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Learn about the 88 constellations officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), their names, sizes, quadrants and visibility. Find out the meanings and origins of the constellation names and their corresponding stars.
- Ursa Major Constellation
Ursa Major constellation lies in the northern sky. Its name...
- Scorpius Constellation
Myth. In Greek mythology, the constellation Scorpius was...
- Pegasus Constellation
The constellation was named after Pegasus, the winged horse...
- Hydra Constellation
Hydra, the water snake, is the largest constellation in the...
- Libra Constellation
Libra is the only zodiac constellation that represents an...
- Aries Constellation
Aries constellation is located in the northern hemisphere....
- Gemini Constellation
Eskimo Nebula (NGC 2392, Caldwell 39) The Eskimo Nebula is a...
- Sagittarius Constellation
The constellation contains the Arches Cluster, the...
- Ursa Major Constellation
Latin Name English Name or Description; Andromeda: Princess of Ethiopia: Antlia: Air pump: Apus: Bird of Paradise: Aquarius: Water bearer: Aquila: Eagle: Ara: Altar: Aries: Ram: Auriga : Charioteer: Bootes : Herdsman: Caelum : Graving tool: Camelopardalis: Giraffe: Cancer: Crab: Canes Venatici: Hunting dogs: Canis Major: Big dog: Canis Minor ...
- Andromeda – The Chained Maiden
- Antlia – The Air Pump
- Apus – The Bird of Paradise
- Aquarius – The Water Bearer
- Aquila – The Eagle
- Ara – The Altar
- Aries – The Ram
- Auriga – The Charioteer
- Boötes – The Herdsman
- Caelum – The Chisel
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Genitive: Andromedae Andromeda is one of the Greek constellations. It was named after Andromeda, the daughter of Queen Cassiopeia and King Cepheus in Greek mythology. Andromeda was chained and left for the sea monster Cetus to eat, and then saved by Perseus, whom she later married. Andromeda was sacrificed to Cetus to appease the gods and stop the ...
Genitive: Antliae Antlia is one of the constellations created by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century. Lacaille originally named the constellation Antlia Pneumatica, or Machine Pneumatiquein French, in honour of French physicist Denis Papin’s invention, the air pump. The name was later shortened to Antlia.
Genitive: Apodis Apus represents the bird of paradise. The constellation’s name means “no feet” in Greek, referring to a western misconception of the bird of paradise not having feet. The constellation was created and named by the Dutch astronomer and cartographer Petrus Plancius in the late 16th century.
Genitive: Aquarii Aquarius is one of the 48 Greek constellations. It is associated with Ganymede, the cup-bearer to the Olympian gods. In Greek mythology, Ganymede was the son of King Tros, known for giving the city of Troy its name. Ganymede was the most beautiful boy alive and Zeus was so infatuated with him that he took the form of an eagle and ...
Genitive: Aquilae Aquila constellation is associated with the eagle that held Zeus’ thunderbolts in Greek mythology, as well as with the eagle that abducted Ganymede and brought him to Olympus.
Genitive: Arae Ara represents the altar on which the gods formed an alliance before going to war with the Titans in Greek mythology. The gods were led by Zeus and the Titans by Atlas. It is said that Zeus placed the altar in the sky in honour of the gods’ victory. In various depictions of the constellation, the Milky Way represents the smoke rising...
Genitive: Arietis Aries is identified as the mythical winged ram with golden fleece that was sent by the nymph Nephele to save her son Phrixus after his father, King Athamas of Boeotia, had been given a false prophecy that he had to sacrifice his son to ward off famine. In the myth, Phrixus and his sister Helle climbed on the ram and were carried t...
Genitive: Aurigae Auriga, the Charioteer, was said to have been placed in the sky by Zeus himself in honour of the charioteer and inventor Erichthonius of Athens. Erichthonius was the son of the god Hephaestus and he was raised by Athena, who taught him many skills. He was the first person to harness four horses to a chariot and is credited as the ...
Genitive: Boötis Boötes is one of the ancient Greek constellations. The constellation’s name means “the oxen-driver” and Boötes is usually identified as the ploughman who drove the oxen represented by Ursa Major. The constellation is also sometimes associated with Arctophylax, or the Bear Keeper, also referring to Ursa Major, the Big Bear. In anoth...
Genitive: Caeli Caelum is one of the constellations created by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille. Lacaille originally named the constellation Caelum Scalptorium (or les Burinsin French), which is Latin for “the engraver’s chisel.”
Learn the meanings and stories behind the 88 constellation names, from ancient Greek mythology to modern scientific instruments and exotic animals. Find out how constellations were catalogued, named and depicted by different astronomers over time.
A comprehensive table of the 88 astronomical constellations, with their mythological associations, first appearances, genitive forms, brightest stars and more. Learn about the history and origin of each constellation, and how to find them in the sky.
ConstellationMythological AssociationFirst AppearedGenitive FormThe Princess Andromeda; in Greek ...AncientAndromedaeThe air pump; a southern constellation ...1756 (Lacaille)AntliaeThe bird of paradise; a southern ...1598 (Keyser & de Houtman)ApodisThe water bearer; in Greek mythology, ...AncientAquariiLearn about the origins and meanings of the 88 constellations in the sky, based on ancient and modern sources. Find out how constellations are divided into northern and southern hemispheres, and how they are used to designate stars.
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Feb 5, 2007 · Every constellation name has two forms: the nominative, for use when you're talking about the constellation itself, and the genitive, or possessive, which is used in star names. For instance, Hamal, the brightest star in the constellation Aries (nominative form), is also called Alpha Arietis (genitive form), meaning literally "the Alpha of Aries."
May 6, 2024 · Learn what constellations are, how they change with the seasons and location, and how they are used in astronomy and astrology. Find out the names and stories of 88 officially recognized constellations and see examples of star patterns in the night sky.
