Constellation Names

Constellation names, like the names of stars, come from a variety of

sources and each has a different story and meaning to it.

Old constellations’ names usually come from Greek mythology, while the
constellations created more recently were mostly named after scientific
instruments and exotic animals. However, there are no strict rules because
the stories of the constellations differ from one constellation to the next.

Constellation names that come from Greek mythology or refer to figures

from Greek and Roman myths, as zodiac constellations do, are probably
the ones that are best known. They were created and documented by the
Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century A.D.

Constellation names associated with figures from mythology were given to

a number of prominent constellations.

These include most of the members of the Perseus family (Perseus,

Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Cetus, Cepheus, Pegasus, and Auriga), the
Hercules family (Hercules, Sagitta, Aquila, Lyra, Cygnus, Hydra, Crater,
Corvus, Ophiuchus, Serpens, Centaurus, Lupus, Corona Australis, and
Ara), the Orion family (Orion, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Lepus,
Monoceros), the Zodiac family (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo,
Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces), and the Ursa
Major family (Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Draco, Canes Venatici, Boötes, and
Corona Bor

Constellations named after scientific instruments were mostly created by

Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century. They include Norma,
Circinus, Telescopium, Microscopium, Octans, and Reticulum.

The constellations that carry names of exotic animals were for the most
part introduced by the Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and
Frederick de Houtman in the 16th century, and mainly include members of
the Johann Bayer family: Dorado, Grus, Tucana, Chamaeleon and Volans
among others.

Below is the list of constellations with their names, genitive forms, English
names, name meanings, mythical associations, and stories about how they
were named.
 CONSTELLATION NAMES AND MEANINGS
ANDROMEDA – THE CHAINED MAIDEN
Genitive: Andromedae

Andromeda is one of the Greek constellations. It was named after

Andromeda, the daughter of Cassiopeia and Cepheus in Greek mythology,
who was chained and left for the sea monster Cetus to eat, and then saved
by Perseus.

Andromeda was sacrificed to Cetus to appease the gods and stop the
monster from ravaging her land. Cetus was sent by the god Poseidon after
Cassiopeia had boasted that she was more beautiful than the nymphs.

ANTLIA – THE AIR PUMP

Genitive: Antliae

Antlia is one of the constellations created by the French astronomer

Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century. He originally named it Antlia
Pneumatica, or Machine Pneumatique in French, in honour of French
physicist Denis Papin’s invention, the air pump.

APUS – THE BIRD OF PARADISE

Genitive: Apodis

Apus represents a bird of paradise. The constellation’s name means “no

feet” in Greek, referring to a western misconception of a bird-of-paradise as
one not having feet. The constellation was created and named by the
Dutch astronomer and cartographer Petrus Plancius in the late 16th
century.

AQUARIUS – THE WATER BEARER

Genitive: Aquarii

Aquarius is one of the 44 Greek constellations. It is usually associated with

Ganymede, the cup-carrier to the Olympian gods.

In the myth, Ganymede was the son of King Tros, known for giving Troy its
name. Ganymede was the most beautiful boy alive and Zeus was so
infatuated with him that he took the form of an eagle and abducted the boy.

In some versions of the myth, Zeus sent an eagle, represented by the

constellation Aquila, to fetch Ganymede and bring him to Olympus.

AQUILA – THE EAGLE

Genitive: Aquilae

Aquila constellation is sometimes associated with the eagle that held Zeus’
thunderbolts in Greek mythology and other times with the eagle that
abducted Ganymede and brought him to Olympus.
 ARA – THE ALTAR
Genitive: Arae

Ara is associated with the altar on which the gods formed an alliance
before going to war with the Titans in Greek mythology. The gods were led
by Zeus and the Titans by Atlas. In honour of the gods’ victory, Zeus placed
the altar in the sky. In various depictions of the constellation, the Milky Way
usually represents the smoke rising from the altar.

ARIES – THE RAM

Genitive: Arietis

Aries is identified as a winged ram with a Golden Fleece, sent by the

nymph Nephele to save her son Phrixus after his father, King Athamas of
Boeotia, had been given a false prophecy that he had to sacrifice his son to
ward off famine.

Phrixus and his sister Helle climbed on the ram and were carried toward
Colchis on the shore of the Black Sea. Helle lost her grip and fell into the
Dardanelles on the way.

The Greeks named the channel separating Europe and Asia the
Hellerospont in her memory. The Golden Fleece was later the object of the
Argonauts’ quest to Colchis.

AURIGA – THE CHARIOTEER

Genitive: Aurigae

Auriga, the Charioteer, was said to have been placed in the sky by Zeus
himself in honour of its inventor, Erichthonius of Athens. Erichthonius was
the son of the god Hephaestus and he was raised by Athena, who taught
him many skills. He was the first person to harness four horses to a chariot
and is credited as the inventor of the the quadriga, the four-horse chariot.
His chariot was said to have been made in the image of the Sun god’s
chariot.

