Topic No. 3
The Names of the Constellations, and how to say them
Groups of stars that make some kind of pattern in the sky are called constellations. The sky is divided up into 88 constellations, large and small. Most are irregular in shape, but all sections of their boundaries are made up of either lines of Declination or lines of Right Ascension. There is no part of the sky that is not in a constellation.
Most of the constellations we see today have been known since ancient times. The ones with bright stars have been of importance to humans since the earliest civilisations, as they helped people to understand the seasons, which was important for agriculture. Many stars and constellations had religious significance as well.
NAME | PRONUNCIATION | MEANING | GENITIVE FORM | BRIGHT STARS | NOTES |
Andromeda | an-drom'-ed-a | Chained maiden | Andromedae | Alpheratz | ¶ |
Antlia | ant'-lee-a | Air pump | Antliae | - | F |
Apus | ay'-pus | Bird of paradise | Apodis | - | F |
Aquarius | ac-ware'-ee-us | Water-bearer | Aquarii | Sadalmelek | ¶ F, G, Z |
Aquila | ack'-will-a | Eagle | Aquilae | Altair, Alshain, Tarazed | ¶ M |
Ara | ay'-ra | Altar | Arae | - | ¶ M |
Argo | ah'-go | Ship Argo | - | Canopus | Replaced |
Aries | ay'-reez | Ram | Arietis | Hamal, Sheratan | ¶ Z |
Auriga | or-rye'-ga | Charioteer | Aurigae | Capella | ¶ M |
Boötes | bo-oh'-teez | Herdsman | Boötis | Arcturus | ¶ G |
Caelum | see'-lum | Chisel | Caeli | - | F |
Camelopardis | ca-mel'-oh-par-dus | Giraffe | Camelopardi | - | N |
Cancer | can'-ser | Crab | Cancri | - | ¶ Z |
Canes Venatici | cay'-neez ven-at'-iss-ee | Greyhounds | Canum Venaticorum | Cor Caroli | G |
Canis Major | cay'niss may'-jer | Greater Dog | Canis Majoris | Sirius, Mirzam | ¶ M |
Canis Minor | cay'niss mine'-er | Lesser Dog | Canis Minoris | Procyon, Gomeisa | ¶ |
Capricornus | cap-ree-corn'-us | Sea-goat | Capricorni | Algedi, Dabih | ¶ Z |
Carina | car-een'-a | Keel (of Argo) | Carinae | Canopus | ¶ |
Cassiopeia | cass-ee-oh-pee'-a | Queen Cassiopeia | Cassiopeiae | - | N, M |
Centaurus | sen-tor'-us | Centaur | Centauri | Rigil Kent, Hadar | ¶ |
Cepheus | see'-fee-us | King Cepheus | Cephei | - | N |
Cetus | see'-tuss | Whale | Ceti | Diphda | ¶ G |
Chamaeleon | car-me'-lee-un | Chamaeleon | Chamaeleontis | - | F |
Circinus | sir'-sin-us | Compasses | Circini | - | F |
Columba | coe-lum'-ba | Dove | Columbae | Phact | F |
Coma Berenices | coe'-ma bear-ee-nice'-eez | Berenice's Hair | Comae Berenices | - | ¶ G |
Corona Australis | coe-roe'-na oss-strar'-liss | Southern Crown | Coronae Australis | - | ¶ |
Corona Borealis | coe-roe'-na bo-ree-ah'-liss | Northern Crown | Coronae Borealis | Alphecca (Gemma) | ¶ |
Corvus | core'-vuss | Crow | Corvi | Alchiba | ¶ G |
Crater | cray'-ter | Cup | Crateris | Alkes | F |
Crux (Australis) | krucks (oss-strar'-liss) | (Southern) Cross | Crucis | Acrux, Mimosa | ¶ M |
Cygnus | sig'-nuss | Swan | Cygni | Deneb, Albireo | ¶ M |
Delphinus | dell-fine'-us | Dolphin | Delphini | Sualocin | ¶ |
Dorado | doe-rar'-doe | Swordfish | Doradus | - | ¶ F |
Draco | dray'-co | Dragon | Draconis | Eltanin, Rastaban | N |
Equuleus | ec-kwoo'-lee-us | Little Horse | Equulei | Kitalpha | F |
Eridanus | e-rid'-an-us | Eridanus River | Eridani | Achernar, Cursa | ¶ G |
Fornax | for'-nax | Furnace | Fornacis | - | G |
Gemini | jem'-in-eye | Twins | Geminorum | Pollux, Castor | ¶ Z, M |
