ASTRONOMY · 88 CONSTELLATIONS

Eighty-eight constellations, one guide at a time.

Bayer designation, brightest stars, mythology — from IAU and Hipparcos.

The IAU divides the entire celestial sphere into 88 constellations — most named by Ptolemy in the 2nd century, the rest filled in by 16th-to-18th-century cartographers mapping the southern sky. Below: the 12 zodiac, the mythology-rich Ptolemy classics, and the remaining 61 regions.

For fun · sources cited. The astronomy and mythology here are real; we do not publish astrology, predictions, or personality readings.

Birthday → constellation Find your constellation

Zodiac · 12 of 88

The zodiac — twelve constellations along the ecliptic.

The Sun appears to pass through these twelve regions over the year. The dates below are the tropical-zodiac fixed-date convention (Western popular usage).

AriesThe RamMar 21 – Apr 19

Northern spring constellation between Pisces and Taurus.

TaurusThe BullApr 20 – May 20

Home to Aldebaran and the Pleiades star cluster (M45).

GeminiThe TwinsMay 21 – Jun 20

Marked by the bright pair Castor and Pollux.

CancerThe CrabJun 21 – Jul 22

Faintest zodiac constellation; hosts the Beehive Cluster (M44).

LeoThe LionJul 23 – Aug 22

Brightest spring star Regulus sits at its heart.

VirgoThe MaidenAug 23 – Sep 22

Second-largest constellation; anchored by Spica.

LibraThe ScalesSep 23 – Oct 22

The only zodiac constellation depicting an inanimate object.

ScorpiusThe ScorpionOct 23 – Nov 21

Crowned by red supergiant Antares — "rival of Mars".

SagittariusThe ArcherNov 22 – Dec 21

Points toward the centre of the Milky Way galaxy.

CapricornusThe Sea-GoatDec 22 – Jan 19

Faint zodiac constellation south of the celestial equator.

AquariusThe Water-BearerJan 20 – Feb 18

Large autumn constellation; home to the Helix Nebula.

PiscesThe FishesFeb 19 – Mar 20

Contains the vernal equinox point — the Sun's spring crossing.

Ptolemy · mythology-rich

The classical sky — heroes, beasts, and rescues.

Ptolemy catalogued 48 of these in the 2nd-century Almagest. We highlight 15 with the richest narrative continuity from Greek and Roman sources.

Rest of the IAU 88

The remaining 61 regions.

Modern southern-sky additions (Lacaille 1750s) and the smaller Ptolemy entries — every patch of sky has a name and a boundary set in 1930.

World Cup · Live

Pick your favorite constellation, one match at a time.

64 IAU regions face off — 12 zodiac plus Ptolemy classics plus a curated rest. Mythology, brightness, or vibe — your bracket, your call.

Take the Constellations World Cup