Corona Borealis is a pleasant asterism, most of which fits into one binocular FOV. A helpful prerequisite would be Boötes.
Alpha Coronae Borealis is the brightest member of this pleasant grouping. With the naked eye, beginning at Arcturus (alpha Boötis), note the shallow triangle formed with epsilon Boötis to the northeast and alpha Coronae Borealis to the east. Binoculars show most of the asterism which portrays the royal diadem worn by Ariadne. R CrB, in the same field, is an intriguing variable. Usually a 5.9 magnitude, the star has been known to suddenly drop to near invisibility (around 14 visual magnitude) then take several months to regain its normal magnitude. In late summer of 1999 R CrB began to fade, to around 8.2. Over the next few months it may become even dimmer before it brightens. You may want to keep track of this star's visual magnitude throughout the late summer and early fall.
