Riyadh: The sky over Northern Borders Region is adorned during summer nights by the appearance of the constellations Ursa Major and Capricornus, creating an astronomical scene that attracts stargazing enthusiasts and highlights the region's long history of astronomical navigation and determining directions.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Space and Astronomy Society President Zahi Al-Khulaiwi noted that Ursa Major includes the Big Dipper asterism. The stars Dubhe and Merak are used to locate Polaris, which sailors and travelers in ancient times relied on to determine the direction of geographic north. The constellation also contains several prominent galaxies.
He added that Capricornus is one of the zodiac constellations and appears clearly on summer evenings. Deneb Algedi is one of its most prominent stars, and astronomers and travelers in ancient times used it to identify the locations of constellations and navigate by them during nighttime journeys.