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SeriesAstronomy

The 88 Constellations

Every constellation recognised by the IAU — how to find it, what is in it, and the story behind the name.

88 parts8h totalAug 15, 2025 — Mar 12, 2026
Start part 1Read the overview →
  1. Andromeda Constellation: The Chained Princess and the Nearest Big GalaxyAndromeda holds M31 — the Andromeda Galaxy, the most distant thing visible to the naked eye and the galaxy that will one day collide with ours.5 min
  2. Antlia Constellation: The Air Pump, Named for a Famous ExperimentAntlia is a faint constellation south of Hydra named after the vacuum air pump — the instrument behind one of science's most famous experiments.5 min
  3. Apus Constellation: The Bird of Paradise, Named From a MisunderstandingApus is a faint constellation near the south celestial pole, named for the bird of paradise — from a Greek word meaning footless.5 min
  4. Aquarius Constellation: The Water Bearer, and the Closest Planetary Nebula to EarthAquarius is a large, faint zodiac constellation holding the Helix Nebula — the nearest planetary nebula, often called the Eye of God.5 min
  5. Aquila Constellation: The Eagle, Altair, and the Fastest-Spinning Bright StarAquila is the eagle of Zeus, led by Altair — a star spinning so fast it is visibly flattened, and one corner of the Summer Triangle.5 min
  6. Ara Constellation: The Altar, Burning Beneath the Scorpion's TailAra is a small southern constellation representing the altar of the gods, set in a rich Milky Way field below the tail of Scorpius.5 min
  7. Aries Constellation: The Ram, and Why the First Sign Is No Longer FirstAries is a small, faint zodiac constellation whose main claim is historical — it once marked the spring equinox, and the sky has moved on since.5 min
  8. Auriga Constellation: The Charioteer, Capella, and Three Fine Star ClustersAuriga is a bright pentagon led by Capella, the sixth brightest star in the sky, and packed with three excellent Messier open clusters.5 min
  9. Boötes Constellation: The Herdsman and Arcturus, the Brightest Star Up NorthBoötes is a kite-shaped constellation anchored by Arcturus, the fourth brightest star in the sky and the brightest in the northern hemisphere.6 min
  10. Caelum Constellation: The Engraving Chisel, One of the Emptiest ConstellationsCaelum is the eighth smallest constellation and among the most barren — four faint stars named after an engraver's chisel.5 min
  11. Camelopardalis Constellation: The Faint Giraffe Nobody Notices Near the PoleCamelopardalis is the 18th largest constellation and one of the faintest — a giraffe-shaped blank in the northern sky with real telescopic rewards.5 min
  12. Cancer Constellation: The Faintest Zodiac Sign, and the Beehive ClusterCancer is the dimmest constellation of the zodiac, but it holds the Beehive Cluster — a swarm of a thousand stars visible to the naked eye.5 min
  13. Canes Venatici Constellation: The Hunting Dogs and the Whirlpool GalaxyCanes Venatici is faint to the eye but extraordinary in a telescope — home to the Whirlpool Galaxy, five Messier objects and a monstrous black hole.6 min
  14. Canis Major Constellation: Home of Sirius, the Brightest Star in the Night SkyCanis Major holds Sirius, the brightest star we ever see at night — plus a Milky Way star cluster and some of the most luminous suns known.6 min
  15. Canis Minor Constellation: The Little Dog with One Very Famous StarCanis Minor is essentially two stars — but one of them, Procyon, is the eighth brightest in the sky and a corner of the Winter Triangle.5 min
  16. Capricornus Constellation: The Sea Goat, and Where Neptune Was FoundCapricornus is a faint triangle of stars representing a goat with a fish's tail — and the patch of sky where Neptune was discovered in 1846.5 min
  17. Carina Constellation: The Keel, Canopus, and the Greatest Nebula in the SkyCarina holds Canopus, the second brightest star in the night sky, and the Carina Nebula — larger and brighter than Orion's, but southern-sky only.6 min
