Alpha Boötis is better known by its name Arcturus, which is a variant of its Greek name meaning the Guardian of the Bear (that is, the Great Bear of the North -- Ursa Major).

     In fact in Greek ‘bear’ and ‘arctic’ are similar: arktoV (arktos) and arktikoV (arktikos).

Arcturus is a golden giant, about twenty times the size of the Sun. It's also a binary. With its companion it has a combined visual magnitude of -0.05, making it the fourth brightest in the skies.

It's most convenient to begin studying the constellation right here at Arcturus. An arrow-shaped asterism at its west, just out of the field of view with Arcturus, forms the left foot of Boötes the Hunter: binoculars.