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The constellation Bootes can be easily found by sweeping down from the tail of the Big Dipper. It looks like a giant kite with the bright red star of Arcturus at the narrow end. Bootes is one of the earliest constellations. It is mentioned in Homer's Odyssey and ha a history of over 3,000 years. Bootes is also known as the "Bear Driver" because it leads the Great Bear as it revolves around the North Star. The constellation itself has been called at various times the barking Dog, the Loud Weeper, the Pastor and Nimrod. The origin of the word “Bootes” itself is a bit obscure. It might mean "plowman" or simply represent the shouts of an ox driver.
The brightest star of Bootes, Arcturus (alpha Bootis) with an apparent magnitude of –1.0 has some unusual features besides its distinctive orange color. First of all, its light was utilized to open the Chicago World’s Fair in 1934 by directing it towards a photoelectric cell, a fascinating fact bound to turn up in "Do You Want To Be A Millionaire" one day. More significantly, Arcturus is the most rapid star in the sky. I am not referring to its speed through space, but its speed across the backdrop of the other stars. Arcturus will be in another 800 years about a Moon’s diameter from its current position in respect to the other stars.
Iota, delta and mu Bootis are all binary stars who bright member can be seen with the naked eye and dim member requires the use of binoculars. The two stars of iota Bootis are extremely close and will be quite a challenge for you.