88 Constellations

And Northern

Andromeda

Andromeda is a large northern constellation tied to the princess of Greek myth and home to the famous Andromeda Galaxy.

Meaning

Chained princess

Best season

Autumn

Ant Southern

Antlia

Antlia is a faint southern constellation introduced in the scientific-instrument tradition of the 18th century.

Meaning

Air pump

Best season

Spring

Aps Southern

Apus

Apus represents a bird of paradise and sits near the south celestial pole in a rich southern sky region.

Meaning

Bird of paradise

Best season

Winter

Aqr Equatorial

Aquarius

Aquarius is a sprawling zodiac constellation associated with water and notable meteor showers.

Meaning

Water bearer

Best season

Autumn

Aql Equatorial

Aquila

Aquila follows the Milky Way and is anchored by Altair, one of the bright stars of the Summer Triangle.

Meaning

Eagle

Best season

Summer

Ara Southern

Ara

Ara is a compact southern constellation near Scorpius and the Milky Way, traditionally pictured as an altar.

Meaning

Altar

Best season

Summer

Ari Northern

Aries

Aries is a small zodiac constellation representing the ram and marking an important historical point on the ecliptic.

Meaning

Ram

Best season

Winter

Aur Northern

Auriga

Auriga is a bright northern winter constellation known for Capella and a chain of open star clusters.

Meaning

Charioteer

Best season

Winter

Boo Northern

Boötes

Boötes is a northern constellation dominated by Arcturus, one of the brightest stars in the night sky.

Meaning

Herdsman

Best season

Spring

Cae Southern

Caelum

Caelum is a small, faint southern constellation named for an engraver's chisel.

Meaning

Chisel

Best season

Winter

Cam Northern

Camelopardalis

Camelopardalis is a large but faint northern constellation filling the space between Auriga, Perseus, and Ursa Major.

Meaning

Giraffe

Best season

Winter

Cnc Northern

Cancer

Cancer is a modest zodiac constellation best known for the Beehive Cluster, a bright naked-eye star cluster in dark skies.

Meaning

Crab

Best season

Spring

CVn Northern

Canes Venatici

Canes Venatici is a small northern constellation beneath the handle of the Big Dipper, rich in galaxies.

Meaning

Hunting dogs

Best season

Spring

CMa Southern

Canis Major

Canis Major contains Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, and follows Orion through winter evenings.

Meaning

Great dog

Best season

Winter

CMi Northern

Canis Minor

Canis Minor is a compact constellation marked by Procyon, one of the nearest bright stars to the Sun.

Meaning

Little dog

Best season

Winter

Cap Southern

Capricornus

Capricornus is a faint zodiac constellation shaped like a broad triangle and traditionally pictured as a sea goat.

Meaning

Sea goat

Best season

Autumn

Car Southern

Carina

Carina is a brilliant southern constellation that once formed part of Argo Navis and contains Canopus and the Carina Nebula.

Meaning

Keel

Best season

Spring

Cas Northern

Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia is a northern circumpolar constellation with a distinctive W-shaped pattern and many Milky Way clusters.

Meaning

Queen

Best season

Autumn

Cen Southern

Centaurus

Centaurus is a large southern constellation containing Alpha Centauri and Omega Centauri.

Meaning

Centaur

Best season

Spring

Cep Northern

Cepheus

Cepheus is a northern circumpolar constellation shaped like a house and linked to the royal family of the Andromeda myth.

Meaning

King

Best season

Autumn

Cet Equatorial

Cetus

Cetus is a huge equatorial constellation representing a sea monster and containing the famous variable star Mira.

Meaning

Sea monster

Best season

Autumn

Cha Southern

Chamaeleon

Chamaeleon is a small southern constellation near the south celestial pole and a region of nearby star formation.

Meaning

Chameleon

Best season

Spring

Cir Southern

Circinus

Circinus is a small southern constellation near Alpha Centauri, named for a drawing compass.

Meaning

Compasses

Best season

Summer

Col Southern

Columba

Columba lies south of Canis Major and represents a dove in the winter southern sky.

Meaning

Dove

Best season

Winter

Com Northern

Coma Berenices

Coma Berenices is a faint northern constellation with a loose star cluster and access to the Virgo Cluster of galaxies.

Meaning

Berenice's hair

Best season

Spring

CrA Southern

Corona Australis

Corona Australis is a compact arc of stars near Sagittarius, representing the southern crown.

Meaning

Southern crown

Best season

Summer

CrB Northern

Corona Borealis

Corona Borealis forms a small semicircle of stars between Boötes and Hercules.

Meaning

Northern crown

Best season

Summer

Crv Southern

Corvus

Corvus is a small constellation with a recognizable quadrilateral of stars near Virgo and Hydra.

