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September

  • Cap - Capricornus the Sea Goat

    IAU Constellation

    Cap - Capricornus the Sea Goat

    Size

    40 of 88

    Astronomical Regions

    Zodiac
    Southern

    Intro and Visual description

    Between Sagittarius and Aquarius. Dim stars; look for a laughing mouth.

  • Cep - Cepheus the King of Ethiopia

    IAU Constellation

    Cep - Cepheus the King of Ethiopia

    Size

    27 of 88

    Astronomical Regions

    Circumpolar (northern)
    Northern

    Intro and Visual description

    The Ethiopian king, Cepheus (SEE-fee-us), is a circumpolar constellation that sits atop the Milky Way on a throne near his queen Cassiopeia. The legs and seat of his throne make a rough square on the Ursa Major side of Cassiopeia. Cepheus looks like a house (or throne) sitting on the Milky Way. The back of the seat comes to a point at the top above his head.

  • Cyg - Cygnus the Swan

    IAU Constellation

    Cyg - Cygnus the Swan

    Size

    16 of 88

    Astronomical Regions

    Northern

    Intro and Visual description

    Find the bowl of the big dipper and locate the two stars nearest the handle. A line running through these stars, tracing away from it above the open bowl. This line runs to Deneb, the tail of the constellation Cygnus the Swan. With wings abreast, and long neck outstretched, Cygnus flies along the milky river.

  • Del - Delphinus the Dolphin

    IAU Constellation

    Del - Delphinus the Dolphin

    Size

    69 of 88

    Astronomical Regions

    Northern

    Intro and Visual description

    Located between Pegasus and Aquila, look for four stars in a diamond.

  • Equ - Equuleus the Foal

    IAU Constellation

    Equ - Equuleus the Foal

    Size

    87 of 88

    Astronomical Regions

    Northern

    Intro and Visual description

    Adjacent to Pegasus toward Aquila, one of the smallest of the 88 constellations.

  • Ind - Indus the American Indian

    IAU Constellation

    Ind - Indus the American Indian

    Size

    49 of 88

    Astronomical Regions

    Southern
    Circumpolar (southern)

    Intro and Visual description

    Very dim.

  • Mic - Microscopium the Microscope

    IAU Constellation

    Mic - Microscopium the Microscope

    Size

    66 of 88

    Astronomical Regions

    Southern

    Intro and Visual description

    One needs a telescopium to see Microscopium, for it contains no star brighter than 4.6. 

  • Oct - Octans the Octant

    IAU Constellation

    Oct - Octans the Octant

    Size

    50 of 88

    Astronomical Regions

    Circumpolar (southern)
    Southern

    Intro and Visual description

    Octans the Octant is devoid of bright stars, but three faint stars (not numbered by brightness) make a small triangle.

    The south celestial pole actually lies within Octans. No RA (visible anytime).  

    The nearest easy-to-spot star to the south pole is Beta-Hydri in Hydrus the Little Snake. No brighter star than Achernar (alpha-Eridani) is closer to the south celestial pole, which lies midway between Achernar (Eridanus) and Crux.

  • Pav - Pavo the Peacock

    IAU Constellation

    Pav - Pavo the Peacock

    Size

    44 of 88

    Astronomical Regions

    Southern
    Circumpolar (southern)
  • Peg - Pegasus the Flying Horse

    IAU Constellation

    Peg - Pegasus the Flying Horse

    Size

    7 of 88

    Astronomical Regions

    Northern

    Intro and Visual description

    Farther along on the line from the Pointers to Polaris and Cassiopeia is a large, nearly perfect square of four stars. This is the Great Square of Pegasus. Pegasus, the Winged Horse, lies almost directly overhead in autumn. Located east of Andromeda; signals the coming of Fall. Because Pegasus flies so fast, his hind quarters can’t be seen.

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IAU Constellation Main Page

Tau - Taurus the Bull

IAU Constellation

Tau - Taurus the Bull

Size

17 of 88

Astronomical Regions

Zodiac
Northern
Equatorial

Intro and Visual description

Taurus the Bull is easily spotted. Its head is the Hyades, a V-shaped cluster of stars. His horns point outward from the V. Aldebaran is the red eye of the Bull as he charges down upon us.

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| And | Ant | Aps | Aql | Aqr | Ara | Ari | Aur | Boo | Cae | Cam | Cap | Car | Cas | Cen | Cep | Cet | Cha | Cir | CMa | CMi | Cnc | Col | Com | CrA | CrB | Crt | Cru | Crv | CVn | Cyg | Del | Dor | Dra | Equ | Eri | For | Gem | Gru | Her | Hor | Hya | Hyi | Ind | Lac | Leo | Lep | Lib | LMi | Lup | Lyn | Lyr | Men | Mic | Mon | Mus | Nor | Oct | Oph | Ori | Pav | Peg | Per | Phe | Pic | PsA | Psc | Pup | Pyx | Ret | Scl | Sco | Sct | Ser | Sex | Sge | Sgr | Tau | Tel | TrA | Tri | Tuc | UMa | UMi | Vel | Vir | Vol | Vul |

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Kerry Magruder, Brent Purkaple, and Aja Tolman, editors, "The Sky Tonight: Cultural Archaeology of the Stars" (December 21, 2019 - ongoing), skytonight.org.


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