The Starry Sphere: Zodiac and Ecliptic

The Ecliptic is one of three Coordinate Systems.

It is based on the path of the Sun, or ecliptic. Any constellation touched by the ecliptic is a Zodiac constellation. In other words, the Sun passes through the Zodiac constellations during some portion of the year as it travels in a great circle around the sky.

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All pages in the "Observing" section are being extensively revised and updated. Diagrams from historic and modern sources will be added. This section is being adapted from an old BCP site by Kerry Magruder; links not yet updated may take you there.

| 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 |

Observing

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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.