Meaning

Crow

Best season

Spring

Crt Southern

Crater

Crater is a faint constellation pictured as a cup resting on the back of Hydra.

Meaning

Cup

Best season

Spring

Cru Southern

Crux

Crux is the smallest constellation by area but one of the most recognizable in the southern sky.

Meaning

Southern cross

Best season

Spring

Cyg Northern

Cygnus

Cygnus flies along the Milky Way and is marked by Deneb, a star of the Summer Triangle.

Meaning

Swan

Best season

Summer

Del Northern

Delphinus

Delphinus is a small northern constellation with a compact diamond-shaped pattern.

Meaning

Dolphin

Best season

Summer

Dor Southern

Dorado

Dorado is a southern constellation notable for containing much of the Large Magellanic Cloud.

Meaning

Dolphinfish

Best season

Summer

Dra Northern

Draco

Draco winds around the north celestial pole between the Big and Little Dippers.

Meaning

Dragon

Best season

Summer

Equ Northern

Equuleus

Equuleus is one of the smallest constellations, a faint little horse near Pegasus.

Meaning

Little horse

Best season

Autumn

Eri Southern

Eridanus

Eridanus is a long river constellation stretching from Orion toward the far southern sky.

Meaning

River

Best season

Winter

For Southern

Fornax

Fornax is a faint southern constellation known for deep extragalactic fields and the Fornax Cluster.

Meaning

Furnace

Best season

Winter

Gem Northern

Gemini

Gemini is a bright zodiac constellation headed by Castor and Pollux, the mythic twins.

Meaning

Twins

Best season

Winter

Gru Southern

Grus

Grus is a southern autumn constellation representing a crane and containing several bright guide stars.

Meaning

Crane

Best season

Autumn

Her Northern

Hercules

Hercules is a large northern constellation best known for the Keystone asterism and the Great Globular Cluster.

Meaning

Hercules

Best season

Summer

Hor Southern

Horologium

Horologium is a faint southern constellation named for a clock.

Meaning

Clock

Best season

Winter

Hya Equatorial

Hydra

Hydra is the largest constellation in the sky, extending across a long stretch of spring nights.

Meaning

Water snake

Best season

Spring

Hyi Southern

Hydrus

Hydrus is a southern circumpolar constellation distinct from the much larger Hydra.

Meaning

Male water snake

Best season

Spring

Ind Southern

Indus

Indus is a faint southern constellation introduced during the era of southern sky mapping.

Meaning

Indian

Best season

Autumn

Lac Northern

Lacerta

Lacerta is a small northern constellation set in the Milky Way between Cygnus and Andromeda.

Meaning

Lizard

Best season

Autumn

Leo Northern

Leo

Leo is a prominent zodiac constellation with a recognizable sickle pattern and many spring galaxies.

Meaning

Lion

Best season

Spring

LMi Northern

Leo Minor

Leo Minor is a faint northern constellation between Leo and Ursa Major.

Meaning

Little lion

Best season

Spring

Lep Southern

Lepus

Lepus sits below Orion and represents the hare pursued through winter skies.

Meaning

Hare

Best season

Winter

Lib Southern

Libra

Libra is the zodiac constellation of the scales, lying between Virgo and Scorpius.

Meaning

Scales

Best season

Summer

Lup Southern

Lupus

Lupus is a southern constellation near Centaurus and Scorpius, representing a wolf.

Meaning

Wolf

Best season

Summer

Lyn Northern

Lynx

Lynx is a faint northern constellation whose name reflects the sharp eyesight needed to trace it.

Meaning

Lynx

Best season

Winter

Lyr Northern

Lyra

Lyra is a small but brilliant northern constellation centered on Vega.

Meaning

Lyre

Best season

Summer

Men Southern

Mensa

Mensa is a faint far-southern constellation named for Table Mountain and bordering the Magellanic Clouds.

Meaning

Table mountain

Best season

Summer

Mic Southern

Microscopium

Microscopium is a faint southern constellation from the scientific-instrument group.

Meaning

Microscope

Best season

Autumn

Mon Equatorial

Monoceros

Monoceros is a faint equatorial constellation threaded by the winter Milky Way between Orion and Canis Major.

Meaning

Unicorn

Best season

Winter

Mus Southern

Musca

Musca is a small southern constellation near Crux, representing a fly.

Meaning

Fly

Best season

Spring

Nor Southern

Norma

Norma is a small southern constellation in the Milky Way, named for a draftsman's square.

Meaning

Set square

Best season

Summer

Oct Southern

Octans

Octans contains the south celestial pole and is named for a navigational octant.