  18. Cassiopeia Constellation: The Queen on Her Throne, and the W That Finds NorthCassiopeia's W is the most useful pattern in the northern sky after the Big Dipper — a circumpolar signpost sitting in the thick of the Milky Way.5 min
  19. Centaurus Constellation: The Centaur, and the Closest Star System to the SunCentaurus holds Alpha Centauri — the nearest star system to our own — plus Omega Centauri, the biggest and brightest globular cluster in the sky.5 min
  20. Cepheus Constellation: The King, and the Star That Measures the UniverseCepheus is a faint house-shaped constellation holding Delta Cephei — the star whose behaviour let astronomers measure the size of the universe.5 min
  21. Cetus Constellation: The Sea Monster, and the First Variable Star Ever FoundCetus is the fourth largest constellation and home to Mira — a red giant that swings from naked-eye brightness to invisibility over eleven months.5 min
  22. Chamaeleon Constellation: The Chameleon, and a Nursery of Baby StarsChamaeleon is a faint constellation near the south celestial pole, wrapped around one of the closest star-forming regions to the Sun.5 min
  23. Circinus Constellation: The Drawing Compasses, Beside the PointersCircinus is a tiny constellation next to Alpha Centauri, home to the nearest Seyfert galaxy and a pulsar racing across the sky.5 min
  24. Columba Constellation: Noah's Dove, and a Star Thrown Out of OrionColumba is a small dove below Canis Major, holding a runaway star that was flung out of the Orion Nebula two and a half million years ago.5 min
  25. Coma Berenices Constellation: Queen Berenice's Hair and a Sky Full of GalaxiesComa Berenices is the only constellation named after a real person, a naked-eye star cluster, and the gateway to the Virgo galaxy cluster.6 min
  26. Corona Australis Constellation: The Southern Crown, and a Nursery of Newborn StarsCorona Australis is a delicate arc of faint stars below Sagittarius, wrapped around one of the nearest and most active star-forming regions.5 min
  27. Corona Borealis Constellation: The Northern Crown and a Star Due to ExplodeCorona Borealis is a neat semicircle of stars between Boötes and Hercules, hiding a recurrent nova that brightens to naked-eye visibility.5 min
  28. Corvus Constellation: The Crow, and Two Galaxies Locked in a CollisionCorvus is a small, distinct quadrilateral riding on Hydra's back — punished for lying to Apollo, and home to the famous Antennae Galaxies.5 min
  29. Crater Constellation: The Cup the Crow Can Never ReachCrater is a faint but neat cup-shaped constellation on Hydra's back, forever placed just out of reach of Corvus the crow.5 min
  30. Crux Constellation: The Southern Cross, Smallest Constellation in the SkyCrux is the smallest of all 88 constellations and the most famous in the south — a compass, a national symbol, and a jewel box of stars.5 min
  31. Cygnus Constellation: The Swan, the Northern Cross, and a Black HoleCygnus flies down the Milky Way as the Northern Cross, holding Deneb, the beautiful double Albireo, and the first black hole ever identified.5 min
  32. Delphinus Constellation: The Dolphin, and Two Stars With a Hidden JokeDelphinus is a small, charming diamond of stars that genuinely looks like a leaping dolphin — and hides an astronomer's practical joke in its star names.5 min
  33. Dorado Constellation: The Dolphinfish, and the Large Magellanic CloudDorado contains most of the Large Magellanic Cloud, the Tarantula Nebula, and the site of SN 1987A — the nearest supernova in four centuries.5 min
  34. Draco Constellation: The Dragon That Coils Around the North PoleDraco winds between the two bears, holds the ancient pole star Thuban, and hosts the Cat's Eye Nebula and the unpredictable Draconid meteors.5 min
  35. Equuleus Constellation: The Little Horse, the Second Smallest ConstellationEquuleus is the second smallest constellation in the sky — four faint stars forming a foal's head next to the far more famous Pegasus.5 min