BOÖTES – THE HERDSMAN

Genitive: Boötis

Boötes is one of the ancient Greek constellations. The constellation’s name

means “the oxen-driver” and Boötes is usually identified as the ploughman
who drove the oxen represented by Ursa Major. The constellation is also
sometimes associated with Arctophylax, or the Bear Keeper, also referring
to Ursa Major, the Big Bear.

In another myth, Boötes represents Arcas, the son of Zeus and Callisto. In
the myth, Callisto’s father King Lycaon decides to test Zeus to see if the
god is really who he says he is and serves him his son Arcas for dinner.
Seeing what Lycaon has done, Zeus kills the king’s sons and turns Lycaon
into a wolf, then collects the parts of his own son and makes him whole
again. Arcas’ mother Callisto, in the meantime, gets turned into a bear,
either by Zeus to disguise her and protect her from Hera’s revenge, or by
the jealous Hera herself. When Arcas grows up, he comes face to face with
his mother in the woods and does not recognize her. He starts to chase the
bear and Zeus intervenes to prevent bloodshed and turns them into the
constellations Ursa Major (Callisto) and Boötes (Arcas).

Boötes constellation is also sometimes associated with another mythical

figure: Icarius, the wine maker. Icarius was taught by the god Dionysus how
to make wine and, when he invited his friends over for dinner, they got so
drunk that they thought Icarius had poisoned them and they killed him.
Zeus placed him in the sky as the constellation Boötes.

CAELUM – THE CHISEL

Genitive: Caeli

Caelum is one of the constellations created by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille.

He originally named it Caelum Scalptorium (or les Burins in French), which
means “the engraver’s chisel” in Latin.

CAMELOPARDALIS – THE GIRAFFE

Genitive: Camelopardalis

The Latin word camelopardalis means “the giraffe,” and is a combination of

the Greek words for the camel and the leopard. The Greeks came up with
the name because the giraffe reminded them of the camel because of its
long neck, and had spots like a leopard.

CANCER – THE CRAB

Genitive: Cancri

Cancer represents Karkinos, a crab sent by Hera to distract Heracles when

he was fighting the Lemean Hydra as part of his Twelve Labours. Heracles
kicked the crab so hard that it flew all the way into the sky, where it became
a constellation. In a different version of the myth, Heracles crushed the
crab underfoot and Hera placed it into the sky.

CANES VENATICI – THE HUNTING DOGS

Genitive: Canum Venaticorum

The constellation Canes Venatici was created by the Polish astronomer

Johannes Hevelius in the 17th century. It represents two hunting dogs led
by Boötes, the Herdsman, following the Great Bear (Ursa Major).

CANIS MAJOR – THE BIG DOG

Genitive: Canis Majoris

Canis Minor is one of the Greek constellations. It represents the bigger dog
following the mythical hunter Orion in pursuit of a hare, represented by
Lepus constellation. The constellation is also sometimes associated with
Laelaps, the fastest dog in the world, given to Europa by Zeus as a
present.
 CANIS MINOR – THE SMALL DOG
Genitive: Canis Minoris

Canis Minor represents the smaller dog following Orion. The constellation
is also sometimes associated with Maera, the dog that belonged to Icarius,
the unlucky wine-maker who was killed by his friends and is represented by
Boötes constellation. The dog was said to have jumped off a cliff out of
grief after Icarius was killed.

CAPRICORNUS – THE SEA GOAT

Genitive: Capricorni

Capricornus is one of the ancient constellations first catalogued by Ptolemy

in the 2nd century. The constellation’s name means “the goat.” Capricornus
is usually taken to represent the Greek forest deity Pan, who had the horns
and legs of a goat. It is also sometimes identified as Amalthea, the goat
that suckled the infant Zeus.

CARINA – THE KEEL OF THE ARGO NAVIS

Genitive: Carinae

The image shows Argo Navis constellation as depicted

in Uranographia by Johannes Hevelius. The view is mirrored following
the tradition of celestial globes, showing the celestial sphere in a view
from “outside.”

Carina was one of the three constellations that formed Argo Navis, a large
constellation that represented the ship on which Jason and the Argonauts
sailed to Colchis to get the Golden Fleece.

Carina represents the keel of the ship. Argo Navis constellation was divided
into smaller constellations – Carina (the keel), Puppis (the stern) and Vela
(the sails) by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century.

