Constellations http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/sow/const.

html

THE CONSTELLATIONS

From Jim Kaler's STARS Pages.

This site is linked to Constellation Maps.

A Brief Introduction

Constellations are named patterns of stars. All societies created them. The classical -- "ancient" --
constellations that populate our sky began in the lands of the middle east thousands of years ago, their origins
largely lost to time. They passed through the hands of the ancient Greeks, who overlaid them with their
legends and codified them in story and verse. During Roman times they were assigned Latin names.

The 48 ancient constellations single out only the bright patterns. From around 1600 to 1800, post-Copernican
astronomers invented hosts of "modern" constellations from the faint stars that lie between the classical
figures, from pieces of ancient constellations, and from the stars that occupy the part of the southern sky that
could not be seen from classical lands. Later astronomers broke the ship Argo into three parts, yielding 50
ancient constellations.

In the early twentieth century, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) adopted 38 of the modern
constellations and drew rectangular borders around all 88. Many of these contain informal constellations, or
"asterisms," that are often the first to be learned, Ursa Major holding the "Big Dipper" and so on. Other
asterisms, like the Winter Triangle, cut across constellation boundaries. Some constellations look like what
they are supposed to represent, but most do not. Constellations, both ancient and modern, are generally meant
to honor and represent, not to portray.

The constellations play an important role in modern astronomy. They bring order to the sky by dividing it into
smaller segments, providing a base for naming celestial objects. Though the brighter stars commonly carry
"proper names" that come mostly from Arabic, they are also assigned Greek letters and Arabic numbers to
which are affixed the Latin possessive forms of the constellation names, Vega, for example, also known as
"Alpha of Lyra," or "Alpha Lyrae." The IAU also adopted three-letter abbreviations for all the constellations
and their possessives, Vega thus becoming Alpha Lyr. The accepted constellations are listed alphabetically in
the table below. The columns give, in order:

The constellation name.

The constellation's meaning (what it represents).
The Latin possessive form.
The three-letter abbreviation.
The location (linked to its Constellation Map), as follows:
E: Equatorial; lying on the celestial equator
EN: Equatorial north; lying between the celestial equator and 45 degrees north of the equator.
NP: North polar; north of 45 degrees north of the celestial equator; circumpolar for northern
latitudes, not rising for far southern latitudes.

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ES: Equatorial south; lying between the celestial equator and 45 degrees south of the equator.
SP: South polar; south of 45 degrees south of the celestial equator; circumpolar for southern
latitudes, not rising for far northern latitudes.
Intermediate positions are indicated by combining location codes, a constellation lying across the
circle 45 degrees north of the celestial equator called EN-NP and so on.
Constellations not on the Constellation Maps are indicated by an asterisk (*); their positions are
described in the text of the appropriate map.
The Luminary, or brightest star by both proper and Greek- letter name (or number). Many luminaries,
especially those of southern constellations, have no proper name.
Remarks. These include whether the constellation is modern, references to mythology, some asterisms,
and what poles (celestial, ecliptic, galactic) the constellation may contain.
The constellations and their luminaries are linked to the main "Stars" page. Please enjoy them, both
here and in the nighttime sky.

