SkyEye

88 Constellations

A constellation is a picture in the sky. Many of these familiar patterns of stars come to us from prehistoric times when humans first looked up into the night sky and tried to make sense of it. Today, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) is the sole authority for assigning designations and names to celestial bodies, and they have divided up the sky into 88 sections. These sections are irregular in shape and size as the IAU has tried to maintain ancient constellation boundaries as much as possible.

Name	Description	Abbrev.	Genitive	Notes
Andromeda	Chained Woman	And	Andromedae
Antlia	Air Pump	Ant	Antliae	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille
Apus	Bird of Paradise	Aps	Apodis	Devised in the 16th century by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman
Aquarius	Water Carrier	Aqr	Aquarii	Constellation of the zodiac
Aquila	Eagle	Aql	Aquilae
Ara	Altar	Ara	Arae
Aries	Ram	Ari	Arietis	Constellation of the zodiac
Auriga	Charioteer	Aur	Aurigae
Boötes	Herdsman	Boö	Boötis
Caelum	Chisel	Cae	Caeli	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille
Camelopardalis	Giraffe	Cam	Camelopardalis	Devised in the 16th century by Dutch astronomer Petrus Plancius
Cancer	Crab	Cnc	Cancri	Constellation of the zodiac
Canes Venatici	Hunting Dogs	Cvn	Canum Venaticorum	Devised in the 17th century by Johannes Hevelius
Canis Major	Greater Dog	Cma	Canis Majoris
Canis Minor	Lesser Dog	Cmi	Canis Minoris
Capricornus	Sea Goat	Cap	Capricorni	Constellation of the zodiac
Carina	Keel (of the Argo)	Car	Carinae	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille when he split up the ancient constellation of Argo Navis
Cassiopeia	Queen	Cas	Cassiopeiae
Centaurus	Centaur	Cen	Centauri
Cepheus	King	Cep	Cephei
Cetus	Whale	Cet	Ceti
Chamaeleon	Chameleon	Cha	Chamaeleotis	Devised in the 16th century by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman
Circinus	Compasses	Cir	Circini	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille
Columba	Dove	Col	Columbae	Devised in the 16th century by Dutch astronomer Petrus Plancius
Coma Berenices	Hair of Berenice	Com	Comae Berenices	Devised in the 16th century by Dutch cartographer Gerardus Mercator
Corona Australis	Southern Crown	Cra	Coronae Australis
Corona Borealis	Northern Crown	Crb	Coronae Borealis
Corvus	Crow	Crv	Corvi
Crater	Cup	Crt	Crateris
Crux	Southern Cross	Cru	Crucis	Originally part of Centaurus but separated into a distinct asterism in the 16th century by European explorers to the southern hemisphere
Cygnus	Swan	Cyg	Cygni
Delphinus	Dolphin	Del	Delphini
Dorado	Goldfish	Dor	Doradus	Devised in the 16th century by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman
Draco	Dragon	Dra	Draconis
Equuleus	Little Horse	Equ	Equulei
Eridanus	River	Eri	Eridani
Fornax	Furnace	For	Fornacis	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille
Gemini	Twins	Gem	Geminorum	Constellation of the zodiac
Grus	Crane	Gru	Gruis	Devised in the 16th century by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman
Hercules	Giant	Her	Herculis
Horologium	Clock	Hor	Horologii	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille
Hydra	Sea Serpent	Hya	Hydrae
Hydrus	Water Snake	Hyi	Hydri	Devised in the 16th century by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman
Indus	(American) Indian	Ind	Indi	Devised in the 16th century by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman
Lacerta	Lizard	Lac	Lacertae	Devised in the 17th century by Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius
Leo	Lion	Leo	Leonis	Constellation of the zodiac
Leo Minor	Lesser Lion	Lmi	Leonis Minoris	Devised in the 17th century by Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius
Lepus	Hare	Lep	Leporus
Libra	Scales	Lib	Librae	Constellation of the zodiac
Lupus	Wolf	Lup	Lupi
Lynx	Lynx	Lyn	Lyncis	Devised in the 17th century by Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius
Lyra	Lyre	Lyr	Lyrae
Mensa	Table Mountain	Men	Mensae	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille
Microscopium	Microscope	Mic	Microscopii	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille
Monoceros	Unicorn	Mon	Monocerotis	Devised in the 17th century by Dutch astronomer Petrus Plancius
Musca	Fly	Mus	Muscae	Devised in the 16th century by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman
Norma	Level	Nor	Normae	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille
Octans	Octant	Oct	Octantis	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille
Ophiuchus	Serpent Bearer	Oph	Ophiuchi	Although not a member of the zodiac, the ecliptic does runs through the southern part of this constellation
Orion	Hunter	Ori	Orionis
Pavo	Peacock	Pav	Pavonis	Devised in the 16th century by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman
Pegasus	Winged Horse	Peg	Pegasi
Perseus	Champion	Per	Persei
Phoenix	Phoenix	Phe	Phoenicis	Devised in the 16th century by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman
Pictor	Easel	Pic	Pictoris	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille
Pisces	Fish	Psc	Piscium	Constellation of the zodiac
Piscis Austrinus	Southern Fish	Psa	Piscis Austrini
Puppis	Stern (of the Argo)	Pup	Puppis	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille when he split up the ancient constellation of Argo Navis
Pyxis	Compass	Pyx	Pyxidis	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille
Reticulum	Reticle	Ret	Reticuli	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille
Sagitta	Arrow	Sge	Sagittae
Sagittarius	Archer	Sgr	Sagittarii	Constellation of the zodiac
Scorpius	Scorpion	Sco	Scorpii	Constellation of the zodiac
Sculptor	Sculptor	Scl	Sculptoris	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille
Scutum	Shield	Sct	Scuti	Devised in the 17th century by Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius
Serpens	Serpent	Ser	Serpentis	Split into two separate areas, Serpens Caput (the head) and Serpens Cauda (the tail), with the constellation Ophiuchus in between
Sextans	Sextant	Sex	Sextantis	Devised in the 17th century by Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius
Taurus	Bull	Tau	Tauri	Constellation of the zodiac
Telescopium	Telescope	Tel	Telescopii	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille
Triangulum	Triangle	Tri	Trianguli
Triangulum Australe	Southern Triangle	Tra	Trianguli Australis	Devised in the 16th century by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman
Tucana	Toucan	Tuc	Tucanae	Devised in the 16th century by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman
Ursa Major	Greater Bear	Uma	Ursae Majoris
Ursa Minor	Lesser Bear	Umi	Ursae Minoris
Vela	Sails (of the Argo)	Vel	Velorum	Devised in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille when he split up the ancient constellation of Argo Navis
Virgo	Virgin	Vir	Virginis	Constellation of the zodiac
Volans	Flying Fish	Vol	Volantis	Devised in the 16th century by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman
Vulpecula	Fox	Vul	Vulpeculae	Devised in the 17th century by Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius and originally called Vulpecula cum Anser, the "Fox and Goose"

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