All 88 Constellations: Names and Where to See Them

There are 88 officially recognized constellations, covering the entire sky. Which ones you can see depends on your latitude, the season, and the time of night. Orion is familiar on both sides of the equator; the Southern Cross rewards a trip farther south.

A constellation is an area of sky, usually associated with a recognizable star pattern. Its stars can be very different distances from Earth. The IAU defines their names and boundaries, while other cultures have their own rich traditions of sky patterns.

Which hemisphere can you see constellations from?

Northern and southern skies overlap. Moving toward the equator opens up more of the opposite hemisphere's sky. Moving toward a pole hides more of it below your horizon. East versus west mainly changes when a constellation is visible.

For a useful reference, the lists below compare 40°N and 40°S: roughly the latitudes of Madrid and Wellington. “Both” means the constellation's entire region can rise above the horizon at either latitude over Earth's rotation. “North favored” or “south favored” means it can do so at only one of those two latitudes.

These are viewing groups derived from the IAU boundaries, not official categories or a promise of visibility tonight. Near the horizon, haze, hills, and light pollution can hide stars. Even in the “both” group, Scorpius is much easier to enjoy farther south.

Northern Hemisphere favored: 15 constellations

These constellations extend far into the northern sky. View them from the Northern Hemisphere; observers south of the equator may see some or all of a pattern, depending on latitude.

• Andromeda, Auriga, Boötes, Camelopardalis, Canes Venatici
• Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Cygnus, Draco, Hercules
• Lacerta, Lynx, Perseus, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor

Start with: Cassiopeia's W shape or the Big Dipper within Ursa Major. Polaris, the North Star, belongs to Ursa Minor.

Visible from both hemispheres: 45 constellations

These can rise in full at both reference latitudes, although their height and orientation differ. Choose the right season and a clear horizon.

• Antlia, Aquarius, Aquila, Aries, Caelum, Cancer
• Canis Major, Canis Minor, Capricornus, Cetus, Columba, Coma Berenices
• Corona Australis, Corona Borealis, Corvus, Crater, Delphinus, Equuleus
• Fornax, Gemini, Hydra, Leo, Leo Minor, Lepus, Libra, Lyra
• Microscopium, Monoceros, Ophiuchus, Orion, Pegasus, Pisces, Piscis Austrinus
• Pyxis, Sagitta, Sagittarius, Scorpius, Sculptor, Scutum, Serpens
• Sextans, Taurus, Triangulum, Virgo, Vulpecula

Start with: Orion's three belt stars during December–February evenings, or Leo during March–May evenings. Serpens has two separate parts, Caput and Cauda, but counts as one constellation.

Southern Hemisphere favored: 28 constellations

These reach far into the southern sky. The Southern Hemisphere offers the fuller view; northern observers need to move closer to the equator to see them completely. Parts of some, such as Eridanus, are visible much farther north.

• Apus, Ara, Carina, Centaurus, Chamaeleon, Circinus, Crux
• Dorado, Eridanus, Grus, Horologium, Hydrus, Indus, Lupus
• Mensa, Musca, Norma, Octans, Pavo, Phoenix, Pictor
• Puppis, Reticulum, Telescopium, Triangulum Australe, Tucana, Vela, Volans

Start with: Crux, the Southern Cross, and neighboring Centaurus during April–June evenings. Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa, and southern South America offer excellent viewpoints.

Find the constellations above your location

Use a sky map set to your location, date, and local time. Our star map by date guide explains how those three details change the view. For the coordinate lines behind it, read our celestial grid explanation.

Pick a dark, clear night and start with one bright pattern. A map can also show stars above the horizon in daylight, even though sunlight hides them; our daytime star map guide explains the difference.

Can you see all 88 constellations from one place?

Near the equator, almost the whole sky becomes accessible across the year, but the celestial poles stay on the horizon. Seeing all 88 comfortably requires travel and different seasons. You cannot see them all in one night.

Is the Big Dipper a constellation?

It is an asterism: a recognizable pattern within the larger constellation Ursa Major. Orion's Belt is another asterism.

Want to keep a particular sky? Create a personalized star map for the place and moment that matter to you.