Constellations   ArtDeCiel.com

Home

Books

Showcase

Imagers

Objects

Historical

Equipment

Downloads

Blog

The ancient Greeks were the first to describe over half of the 88 constellations recognised by the IAU today. Forty eight of the constellations we know were recorded in the seventh and eighth books of Claudius Ptolemy’s Almagest written in about 140 AD, although the exact origin of these constellations still remains uncertain. Ptolemy’s descriptions are probably strongly influenced by the work of Eudoxus of Knidos in around 350 BC. Between the 16th and 17th century AD, European astronomers and celestial cartographers added new constellations to the 48 previously described by Ptolemy; these new constellations were mainly "new discoveries" made by the Europeans who first explored the southern hemisphere. Those who made particular contributions to the "new" constellations include the German astronomer Johannes Hevelius; three Dutch cartographers, Frederick de Houtman, Pieter Dirksz Keyser and Gerard Mercator; the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille; the Flemish mapmaker Petrus Plancius and the Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci. Each Latin constellation name has two forms: the nominative, for use when talking about the constellation itself, and the genitive, or possessive, which is used in star names. For instance, Capella, the brightest star in the constellation Auriga (nominative form), the Charioteer, is also called Alpha Aurigae (genitive form), meaning literally "the alpha of Auriga". The Latin names of all the constellations, their abbreviated names and boundaries can be found in the table below. They are a mix of the ancient Greek patterns recorded by Ptolemy as well as some more "modern" patterns observed later by more modern astronomers. The IAU adopted three-letter abbreviations of the constellation names at its inaugural General Assembly in Rome in 1922. So, for instance, Andromeda is abbreviated to And whilst Draco is abbreviated to Dra. Cygnus - the 'Swan' All Constellations) Andromeda Antlia Apus Aquarius Aquila Ara Aries Auriga Bootes Caelum Camelopardalis Cancer Canes Venatici Canis Major Canis Minor Capricornus Carina Cassiopeia Centaurus Cepheus Cetus Chamaeleon Circinus Columba Coma Berenices Corona Australis Corona Borealis Corvus Crater Crux Cygnus Delphinus Dorado Draco Equuleus Eridanus Fornax Gemini Grus Hercules Horologium Hydra Hydrus Indus Lacerta Leo Major Leo Minor Lepus Libra Lupus Lynx Lyra Mensa Microscopium Monoceros Musca Norma Octans Ophiuchus Orion Pavo Pegasus Perseus Phoenix Pictor Pisces Piscis Austrinus Puppis Pyxis Reticulum Sagitta Sagittarius Scorpius Sculptor Scutum Serpens Caput Serpens Cauda Sextans Taurus. Telescopium Triangulum Australe Triangulum. Tucana Ursa Major Ursa Minor Vela Virgo Volans Vulpecula Zodiacal Constellation Code Common Name Origin Map Details Andromeda And The Chained Princess One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Antlia Ant The Air Pump Introduced by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in his book 'Coelum Australe Stelliferum' (1763) Click... More... Apus Aps The Bird of Paradise Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser (1595), Petrius Plancius (1597), Johann Bayer 'Uranometria' (1603) Click... More... Aquarius Aqr The Water Bearer One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Aquila Aql The Eagle One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Ara Ara The Altar One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Aries Ari The Ram One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Auriga Aur The Charioteer One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Bootes Boo The Herdsman One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Caelum Cae The Chisel Introduced by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in his book 'Coelum Australe Stelliferum' (1763) Click... More... Camelopardalis Cam The Giraffe The constellation was first described by Jakob Bartsch in 1624, but was created earlier by Petrus Plancius. Click... More... Cancer Cnc The Crab One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Canes Venatici CVn The Hunting Dogs Introduced by Introduced by Johannes Hevelius in his 'Firmamentum Sobiescianum' 1690. Click... More... Canis Major Cma The Great Dog One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Canis Minor Cmi The Little Dog One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Capricornus Cap The Sea Goat One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Carina Car The Keel Introduced by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in his book 'Coelum Australe Stelliferum' (1763) Click... More... Cassiopeia Cas The Queen One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Centaurus Cen The Centaur One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Cepheus Cep The King One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Cetus Cet The Sea Monster One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Chamaeleon Cha The Chameleon Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser (1595), Petrius Plancius (1597), Johann Bayer 'Uranometria' (1603) Click... More... Circinus Cir The Drawing Compass Introduced by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in his book 'Coelum Australe Stelliferum' (1763) Click... More... Columba Col The Dove Columba was created by Dutch astronomer Petrus Plancius in 1592. Click... More... Coma Berenices Com Berenices's Hair Introduced by Tycho Brahe in his 'Astronomiae instauratae progymnasmata' (1602) Click... More... Corona Australis CrA The Southern Crown One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Corona Borealis CBr The Northern Crown One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Corvus Crv The Crow One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Crater Crt The Cup One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Crux Cru The Southern Cross Introduced by Petrus Plancius (1597), depicted later by Augustin Royer (1679) Click... More... Cygnus Cyg The Swan One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Delphinus Del The Dolphin One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Dorado Dor The Swordfish Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser (1595), Petrius Plancius (1597), Johann Bayer 'Uranometria' (1603) Click... More... Draco Dra The Dragon One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Equuleus Equ The Little Horse One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Eridanus Eri The River One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Fornax For The Furnace Introduced by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in his book 'Coelum Australe Stelliferum' (1763) Click... More... Gemini Gem The Twins One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Grus Gru The Crane Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser (1595), Petrius Plancius (1597), Johann Bayer 'Uranometria' (1603) Click... More... Hercules Her Herules (Greek Hero) One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Horologium Hor The Clock Introduced by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in his book 'Coelum Australe Stelliferum' (1763) Click... More... Hydra Hya The Sea Serpent One of 48 original constellations introduced by Greek Astronomer Ptolemy - 'The Almagest', c 140 AD. Click... More... Hydrus Hyi The Little Snake Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser (1595), Petrius Plancius (1597), Johann Bayer 'Uranometria' (1603) Click... More... Indus Ind The Indian Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser (1595), Petrius Plancius (1597), Johann Bayer 'Uranometria' (1603) Click... More... Lacerta Lac The Lizard Introduced by Johannes Hevelius in his 'Firmamentum Sobiescianum' 1690 Click... More... 1 2