun | 23 Apr |
| Vega | 07 Aug | 23 Jun | Capella | 21 Jan | 07 Dec |
| Rigel | 21 Jan | 07 Dec | Procyon | 21 Feb | 07 Jan |
| Achernar | 22 Nov | 08 Oct | Betelguese | 22 Jan | 08 Dec |
| Hadar | 07 Jun | 23 Apr | Altair | 23 Aug | 09 Jul |
| Aldebaran | 06 Jan | 22 Nov | Acrux | 08 May | 24 Mar |
| Antares | 08 Jul | 24 May | Spica | 23 May | 08 Apr |
| Pollux | 21 Feb | 07 Jan | Formalhaut | 07 Oct | 23 Aug |
| Deneb | 07 Sep | 24 Jul | Mimosa | 08 May | 24 Mar |
| Adhara | 06 Feb | 23 Dec | Peacock | 06 Sep | 23 Jul |
| Shaula | 23 Jul | 07 Jun | Atria | 08 Jul | 24 May |
| LMC | 21 Jan | 07 Dec | SMC | 07 Nov | 23 Sep |
