✶︎ Astronomy · Reference
Constellations of the Night Sky
Of the 88 official constellations, the twelve of the zodiac are the best known. Here they are at a glance — with their Latin name, best viewing season and mythology — plus four famous star patterns anyone can pick out in the sky.
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The 12 zodiac constellations
| Constellation | Latin | Best visibility | Mythology |
|---|---|---|---|
| ♈ The Ram | Aries | Autumn (Nov–Dec) | The golden ram whose fleece was sought in the saga of the Argonauts. |
| ♉ The Bull | Taurus | Winter (Dec–Jan) | The bull that Zeus turned into; it contains the bright Pleiades cluster. |
| ♊ The Twins | Gemini | Winter (Jan–Feb) | The brothers Castor and Pollux, the inseparable twins of myth. |
| ♋ The Crab | Cancer | Spring (Feb–Mar) | The crab that nipped Heracles as he fought the Hydra — faint and dim. |
| ♌ The Lion | Leo | Spring (Mar–Apr) | The Nemean lion, slain by Heracles as the first of his labours. |
| ♍ The Maiden | Virgo | Spring (Apr–May) | Often read as the goddess of the harvest; home to the bright star Spica. |
| ♎ The Scales | Libra | Summer (May–Jun) | The scales of justice, once seen as the claws of the neighbouring Scorpion. |
| ♏ The Scorpion | Scorpius | Summer (Jun–Jul) | The scorpion that stung the hunter Orion; marked by the red star Antares. |
| ♐ The Archer | Sagittarius | Summer (Jul–Aug) | The centaur archer; the centre of the Milky Way lies in its direction. |
| ♑ The Sea-Goat | Capricornus | Late summer (Aug–Sep) | The goat-fish creature — one of the faintest constellations of the zodiac. |
| ♒ The Water-Bearer | Aquarius | Autumn (Sep–Oct) | The water-bearer who serves the gods his cup; large and faint. |
| ♓ The Fishes | Pisces | Autumn (Oct–Nov) | Two fishes joined by a cord in the ancient myth. |
The season shown is when the constellation rides highest in the evening and is easiest to see (mid-northern latitudes).
Famous constellations beyond the zodiac
✶ The Big Dipper / Ursa Major (Great Bear)
The "Big Dipper" is only part of the larger constellation Ursa Major. Its two rear bowl stars point straight to Polaris, the North Star — visible all year round in the northern sky.
✶ Orion
The most striking winter constellation: three belt stars in a neat row, the bright shoulders Betelgeuse and Rigel, and the famous Orion Nebula below the belt.
✶ Cassiopeia
Its distinctive "W" shape sits opposite the Big Dipper across the North Star and is visible the whole year.
✶ Cygnus (the Swan) / Northern Cross
High overhead in summer; its main stars form a great cross that seems to fly along the Milky Way. Its brightest star is Deneb.
Constellation or zodiac sign — what is the difference?
The two often share a name but mean different things. A constellation is a real group of stars in the sky — a pattern that the International Astronomical Union defines with fixed borders (88 in all). A zodiac sign, by contrast, is a term from astrology: an equal 30° slice of the zodiac that the Sun stood in at your birth.
Because Earth's axis slowly shifts over thousands of years (precession), the zodiac signs and the constellations they are named after have drifted apart. Someone born an astrological "Aries" today usually had the Sun astronomically still in the constellation Pisces. The twelve signs are also all exactly 30° wide, while the real constellations vary in size — and the Sun even passes through a thirteenth, Ophiuchus.
Good to know
Visibility notes assume a clear, dark sky at mid-northern latitudes. City lights, season and weather all affect what you can actually make out.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a constellation and a zodiac sign?
A constellation is a real group of stars with fixed borders defined by astronomy; a zodiac sign is an equal 30° slice of the zodiac used in astrology. They often share a name but, because of precession, no longer line up in the sky.
How many constellations are there?
The International Astronomical Union recognises 88 official constellations covering the whole sky. The twelve of the zodiac are the best known, but famous patterns like Orion and the Big Dipper are not zodiac constellations.
Can I see every constellation?
No — which constellations are visible depends on the season and on your latitude. Some are only seen from the southern hemisphere, and city lights wash out the fainter ones.
Is Ophiuchus a zodiac sign?
The Sun does pass through Ophiuchus, the "thirteenth constellation", but traditional astrology keeps to twelve equal signs. Ophiuchus is an astronomical constellation, not one of the twelve zodiac signs.