NAME MEANING POSSESSIVE ABR LOC LUMINARY REMARKS

Andromeda Chained Andromedae And EN-NP Alpheratz=Alpha, Perseus myth;
Lady Mirach=Beta Daughter of
Cassiopeia and
Cepheus; galaxy M
31
Antlia Air Pump Antliae Ant ES Alpha Modern
Apus Bird of Apodis Aps SP Alpha Modern
Paradise
Aquarius Water Aquarii Aqr ES Sadalsuud=Beta Zodiac; Water Jar;
Bearer wet quarter
Aquila Eagle Aquilae Aql E Altair=Alpha Summer Triangle
Ara Altar Arae Ara SP Beta Most southerly
ancient
Aries Ram Arietis Ari EN Hamal=Alpha Zodiac
Auriga Charioteer Aurigae Aur EN-NP Capella=Alpha Three "Kids"
Bootes Herdsman Bootis Boo EN Arcturus=Alpha Brightest N. hem. star
Caelum Engraving Caeli Cae ES* Alpha Modern
Tool
Camelopardalis Giraffe Camelopardalis Cam NP Beta Modern
Cancer Crab Cancri Cnc EN Al Tarf=Beta Zodiac; Beehive
Cluster
Canes Venatici Hunting Canum CVn EN-NP Cor Caroli=Alpha-2 Modern
Dogs Venaticorum
Canis Major Larger Dog Canis Majoris CMa ES Sirius=Alpha Winter Triangle
Canis Minor Smaller Dog Canis Minoris CMi EN Procyon=Alpha Winter Triangle
Capricornus Water Goat Capricorni Cap ES Deneb Algedi=Delta Zodiac; wet quarter
Carina Keel Carinae Car SP Canopus=Alpha Argo
Cassiopeia Queen Cassiopeiae Cas NP Shedar=Alpha Perseus myth;
Andromeda's mother
Centaurus Centaur Centauri Cen ES-SP Rigil Kentaurus=Alpha Hadar=Beta first
mag.

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Cepheus King Cephei Cep NP Alderamin=Alpha Perseus myth;

Andromeda's father
Cetus Whale/Sea Ceti Cet E Deneb Kaitos=Beta Perseus myth
Monster
Chamaeleon Chameleon Chamaeleontis Cha SP Alpha Modern
Circinus Compasses Circini Cir SP Alpha Modern
Columba Dove Columbae Col ES Phact=Alpha Modern
Coma Berenices Comae Com EN Beta "Modern" but old;
Berenices Hair Berenices Coma Berenices
Cluster; North
Galactic Pole
Corona Southern Coronae CrA ES-SP Alfecca Sagittarius's crown
Australis Crown Australis Meridiana=Alpha;
Beta
Corona Northern Coronae CrB EN Alphecca=Alpha Ariadne's Crown
Borealis Crown Borealis
Corvus Crow, Corvi Crv ES Gienah=Gamma "Pointers" to Spica
Raven
Crater Cup Crateris Crt ES Delta Very faint
Crux Southern Crucis Cru SP Acrux=Alpha Modern; icon of
Cross southern hemisphere
Cygnus Swan Cygni Cyg EN-NP Deneb=Alpha Northern Cross,
Summer Triangle
Delphinus Dolphin Delphini Del EN Rotanev=Beta Wet quarter
Dorado Swordfish Doradus Dor SP Alpha Modern; South
Ecliptic Pole
Draco Dragon Draconis Dra NP Eltanin=Gamma North Ecliptic Pole
Equuleus Little Horse Equulei Eql EN Kitalpha=Alpha Smallest ancient
const.
Eridanus River Eridani Eri ES-SP Achernar=Alpha Second longest
Fornax Furnace Fornacis For ES Alpha Modern
Gemini Twins Geminorum Gem EN Pollux=Beta Zodiac; Summer
Solstice; cluster M 35
Grus Crane Gruis Gru ES-SP Al Nair=Alpha Modern
Hercules Hero; Herculis Her EN Kornephoros=Beta "The Kneeler";
Hercules cluster M 13
Horologium Clock Horologii Hor ES-SP* Alpha Modern
Hydra Water Hydrae Hya E-ES Alphard=Alpha Longest const.
Serpent
Hydrus Water Hydri Hyi SP Beta Modern
Snake
Indus Indian Indi Ind SP The Persian=Alpha Modern
Lacerta Lizard Lacertae Lac EN-NP* Alpha Modern
Leo Lion Leonis Leo EN Regulus=Alpha Zodiac

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Leo Minor Smaller Leonis Minoris LMi EN Praecipua=46 Modern

