Argo Navis (the Ship Argo) is an obsolete constellation located in the southern sky. It was divided into three smaller constellations – Carina (the Keel), Puppis (the Stern) and Vela (the Sails) in the 18th century.| www.constellation-guide.com
Learn about the 88 modern constellations, their names, history, how to identify them, why we see different constellations at different times of year, and other fun facts.| www.constellation-guide.com
Pyxis is a small constellation in the southern sky. Created in the 18th century, it represents a mariner's compass.| www.constellation-guide.com
Piscis Austrinus is a small constellation in the southern sky. It represents the Southern Fish. It is home to Fomalhaut, one of the brightest stars in the sky.| www.constellation-guide.com
Pictor is a small, faint constellation located in the far southern sky. It was created in the 18th century. It represents a painter's easel.| www.constellation-guide.com
Equuleus is the smallest constellation in the northern sky. It represents a little horse or foal and lies near the larger horse, Pegasus. The constellation is home to the yellow giant Kitalpha and the spiral galaxy NGC 7015.| www.constellation-guide.com
Delphinus is one of the smallest northern constellations. Recognizable for its distinctive quadrilateral shape, the constellation is home to the Blue Flash Nebula (NGC 6905) and the globular clusters NGC 6934 and NGC 7006.| www.constellation-guide.com
Columba is a faint constellation located in the southern sky. It represents the dove. The constellation is home to the runaway star Mu Columbae, the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1808, and the globular cluster NGC 1851.| www.constellation-guide.com
Asterisms are defined as patterns formed by stars of one or more constellations. These star patterns are commonly recognized by observers across the world and once served as a basis for the modern 88 constellations.| www.constellation-guide.com
Musca is a small constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere. It represents the fly. The constellation is home to the Spiral Planetary Nebula (NGC 5189), the Hourglass Nebula (MyCn 18), and the Dark Doodad Nebula.| www.constellation-guide.com
Lupus (the Wolf) is a southern constellation located between Scorpius and Centaurus. It hosts the historic supernova remnant SN 1006, the globular clusters NGC 5824 and NGC 5986, and the Retina Nebula (IC 4406).| www.constellation-guide.com
Crux is the smallest and most distinctive constellation in the southern sky. Recognizable for the Southern Cross, formed by its brightest stars, it is home to the dark Coalsack Nebula and the Jewel Box Cluster (NGC 4755).| www.constellation-guide.com
The False Cross is an asterism formed by four bright stars in the constellations Vela and Carina. Located in the far southern sky, the diamond-shaped pattern is often confused for the brighter Southern Cross.| www.constellation-guide.com
Puppis is a constellation located in the southern hemisphere. Home to many notable stars, it represents the stern of the ship Argo, on which Jason and the Argonauts sailed to get the Golden Fleece.| www.constellation-guide.com
Canopus, Alpha Carinae (α Car), is a white bright giant star located at a distance of 310 light years from Earth in the constellation Carina. It is the second brightest star in the sky.| Star Facts
Vela is a constellation in the southern sky. It represents the sails of Argo Navis, the mythical ship of Jason and the Argonauts. The constellation contains the Vela Supernova Remnant, the Eight-Burst Nebula, and the Omicron Velorum Cluster| www.constellation-guide.com
Avior, Epsilon Carinae (ε Car), is a double star located at a distance of 610 light years from Earth in the southern constellation Carina.| Star Facts
Suhail, Lambda Velorum (λ Vel) is an orange supergiant star located at a distance of 545 light years from Earth in the constellation Vela.| Star Facts
Regor, Gamma Velorum (γ Vel), is a multiple star system located at a distance of 1,095 light years in the constellation Vela. It contains one of the nearest supernova candidates to Earth.| Star Facts
Eta Carinae (η Car) is a massive binary star system located approximately 7,500 light-years away in the constellation Carina. The system consists of two exceptionally massive stars that will end their lives as supernovae.| Star Facts
Orion, the Hunter, is one of the best known constellations in the sky. Home to Orion's Belt, the Orion Nebula, and the bright stars Rigel and Betelgeuse, the constellation lies north of the celestial equator and is visible from both hemispheres.| www.constellation-guide.com
Canis Major is a constellation in the southern sky. It represents the bigger dog following Orion, the Hunter. The constellation is home to Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, and the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy.| www.constellation-guide.com
Centaurus is a large constellation located in the southern celestial hemisphere. It is home to Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to Earth, the bright galaxy Centaurus A, and the globular cluster Omega Centauri.| www.constellation-guide.com
Eridanus is one of the largest constellations in the sky. It represents the celestial river. It is home to Achernar, one of the brightest stars in the sky, the nearby star Epsilon Eridani, and the Witch Head Nebula (IC 2118).| www.constellation-guide.com
Sirius, Alpha Canis Majoris (α CMa), is the brightest star in the sky. The Sirius star system lies at a distance of 8.6 ly from Earth in the constellation Canis Major. It can be found using the stars of Orion's Belt.| Star Facts
Gamma Cassiopeiae (γ Cas) is a spectroscopic binary star located at a distance of 550 light years from Earth in the constellation Cassiopeia. It is the central star of Cassiopeia's W.| Star Facts
AG Carinae (HD 94910) is a luminous blue variable (LBV) located 17,000 light-years away in the constellation Carina (the Keel). It is one of the most luminous stars known in the Milky Way.| Star Facts
Taurus is a large constellation in the northern sky. It is home to Aldebaran, one of the brightest stars in the sky, the Crab Nebula, a supernova remnant, and the Pleiades and the Hyades, the nearest open clusters to Earth.| www.constellation-guide.com
Messier 45 (M45), also known as the Pleiades or Seven Sisters, is a bright open star cluster located in the constellation Taurus, the Bull. The Pleiades cluster has an apparent magnitude of 1.6 and lies at an average distance of 444 light years from Earth. The cluster is also known as Melotte 22. It does… Read More »Messier 45: Pleiades| Messier Objects
Carina Nebula (NGC 3372, Caldwell 92) is a large region of bright and dark nebulosity located 8,500 light-years in the constellation Carina. It hosts Eta Carinae, one of the most massive and luminous stars known.| www.constellation-guide.com
Messier 42 (M42), the famous Orion Nebula, is an emission-reflection nebula located in the constellation Orion, the Hunter. With an apparent magnitude of 4.0, the Orion Nebula is one of the brightest nebulae in the sky and is visible to the naked eye. It lies at a distance of 1,344 light years from Earth and… Read More »Messier 42: Orion Nebula| Messier Objects
Perseus is a large constellation located in the northern sky. Associated with the story of Perseus in Greek mythology, the constellation hosts the radiant of the Perseid meteor shower.| www.constellation-guide.com
The list of all the named stars (stars with names that have been formally approved by the IAU), with name origins and etymologies explained.| Star Facts
The Southern Cross is a bright, diamond-shaped asterism located in the far southern sky. Formed by the brightest stars of the constellation Crux, the asterism is commonly used to find the south celestial pole.| www.constellation-guide.com
Scorpius is a zodiac constellation located in the southern sky. It is home to Antares, one of the brightest stars in the sky, and to the bright open clusters Messier 6 (the Butterfly Cluster) and Messier 7 (Ptolemy's Cluster).| www.constellation-guide.com
Antares, Alpha Scorpii (α Sco) is a red supergiant and supernova candidate located at a distance of 550 ly from Earth in the constellation Scorpius. It is the brightest star in Scorpius and one of the brightest stars in the sky.| Star Facts