  36. Eridanus Constellation: The Great Celestial River, and the Coldest Spot in the SkyEridanus is the sixth largest constellation, a long river of stars winding from Orion down to brilliant Achernar in the far south.5 min
  37. Fornax Constellation: The Furnace, and the Deepest Picture Ever TakenFornax is a faint southern constellation containing the Fornax galaxy cluster and the patch of sky Hubble stared at to take its deepest images.5 min
  38. Gemini Constellation: The Twins, and the Best Meteor Shower of the YearGemini's twin stars Castor and Pollux head a constellation that hosts the Geminids — the most reliable meteor shower on the calendar.5 min
  39. Grus Constellation: The Crane, Cut Loose from the Southern FishGrus is a bright southern constellation shaped like a flying crane, made from stars that once belonged to Piscis Austrinus.5 min
  40. Hercules Constellation: The Kneeling Hero and the Best Globular Cluster Up NorthHercules is the fifth largest constellation, marked by the Keystone asterism and home to M13 — the finest globular cluster in the northern sky.5 min
  41. Horologium Constellation: The Pendulum Clock, and a Supercluster Named After ItHorologium is a long, faint southern constellation named after the pendulum clock — the invention that made precise astronomy possible.5 min
  42. Hydra Constellation: The Water Snake, the Largest Constellation in the SkyHydra is the largest of all 88 constellations — a water snake stretching across a quarter of the sky, taking six hours to fully rise.5 min
  43. Hydrus Constellation: The Little Water Snake Between the Magellanic CloudsHydrus winds between the two Magellanic Clouds near the south celestial pole, and holds one of the nearest bright Sun-like stars.5 min
  44. Indus Constellation: The Indian, and a Sun-Like Star Close Enough to StudyIndus is a faint southern constellation depicting an Indigenous figure, containing Epsilon Indi — one of the closest Sun-like stars to Earth.5 min
  45. Lacerta Constellation: The Little Lizard Wedged Into the Milky WayLacerta is a faint zigzag between Cygnus and Andromeda that gave its name to blazars — some of the most violent objects in the universe.5 min
  46. Leo Constellation: The Lion, the Sickle, and a Triplet of GalaxiesLeo genuinely looks like a lion — a backwards question mark for the head, bright Regulus at its base, and three fine galaxies under its belly.5 min
  47. Leo Minor Constellation: The Lesser Lion Squeezed Between Two GiantsLeo Minor is a small, faint triangle wedged between Leo and Ursa Major, notable for Hanny's Voorwerp — a glowing ghost lit by a dead quasar.5 min
  48. Lepus Constellation: The Hare Crouching Beneath Orion's FeetLepus sits directly under Orion — a quiet constellation hiding a globular cluster, a famously blood-red star, and the first brown dwarf ever confirmed.5 min
  49. Libra Constellation: The Scales, and the Claws That Used to Belong to a ScorpionLibra is the only zodiac constellation that is not a living creature — and its two brightest stars still carry names meaning scorpion's claws.5 min
  50. Lupus Constellation: The Wolf, and the Supernova of 1006Lupus sits in the southern Milky Way between Centaurus and Scorpius, and hosted SN 1006 — the brightest stellar event in recorded history.5 min
  51. Lynx Constellation: The Constellation You Need Lynx Eyes to SeeLynx was named for being so faint you need the eyes of a lynx to see it — but it hides a remote globular cluster and a lensed quasar.5 min
  52. Lyra Constellation: The Harp, Vega, and the Ring NebulaLyra is small but brilliant — Vega anchors the Summer Triangle, Epsilon Lyrae is the Double Double, and M57 is the classic Ring Nebula.5 min
  53. Mensa Constellation: Table Mountain, the Faintest Constellation of All 88Mensa is the only constellation named after a real place on Earth, and the faintest in the sky — no star in it reaches magnitude 5.5 min