Meaning

Octant

Best season

Spring

Oph Equatorial

Ophiuchus

Ophiuchus straddles the celestial equator and the ecliptic, depicting a figure holding Serpens.

Meaning

Serpent bearer

Best season

Summer

Ori Equatorial

Orion

Orion is one of the most recognizable constellations, marked by a bright belt and a rich nebula region.

Meaning

Hunter

Best season

Winter

Pav Southern

Pavo

Pavo is a southern constellation introduced by early southern-sky chart makers and representing a peacock.

Meaning

Peacock

Best season

Autumn

Peg Northern

Pegasus

Pegasus is a large northern constellation known for the Great Square asterism.

Meaning

Winged horse

Best season

Autumn

Per Northern

Perseus

Perseus is a northern constellation rich in clusters and mythic associations with Andromeda and Medusa.

Meaning

Hero

Best season

Winter

Phe Southern

Phoenix

Phoenix is a southern constellation representing the mythic firebird.

Meaning

Phoenix

Best season

Spring

Pic Southern

Pictor

Pictor is a small southern constellation named for a painter's easel.

Meaning

Painter's easel

Best season

Winter

Psc Northern

Pisces

Pisces is a large zodiac constellation of two fishes connected by cords.

Meaning

Fishes

Best season

Autumn

PsA Southern

Piscis Austrinus

Piscis Austrinus is a southern constellation anchored by the bright star Fomalhaut.

Meaning

Southern fish

Best season

Autumn

Pup Southern

Puppis

Puppis is a rich Milky Way constellation that once formed part of Argo Navis.

Meaning

Stern

Best season

Winter

Pyx Southern

Pyxis

Pyxis represents the mariner's compass and lies near the old Argo Navis region.

Meaning

Compass

Best season

Spring

Ret Southern

Reticulum

Reticulum is a small southern constellation named for the reticle used in measuring instruments.

Meaning

Reticle

Best season

Winter

Sge Northern

Sagitta

Sagitta is a tiny northern constellation shaped like an arrow near Aquila and Vulpecula.

Meaning

Arrow

Best season

Summer

Sgr Southern

Sagittarius

Sagittarius points toward the center of the Milky Way and is packed with nebulae and star clusters.

Meaning

Archer

Best season

Summer

Sco Southern

Scorpius

Scorpius is a bright zodiac constellation with a curved tail and the red supergiant Antares.

Meaning

Scorpion

Best season

Summer

Scl Southern

Sculptor

Sculptor is a faint southern constellation known for nearby galaxies and deep-sky observing.

Meaning

Sculptor

Best season

Autumn

Sct Equatorial

Scutum

Scutum is a small constellation in the Milky Way, named for a shield.

Meaning

Shield

Best season

Summer

Ser Equatorial

Serpens

Serpens is the only modern constellation split into two separate sky regions, held by Ophiuchus.

Meaning

Serpent

Best season

Summer

Sex Equatorial

Sextans

Sextans is a faint equatorial constellation named for an astronomical sextant.

Meaning

Sextant

Best season

Spring

Tau Northern

Taurus

Taurus is a prominent zodiac constellation featuring Aldebaran, the Hyades, and the Pleiades.

Meaning

Bull

Best season

Winter

Tel Southern

Telescopium

Telescopium is a faint southern constellation named for the telescope.

Meaning

Telescope

Best season

Summer

Tri Northern

Triangulum

Triangulum is a small northern constellation known for the Triangulum Galaxy.

Meaning

Triangle

Best season

Autumn

TrA Southern

Triangulum Australe

Triangulum Australe is a bright small triangle in the southern sky.

Meaning

Southern triangle

Best season

Summer

Tuc Southern

Tucana

Tucana is a far-southern constellation containing the Small Magellanic Cloud and 47 Tucanae.

Meaning

Toucan

Best season

Spring

UMa Northern

Ursa Major

Ursa Major is a large northern constellation containing the Big Dipper asterism.

Meaning

Great bear

Best season

Spring

UMi Northern

Ursa Minor

Ursa Minor contains Polaris and circles the north celestial pole.

Meaning

Little bear

Best season

Summer

Vel Southern

Vela

Vela is a bright southern Milky Way constellation that once formed part of Argo Navis.

Meaning

Sails

Best season

Spring

Vir Equatorial

Virgo

Virgo is the largest zodiac constellation and a gateway to the Virgo Cluster of galaxies.

Meaning

Maiden

Best season

Spring

Vol Southern

Volans

Volans is a southern constellation representing a flying fish near Carina and Dorado.

Meaning

Flying fish

Best season

Summer

Vul Northern

Vulpecula

Vulpecula is a faint northern constellation in the Milky Way between Cygnus and Sagitta.

Meaning

Little fox

Best season

Summer