Lion
Lepus Hare Leporis Lep ES Arneb=Alpha Orion's prey
Libra Scales Librae Lib ES Zubeneschamali=Beta Zodiac
Lupus Wolf Lupi Lup ES-SP Alpha Classic odd star Chi
Lup
Lynx Lynx Lyncis Lyn EN-NP* Alpha Modern
Lyra Lyre Lyrae Lyr EN Vega=Alpha Summer Triangle
Mensa Table Mensae Men SP* Alpha Modern
Microscopium Microscope Microscopii Mic ES* Gamma Modern
Monoceros Unicorn Monocerotis Mon E* Beta Modern
Musca Fly Muscae Mus SP Alpha Modern
Norma Square Normae Nor ES-SP* Gamma-2 Modern
Octans Octant Octantis Oct SP* Nu Modern; South
Celestial Pole
Ophiuchus Serpent Ophiuchi Oph E Rasalhague=Alpha With Serpens; on
Bearer ecliptic; cluster M 10
Orion Hunter; Orionis Ori E Rigel=Beta Winter Triangle
Orion
Pavo Peacock Pavonis Pav SP Peacock=Alpha Modern
Pegasus Winged Pegasi Peg EN Enif=Epsilon Perseus myth, Great
Horse Square; cluster M 15
Perseus Hero; Persei Per EN-NP Mirfak=Alpha Perseus myth;
Perseus rescuer of
Andromeda; Double
Cluster; Alpha Per
Cluster
Phoenix Phoenix Phoenicis Phe ES-SP Ankaa=Alpha Modern
Pictor Easel Pictoris Pic SP Alpha Modern
Pisces Fishes Piscium Psc E-EN Kullat Nunu=Eta Zodiac; Vernal
Equinox; Circlet; wet
quarter
Piscis Austrinus Southern Piscis Austrini PsA ES Fomalhaut=Alpha Wet quarter
Fish
Puppis Stern Puppis Pup ES-SP Naos=Zeta Argo
Pyxis Compass Pyxidis Pyx ES Alpha Modern
Reticulum Net Reticuli Ret SP Alpha Modern
Sagitta Arrow Sagittae Sge NE Gamma Arrow of Hercules;
of Cupid
Sagittarius Archer Sagittarii Sgr ES Kaus Zodiac; Winter
Australis=Epsilon Solstice; Little Milk
Dipper; Teapot;
Galactic center
Scorpius Scorpion Scorpii Sco ES Antares=Alpha Zodiac

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Sculptor Sculptor's Sculptoris Scl ES Alpha Modern; South

Studio Galactic Pole
Scutum Shield Scuti Sct ES Alpha Modern
Serpens Serpent Serpentis Ser E Unukalhai=Alpha Two parts; with
Ophiuchus
Sextans Sextant Sextantis Sex E Alpha Modern
Taurus Bull Tauri Tau EN Aldebaran= Alpha Zodiac; Hyades;
Pleiades; Galactic
anticenter
Telescopium Telescope Telescopii Tel ES-SP Alpha Modern
Triangulum Triangle Trianguli Tri EN Beta Galaxy M 33
Triangulum Southern Trianguli TrA SP Atria Modern
Australe Triangle Australis
Tucana Toucan Tucanae Tuc SP Alpha Modern
Ursa Major Greater Ursae Majoris UMa NP Alioth=Epsilon Big Dipper/Plough;
Bear Ursa Major Cluster
Ursa Minor Smaller Ursae Minoris UMi NP Polaris=Alpha Little Dipper; North
Bear Celestial Pole
Vela Sails Velorum Vel ES-SP Regor=Gamma Argo
Virgo Maiden Virginis Vir E Spica=Alpha Zodiac; Autumnal
Equinox
Volans Flying Fish Volantis Vol SP* Gamma Modern
Vulpecula Fox Vulpeculae Vul EN* Anser=Alpha Modern; Coathanger
non- cluster

*Not on star map; position indicated in text.

Copyright © James B. Kaler, all rights reserved. These contents are the property of the author and may not be
reproduced in whole or in part without the author's consent except in fair use for educational purposes. This
page was last modified on 2 February, 2006. Opening illustration: Aquila, from John Flamsteed's "Atlas Coelestis," 1781
edition, courtesy of the Rare Book and Special Collections Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Thanks to
visitor number .

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