  54. Microscopium Constellation: The Microscope, and a Young Star Building PlanetsMicroscopium is a faint southern constellation containing AU Microscopii — a very young star with a visible debris disc and forming planets.5 min
  55. Monoceros Constellation: The Faint Unicorn Hiding in the Winter TriangleMonoceros has almost no bright stars, yet it sits on the Milky Way and holds the Rosette Nebula, the Christmas Tree Cluster, and Plaskett's Star.5 min
  56. Musca Constellation: The Fly, and the Dark Doodad NebulaMusca is the only insect among the 88 constellations, sitting south of the Southern Cross with a remarkable dark nebula running through it.5 min
  57. Norma Constellation: The Carpenter's Square, and the Direction of the Great AttractorNorma is a small Milky Way constellation with no Alpha star, pointing towards the Great Attractor — the mass pulling our whole galaxy across space.5 min
  58. Octans Constellation: The Octant, and the Faint Star That Marks the South PoleOctans contains the south celestial pole — but unlike the north, its pole star is so faint that southern navigators never relied on it.5 min
  59. Ophiuchus Constellation: The Serpent Bearer, the Zodiac's Unofficial Thirteenth SignOphiuchus is the large constellation the Sun passes through every year that astrology leaves out — home to Barnard's Star and Kepler's supernova.5 min
  60. Orion Constellation: How to Find the Hunter, and Everything Inside HimOrion is the easiest constellation to learn and the richest to explore — three belt stars, two supergiants, and a stellar nursery you can see with your eyes.6 min
  61. Pavo Constellation: The Peacock, and a Globular Cluster You Can ResolvePavo is a southern constellation led by the star Peacock, containing NGC 6752 — one of the closest and finest globular clusters in the sky.5 min
  62. Pegasus Constellation: The Winged Horse and the Great Square of AutumnPegasus is anchored by the Great Square — a huge, obvious box of stars that dominates the autumn sky and leads you to the Andromeda Galaxy.5 min
  63. Perseus Constellation: The Hero, the Demon Star, and the Perseid MeteorsPerseus holds Algol — the winking Demon Star that dims every three days — and gives its name to the Perseids, the year's most-watched meteor shower.5 min
  64. Phoenix Constellation: The Firebird of the Southern SkyPhoenix is a modest southern constellation named for the bird that rises from its own ashes, holding a dwarf galaxy and a huge galaxy cluster.5 min
  65. Pictor Constellation: The Painter's Easel, and a Planet We PhotographedPictor is a faint southern constellation holding Beta Pictoris — the young star whose dust disc and directly imaged planet transformed exoplanet science.5 min
  66. Pisces Constellation: The Fishes, and the Sky's New Starting PointPisces is a faint zodiac constellation shaped like two fish tied together — and it now holds the vernal equinox, the sky's zero point.5 min
  67. Piscis Austrinus Constellation: The Southern Fish and Lonely FomalhautPiscis Austrinus is one bright star in an empty autumn sky — Fomalhaut, a young star with a famous debris ring and a vanishing planet.6 min
  68. Puppis Constellation: The Stern of the Ship, and a Milky Way Full of ClustersPuppis is the stern of the dismantled ship Argo Navis — a rich Milky Way constellation packed with open clusters and the nearby star Zeta Puppis.5 min
  69. Pyxis Constellation: The Mariner's Compass, and a Star That Keeps ExplodingPyxis is a small, faint compass added to the southern sky in the 1750s — home to T Pyxidis, a recurrent nova that erupts every few decades.5 min
  70. Reticulum Constellation: The Reticle, and the Star System UFO Lore Made FamousReticulum is a small southern constellation named after an eyepiece measuring grid, best known now for the Zeta Reticuli abduction story.5 min
  71. Sagitta Constellation: The Arrow, Third Smallest Constellation in the SkySagitta is a tiny but convincing arrow of four stars tucked inside the Summer Triangle — one of Ptolemy's 48 despite its size.5 min