CASSIOPEIA – THE QUEEN

Genitive: Cassiopeiae

Cassiopeia constellation represents the boastful queen Cassiopeia, wife of

Cepheus and mother of Andromeda in Greek mythology. Cassiopeia
claimed that she was more beautiful than the Nereids, and the nymphs
asked the sea god Poseidon to punish the queen for her vanity. Poseidon
sent the sea monster Cetus to ravage the queen’s land. King Cepheus
asked an oracle for help and was told that he had to sacrifice his daughter
Andromeda to appease Poseidon. The king and queen left their daughter
chained to a rock, but Andromeda was saved from the monster by Perseus.
Cassiopeia and Cepheus were placed into the sky by Poseidon. It is said
that Cassiopeia spends six months every year upside down in the sky as
punishment for her boastfulness.
 CENTAURUS – THE CENTAUR
Genitive: Centauri

Centaurus constellation represents the half-man, half-horse hybrid creature

from Greek mythology. It is usually associated with Chiron, the wise
centaur who mentored Heracles, Theseus, Achilles, Jason, and other
famous Greek heroes.

CEPHEUS – THE KING

Genitive: Cephei

Cepheus constellation represents King Cepheus of Aethiopia (a region that

contained parts of present-day Egypt, Jordan and Israel), husband of
Cassiopeia and father of Andromeda.

CETUS – THE WHALE

Genitive: Ceti

Cetus constellation represents the sea monster sent by Poseidon to ravage

King Cepheus’ land after his wife Cassiopeia had boasted that she was
more beautiful than the Nereids.

CHAMAELEON – THE CHAMELEON

Genitive: Chamaeleontis

Chamaeleon constellation was created by Dutch explorers in the 16th

century. It was named after the chameleon, a type of lizard that can change
colour to match the environment.

CIRCINUS – THE COMPASS

Genitive: Circini

Circinus is one of the constellations created by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in

the 18th century. He named it after the drafting tool used for drawing
circles. The constellation does not represent the mariner’s compass like
Pyxis constellation does, but is usually depicted as a pair of dividing
compasses used to measure distances.

COLUMBA – THE DOVE

Genitive: Columbae

Columba constellation represents the dove. It was introduced by Petrus

Plancius in the 16th century and originally named Columba Noachi, or
Noah’s Dove, in reference to the dove that signalled to Noah that the Great
Flood was receding.

COMA BERENICES – BERENICE’S HAIR

Genitive: Comae Berenices

Coma Berenices constellation was named after Queen Berenice II of

Egypt. Berenice swore to Aphrodite that she would cut off her long blonde
hair if the goddess brought her husband, Ptolemy III Euergetes, back home
safely from a dangerous mission against the Seleucids, who had killed the
king’s sister during the Third Syrian War. When Ptolemy returned, the
queen fulfilled her promise and placed her hair in Aphrodite’s temple. The
hair disappeared the next day, which made the king angry. To calm him
down, Conon, the court astronomer, told him that the goddess was so
pleased with Berenice’s hair that she placed it into the sky.

CORONA AUSTRALIS – THE SOUTHERN CROWN

Genitive: Coronae Australis

Corona Australis is one of the Greek constellations. The Greeks saw it not
as a crown, but as a wreath associated with the centaur represented by
Sagittarius constellation. The constellation is also sometimes associated
with the crown that Dionysus placed in the sky after freeing his mother
Semele from Hades.

CORONA BOREALIS – THE NORTHERN CROWN

Genitive: Coronae Borealis

Corona Borealis, or the Northern Crown, represents the crown worn by the
Cretan princess Ariadne at her wedding. After helping Theseus defeat the
Minotaur and find his way out of the labyrinth, Ariadne sailed off with the
hero, but was abandoned by him on the island of Naxos. Dionysus saw her
weeping there and fell in love. The two were later married. At the wedding,
Ariadne wore a crown made by the god Hephaestus, and threw it into the
sky after the ceremony. It is said that the jewels turned into stars which now
form the constellation Corona Borealis.

CORVUS – THE RAVEN

Genitive: Corvi

Corvus is another Greek constellation. It represents the crow (or raven), the
sacred bird of the god Apollo. In the myth, Apollo tells the raven to watch
over his pregnant lover Coronis. After a while, Coronis loses interest in the
god and falls in love with a human man. When the bird reports the affair to
Apollo, the god becomes so angry that the raven did not stop the affair that
he curses it, scorching the raven’s feathers and turning them black. (The
bird had originally had white feathers.) Coronis’ son, the healer Asclepius,
is represented by Ophiuchus constellation.

In a different tale, Apollo sends the raven to fetch him some water in a cup,
represented by Crater constellation, and the bird gets distracted by a fig
tree and stops to feast. Later, the raven blames its tardiness on a water
snake (represented by Hydra constellation), but the god is so angry that he
casts all three – the raven, the water snake, and the cup (Crater) – into the
sky. Apollo also casts a curse on the bird, turning its feathers black, and
making the raven eternally thirsty. This, according to the tale, is why ravens
and crows have such raspy voices.

CRATER – THE CUP

Genitive: Crateris
Crater represents the cup of Apollo, usually drawn as a two-handed
chalice.

