IAU Constellations
The below content was originally compiled by Cayla Cummings.
| Name of Constellations | Cultural Origin of Name (Astronomer) | Meaning of Name |
|---|---|---|
Andromeda | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Aethiopian princess/daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia in Greek mythology |
Antila | Latin (Nicolas Louis de Lacaille - 1763) | Air pump |
Apus | Greek (from Uranometria by Johann Bayer created by Pieter Keyser in 1603) | Bird-of-paradise |
Aquarius | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Water bearer |
Aquila | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Eagle |
Ara | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Altar |
Aries | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Ram |
Auriga | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Charioteer |
Bootes | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Herdsman |
Caelum | Latin (Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, 1763) | Chisel |
Camelopardalis | Latin (Petrus Plancius, 1613) | Giraffe |
Cancer | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Crab |
Canes Venatici | Latin (from Firmamentum Sobiescianum by Johannes Hevelius, 1690) | Hunting dogs |
Canis Major | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Greater dog |
Canis Minor | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Lesser dog |
Capricornus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Sea goat |
Carina | Latin (Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, 1763) | Keel |
Cassiopeia | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Cassiopeia (queen of Aethiopia in Greek mythology) |
Centaurus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Centaur |
Cepheus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Cepheus (king of Aethiopia in Greek mythology) |
Cetus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Sea monster |
Chamaeleon | Latin (from Uranometria by Johann Bayer created by Pieter Keyser in 1603) | Chameleon |
Circinus | Latin (Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, 1763) | Compasses |
Columba | Latin (Petrus Plancius, 1592 - split from Canis Major) | Dove |
Coma Berenices | Latin (Casper Vopel, 1536 - split from Leo) | Berenice's Hair (Queen Berenice II of Egypt) |
Corona Australis | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Southern crown |
Corona Borealis | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Northern crown |
Corvus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Crow |
Crater | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Cup |
Crux | Latin (from Uranometria by Johann Bayer, 1603 - split from Centaurus) | Southern cross |
Cygnus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Swan, Northern Cross |
Delphinus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Dolphin |
Dorado | Spanish (given Latin genitive Doradus, from Uranometria by Johann Bayer, created by Pieter Keyser - 1603) | Dolphinfish |
Draco | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Dragon |
Equuleus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Pony |
Eridanus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | River Eridanus |
Fornax | Latin (Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, 1763) | Chemical furnace |
Gemini | Ancient Greek | Twins |
Grus | Latin (from Uranometria by Johann Bayer, created by Pieter Keyser - 1603) | Crane |
Hercules | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Hercules (demigod hero from Greek mythology) |
Horologium | Latin (Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, 1763) | Pendulum clock |
Hydra | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Hydra (monster slayed by Hercules in Greek mythology) |
Hydrus | Latin (from Uranometria by Johann Bayer, created by Pieter Keyser - 1603) | Lesser water snake |
Indus | Latin (from Uranometria by Johann Bayer, created by Pieter Keyser - 1603) | Indian |
Lacerta | Latin (from Firmamentum Sobiescianum by Johannes Hevelius -1690) | Lizard |
Leo | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Lion |
Leo Minor | Latin (from Firmamentum Sobiescianum by Johannes Hevelius - 1690) | Lesser lion |
Lepus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Hare |
Libra | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Balance |
Lupus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Wolf |
Lynx | Latin (from Firmamentum Sobiescianum by Johannes Hevelius - 1690) | Lynx |
Lyra | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Lyre/harp |
Mensa | Latin (Mons Mense. Nicolas Louis de Lacaille - 1763) | Table mountain |
Microscopium | Latin/Greek (Nicolas Louis de Lacaille - 1763) | Microscope |
Monoceros | Latin (Petrus Plancius - 1613) | Unicorn |
Musca | Latin (from Uranometria by Johann Bayer, created by Pieter Keyser - 1603) | Fly |
Norma | Latin (Nicolas Louis de Lacaille - 1763) | Carpenter's level |
Octans | Latin (Nicolas Louis de Lacaille - 1763) | Octant |
Ophiuchus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Serpent-bearer |
Orion | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Orion (giant huntsman from Greek mythology) |
Pavo | Latin (from Uranometria by Johann Bayer, created by Pieter Keyser - 1603) | Peacock |
Pegasus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Pegasus (winged horse from Greek mythology) |
Perseus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Perseus (hero from Greek mythology) |
Phoenix | Latin (from Uranometria by Johann Bayer, created by Pieter Keyser - 1603) | Phoenix |
Pictor | Latin (Equuleus Pictoris, Nicolas Louis de Lacaille - 1763) | Easel |
Pisces | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Fishes |
Piscis Austrinus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Southern fishes |
Puppis | Latin (Nicolas Louis de Lacaille - 1763) | Poop deck |
Pyxis | Latin (Nicolas Louis de Lacaille - 1763) | Mariner's compass |
Reticulus | Latin (Nicolas Louis de Lacaille - 1763) | Eyepiece reticule |
Sagitta | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Arrow |
Sagittarius | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Archer |
Scorpius | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Scorpion (also represents scorpion monster slayed by Orion) |
Sculptor | Latin (Nicolas Louis de Lacaille - 1763) | Sculptor |
Scutum | Latin (from Firmamentum Sobiescianum by Johannes Hevelius - 1690) | Shield (of John III Sobieski of Poland) |
Serpens | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Snake |
Sextans | Latin (from Firmamentum Sobiescianum by Johannes Hevelius - 1690) | Sextant |
Taurus | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Bull |
Telescopium | Latin (Nicolas Louis de Lacaille - 1763) | Telescope |
Triangulum | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Triangle |
Triangulum Australe | Latin (from Uranometria by Johann Bayer, created by Pieter Keyser - 1603) | Southern triangle |
Tucana | Latin (from Uranometria by Johann Bayer, created by Pieter Keyser - 1603) | Toucan |
Ursa Major | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Great bear |
Ursa Minor | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Lesser bear |
Vela | Latin (Nicolas Louis de Lacaille - 1763) | Sails |
Virgo | Ancient Greek (Ptolemy) | Virgin/maiden |
Volans | Latin (Piscis Volans, from Uranometria by Johann Bayer, created by Pieter Keyser - 1603) | Flying fish |
Vulpecula | Latin (Vulpecula cum Ansere, from Firmamentum Sobiescianum by Johannes Hevelius - 1690) | Fox |
Figures in the Sky detail, Nadieh Bremer