  72. Sagittarius Constellation: The Teapot, and the Direction of the Galactic CentreSagittarius points straight at the centre of the Milky Way and holds fifteen Messier objects — more than any other constellation in the sky.5 min
  73. Scorpius Constellation: The Scorpion, Antares, and the Sting in the Milky WayScorpius is one of the few constellations that truly looks like its name — a curving scorpion with red Antares at its heart and rich Milky Way clusters.6 min
  74. Sculptor Constellation: The Sculptor's Studio, and a Galaxy You Can Actually SeeSculptor looks straight out of our galaxy through the South Galactic Pole, offering a clear view of NGC 253 — one of the finest galaxies in the sky.5 min
  75. Scutum Constellation: The Shield, and the Densest Star Cloud in the Milky WayScutum is a small constellation carrying the Scutum Star Cloud — the brightest patch of the Milky Way — and the superb Wild Duck Cluster.5 min
  76. Serpens Constellation: The Only Constellation Split Into Two Separate PiecesSerpens is unique — the only constellation divided into two disconnected halves, separated by Ophiuchus, and home to the Eagle Nebula.5 min
  77. Sextans Constellation: The Sextant, Named for an Instrument Lost to FireSextans is a faint constellation below Leo, named by Hevelius after the instrument he lost when his observatory burned down in 1679.5 min
  78. Taurus Constellation: The Bull, the Pleiades, and the Remains of a SupernovaTaurus holds the Pleiades, the Hyades, orange Aldebaran and the Crab Nebula — the wreckage of a star that exploded in front of witnesses in 1054.6 min
  79. Telescopium Constellation: The Telescope, Named for the Instrument That Changed EverythingTelescopium is a faint southern constellation named after the instrument that transformed astronomy — modest to look at, but well named.5 min
  80. Triangulum Australe Constellation: The Southern Triangle, Brighter Than Its Northern TwinTriangulum Australe is a small, bright triangle in the southern Milky Way — more conspicuous than the northern Triangulum it was named after.5 min
  81. Triangulum Constellation: A Simple Triangle Hiding the Third Galaxy of Our Local GroupTriangulum is three stars and little else — but it contains M33, the Triangulum Galaxy, the most distant object some people can see unaided.5 min
  82. Tucana Constellation: The Toucan, the Small Magellanic Cloud, and 47 TucanaeTucana holds the Small Magellanic Cloud — a whole satellite galaxy — and 47 Tucanae, the second finest globular cluster in the sky.5 min
  83. Ursa Major Constellation: The Great Bear, the Big Dipper, and How to Find NorthUrsa Major contains the Big Dipper, the most recognised star pattern in the northern sky — and the two stars that point straight at Polaris.6 min
  84. Ursa Minor Constellation: The Little Bear and Polaris, the Star That Never MovesUrsa Minor holds Polaris, the North Star — the one point in the sky that stays fixed while everything else wheels around it.6 min
  85. Vela Constellation: The Sails, a Pulsar, and the False CrossVela is the sails of the ship Argo Navis, containing a famous supernova remnant, a bright pulsar, and half of the misleading False Cross.5 min
  86. Virgo Constellation: The Maiden, and the Largest Galaxy Cluster We Can SeeVirgo is the second largest constellation and the richest galaxy field in the sky, home to M87 — the first black hole ever photographed.5 min
  87. Volans Constellation: The Flying Fish, Skimming Past the Large Magellanic CloudVolans is a small southern constellation named after the flying fish, tucked against Carina and holding the striking Meathook Galaxy.5 min
  88. Vulpecula Constellation: The Little Fox, the Dumbbell Nebula, and the First PulsarVulpecula is a faint fox in the Summer Triangle holding M27, the Dumbbell Nebula, and the spot where the first pulsar was detected in 1967.5 min