Location of Constellations in the Night Sky

Constellations can be seen in both the northern and southern evening sky.

According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a star constellation is officially defined by its boundary, represented by sky coordinates. The organization officially recognizes 88 constellations, 12 of which are zodiac. Depending on your location and the time of year, constellations can be seen in the night sky of both the southern and northern hemispheres.

Northern Sky

StarDate lists 16 of the most easily recognized constellations of the northern sky. The list includes Canis Major, the Great Dog, and Pegasus, the Flying Horse. Canis Major contains the brightest star in the northern sky, Sirius. Markab, meaning "the saddle," is the brightest star in the Pegasus constellation.

Southern Sky

Constellations that are evident all year in the sky of the southern hemisphere include Carina, Centaurus and Southern Cross. These are called the southern circumpolar constellations. The Southern Cross, also called Crux, is a small, yet easily recognized constellation.

Zodiac Constellations

The zodiac constellations are located along the plane of the planets' orbit around the sun. This plane is referred to as the "plane of the ecliptic."

References

• International Astronomical Union: The Constellations
• San Louis Obispo High School: Zodiac Constellations
• StarDate: Constellation Guide
• Windows to the Universe: Southern Hemisphere Constellations