Pegasus dominates the November southern sky with its torso formed by the four bright stars of the Great Square, an easy asterism for beginners. The square highlights stellar color contrasts—Alpheratz appears white while Scheat is noticeably red—and binoculars help reveal subtler hues. The author describes a playful "baseball diamond" over the Great Square and notes a similar pattern using the Summer Triangle devised by Henry Neely. The piece also retells myths linking Pegasus with Perseus, Andromeda and Bellerophon and mentions the historical HMS Bellerophon tied to Napoleon's 1815 surrender.
Pegasus Soars: Spot November’s Great Square, Star Colors and a Playful Sky "Baseball"
Pegasus dominates the November southern sky with its torso formed by the four bright stars of the Great Square, an easy asterism for beginners. The square highlights stellar color contrasts—Alpheratz appears white while Scheat is noticeably red—and binoculars help reveal subtler hues. The author describes a playful "baseball diamond" over the Great Square and notes a similar pattern using the Summer Triangle devised by Henry Neely. The piece also retells myths linking Pegasus with Perseus, Andromeda and Bellerophon and mentions the historical HMS Bellerophon tied to Napoleon's 1815 surrender.
03:31 AM, 11/17/2025Science
Pegasus Soars in the November Sky
A few hours after dark in November, the winged horse Pegasus rides high in the southern sky. Its torso is formed by four bright stars that make up the familiar Great Square, one of the easiest asterisms for beginners to pick out. From that simple shape you can explore star colors, neighboring constellations and even a whimsical "baseball diamond" mapped across the heavens.
How to find Pegasus
Look south an hour or two after nightfall. The Great Square sits prominently high in the sky: the bright stars Alpheratz (upper-left), Scheat (upper-right), Algenib and Markab form its corners. Moving leftward from the square you’ll trace a line of stars including the 2nd-magnitude Mirach and the orange-tinged Almach. The two stars that form the western side of the Great Square point almost directly toward Fomalhaut, the brightest star in Piscis Austrinus.
Notice the colors
The Great Square is a handy way to learn the subtle hues of stars. Alpheratz appears white, while Scheat has a distinctly reddish tint. A simple technique: look at one star for several seconds, then shift your gaze to the other—your eye will better register the color contrast. Binoculars make fainter stars' colors easier to see.
A celestial baseball diamond
For fun, the author used the Great Square as a sky-sized baseball diamond: Scheat as home plate, Alpheratz at first base, Algenib at second and Markab at third. Outfielders can be chosen from nearby constellations—Aries, Pisces, Cetus, Aquarius and Piscis Austrinus—placing the bright Fomalhaut in left field. A second playful diamond, based on the Summer Triangle, was devised by Henry Neely (1879–1963) and described in his 1946 book A Primer for Star Gazers.
Stars as characters: myths and a historical footnote
Pegasus figures in familiar Greek myths that include Perseus, Andromeda, King Cepheus, Queen Cassiopeia, and the sea monster Cetus. In one version Perseus rides Pegasus to rescue Andromeda by using the severed head of the gorgon Medusa to turn Cetus to stone. Another tale centers on Bellerophon, who tamed Pegasus with a golden bridle found after a night of prayer and used the horse to defeat the fire-breathing Chimera—until hubris brought his fall when Zeus sent a gadfly that threw him from the horse.
An interesting historical footnote: after his defeat at Waterloo in 1815, Napoleon surrendered to the British and boarded the Royal Navy ship HMS Bellerophon, named after the same legendary hero.
Observation tips
Best viewing: a few hours after dark in November, looking south. Use binoculars to reveal star colors and fainter companions. Try tracing the Great Square first, then follow the lines to nearby constellations and to Fomalhaut.
For casual stargazers, Pegasus offers both an easy landmark and a gateway to richer myth and astronomy. Mapping playful patterns like the sky baseball diamond is a pleasant way to engage newcomers and families during an evening under the stars.
Joe Rao is an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium and a longtime contributor to publications such as Natural History and Sky & Telescope.