Grus | gruss' | Crane | Gruis | Al Nair | ¶ |
Hercules | her'-coo-leez | Hercules | Herculis | Ras Algethi | ¶ |
Horologium | hor-oh-loh'-jee-um | Clock | Horologii | - | F |
Hydra | high'-dra | Water Snake | Hydrae | Alphard | ¶ |
Hydrus | high'-druss | Water Snake | Hydri | - | F |
Indus | in'-dus | Indian | Indi | - | F |
Lacerta | la-ser'-ta | Lizard | Lacertae | - | F |
Leo | lee'-oh | Lion | Leonis | Regulus, Denebola | ¶ Z, G |
Leo Minor | lee'-oh mine'-er | Lesser Lion | Leonis Minoris | - | F, G |
Lepus | lee'-pus | Hare | Leporis | - | F |
Libra | lie'-bra | Scales | Librae | Zuben Elgenubi | ¶ Z |
Lupus | loo'-pus | Wolf | Lupi | - | ¶ M |
Lynx | links' | Lynx | Lyncis | - | F |
Lyra | lie'-rah | Lyre | Lyrae | Vega | ¶ M |
Malus | may'-luss | Mast (of Argo) | - | - | Renamed Pyxis |
(Mons) Mensa | men'-sa | Table (Mountain) | Mensae | - | F |
Microscopium | mick-row-scope'-ee-um | Microscope | Microscopii | - | F |
Monoceros | mon-oh-sair'-oss | Unicorn | Monocerotis | - | M |
Musca | muss'-ca | Fly | Muscae | - | ¶ |
Norma | nor'-ma | Square | Normae | - | |
Octans | ok'-tans | Octant | Octantis | - | F |
Ophiuchus | off-ee-oo'-kuss | Serpent-bearer | Ophiuchi | Ras Alhague, Sabik | |
Orion | oh-rye'-on | Hunter | Orionis | Rigel, Betelgeuse, Bellatrix, Saiph | ¶ |
Pavo | par'-voh | Peacock | Pavonis | Peacock | F |
Pegasus | peg'-a-suss | Winged horse | Pegasi | Markab, Scheat, Algenib | Great Square |
Perseus | per'-see-us | Perseus | Persei | Mirfak, Algol | M |
Phoenix | fee'-nix | Phoenix | Phoenicis | Ankaa | ¶ G |
Pictor | pick'-tor | Painter | Pictoris | - | F |
Pisces | pie'-seize | Fishes | Piscium | Alrescha | ¶ |
Piscis Austrinus | pie'-suss oss-stry'-nuss | Southern Fish | Piscis Austrini | Fomalhaut | ¶ |
Puppis | pup'-iss | Stern (of Argo) | Puppis | - | ¶ |
Pyxis | pick'-siss | Compass | Pyxidis | - | M |
Reticulum | ree-tick'-you-lum | Net | Reticuli | - | F |
Sagitta | sadge-it'-ta | Arrow | Sagittae | - | ¶ M |
Sagittarius | sadge-it-air'-ee-us | Archer | Sagittarii | Nunki, Kaus Australis | ¶ Z, M |
Scorpius | scor'-pee-us | Scorpion | Scorpii | Antares, Shaula | ¶ Z, M |
Sculptor | sculp'-ter | Sculptor's workshop | Sculptoris | - | F, G, P |
Scutum | scoo'-tum | Shield | Scuti | - | Star clouds |
Serpens | sir'-penz | Serpent | Serpentis | Unukalhai | Z. M |
Sextans | sex'-tanz | Sextant | Sextantis | - | F |
Taurus | tore'-us | Bull | Tauri | Aldebaran, El Nath | ¶ Z, M |
Telescopium | tele-scope'-ee-um | Telescope | Telescopii | - | F |
Triangulum | try-ang'-gyou-lum | Triangle | Trianguli | Metallah | ¶ |
Triangulum Australe | try-ang'-gyou-lum oss-strar-lee | Southern triangle | Trianguli Australis | Atria | ¶ M |
Tucana | too-car'-na | Toucan | Tucanae | - | F |
Ursa Major | er'-sa may'-jer | Greater Bear | Ursae Majoris | Alkaid, Alcor | ¶ N |
Ursa Minor | er'-sa mine'-er | Lesser Bear | Ursae Minoris | Polaris | X |
Vela | vee'-la | Sails (of Argo) | Velorum | Regor, Suhail | ¶ M |
Virgo | ver'-go | Virgin | Virginis | Spica, Porrima | ¶ G, Z |
Volans | voe'-lanz | Flying fish | Volantis | - | F |
Vulpecula | vul-peck'-you-la | Fox | Vulpeculae | - | M |
NOTES
¶
= Key
constellation
X
= never visible from Nambour
N
= low in north when available, only partially visible
M
= in Milky
Way
F =
faint, no bright
stars
G = near a galactic
window
Z = in or near the zodiac; Sun, Moon and planets can pass through