Tiny treasures in Sagitta

“Small is beautiful.” This old adage holds true for lots of things, including petite patterns in the night sky. To my delight, Sagitta, the Arrow, is one of them.

Sagitta’s dart-like pattern comprises just four relatively dim stars and measures less than 5° in length. Moreover, at 80 square degrees, Sagitta’s total area makes it the third smallest of the 88 official constellations. Clearly, the celestial arrow is no big deal. Yet Sagitta is distinctive in its own modest way.

Along with neighbouring Vulpecula, the Fox, Sagitta resides deep in the winter Milky Way between Cygnus to the north and Aquila to the south. It’s an errant arrow, aiming roughly eastward at nothing in particular — though if I were the Fox, I’d