CRUX – THE SOUTHERN CROSS

Genitive: Crucis

Crux constellation is associated with many myths and stories across

different cultures. Greeks could see the constellation before it dropped
below the horizon for most of the northern hemisphere, and some saw
significance in the celestial cross disappearing from the sky and linked it to
the crucifixion of Christ. By the year 400 AD, the cross could not be seen
from most of Europe, and Europeans did not rediscover the constellation
until the late 15th century.

CYGNUS – THE SWAN

Genitive: Cygni

Cygnus constellation is most commonly associated with the myth of Leda,

the Spartan queen who gave birth to two sets of twins – the mortal
Clytemnestra and Castor and the immortal Pollux and Helen – after being
seduced by Zeus, who came to her in the form of a swan. The mortal
children were fathered by Leda’s husband Tyndareus and the immortal
ones by Zeus. Castor and Pollux are associated with Gemini constellation.

DELPHINUS – THE DOLPHIN

Genitive: Delphini

Delphinus is one of the Greek constellations. It is associated with

Poseidon’s messenger, the dolphin that helped the god find the nymph
Amphitrite, whom he later married. In a different myth, Delphinus is the
dolphin that saved the life of the poet Arion. The god Apollo placed it into
the sky next to Lyra constellation, which in this version of the myth
represents Arion’s lyre.

DORADO – THE DOLPHINFISH

Genitive: Doradus

Dorado is one of the constellations created by Dutch explorers in the 16th

century. It represents the dolphinfish.

DRACO – THE DRAGON

Genitive: Draconis

Draco constellation represents the dragon Ladon, the mythical creature

with a hundred heads that guarded the gardens of the Hesperides in Greek
mythology. Heracles killed the dragon with his poisoned arrows as part of
his Twelve Labours. In Roman legend, Draco is associated with one of the
Giant Titans who warred with Zeus and other Olympian gods for a decade.
The Titan was killed by Minerva in battle and thrown into the sky, where it
froze around the North Pole.
 EQUULEUS – THE LITTLE HORSE
Genitive: Equulei

Equuleus constellation is usually associated with Hippe, the daughter of the

centaur Chiron. Hippe was seduced by Aeolus and became pregnant with
his child, but was too ashamed to tell her father about the pregnancy. She
hid from Chiron in the mountains and, when he came looking for her, she
prayed to the gods that he didn’t find her. The gods granted her wish and
turned her into a mare, represented by Equuleus constellation. Hippe is
said to still be hiding from Chiron, with only her head showing behind
Pegasus constellation.

ERIDANUS – THE CELESTIAL RIVER

Genitive: Eridani

Eridanus is the ancient Greek name for the river Po in Italy. In mythology,
Eridanus is usually associated with the story of Phaëton, the son of the Sun
god Helios who begged his father to let him drive his chariot across the sky.
Helios agreed to this and Phaëton mounted the chariot. However, since he
was an inexperienced driver, he soon lost control of the horses and the
chariot plunged close to Earth, setting lands on fire and turning Libya into a
desert. Zeus had to prevent further disaster and he struck the young man
down with a thunderbolt. Phaëton fell into the river Eridanus and his father
did not drive his chariot for days after his son’s death, leaving the world in
darkness.

FORNAX – THE FURNACE

Genitive: Fornacis

Fornax is one of the southern constellationscreated by Lacaille in the 18th

century. It was originally named Fornax Chemica, after the chemical
furnace, a small heater used in chemical experiments.

GEMINI – THE TWINS

Genitive: Geminorum

Gemini constellation was named after the mythical twins Castor and
Polydeuces. Two of the constellation’s brightest stars carry the twins’
names.

GRUS – THE CRANE

Genitive: Gruis

Grus constellation was introduced by the Dutch astronomer Petrus

Plancius in the late 16th century. It is one of the constellations named after
exotic animals, created by Dutch navigators during their expedition to the
East Indies. The constellation represents the crane.

HERCULES – THE STRONG MAN

Genitive: Herculis
Hercules constellation was named after Heracles, the legendary hero from
Greek mythology. It is one of the oldest constellations in the sky, dating
back to Sumerian times.

HOROLOGIUM – THE PENDULUM CLOCK

Genitive: Horologii

Horologium is another one of Lacaille’s constellations. Its original name

was Horologium Oscillitorium, or “the pendulum clock.” Lacaille named the
constellation after the pendulum clock to honour its inventor, Christiaan
Huygens.

HYDRA – THE WATER SERPENT

Genitive: Hydrae

The largest of the 88 constellations was named after the Lernaean Hydra,
the monster from the myth of Heracles’ Twelve Labours. It is one of the
Greek constellations, first documented by Ptolemy in the 2nd century.

HYDRUS – THE WATER SNAKE

Genitive: Hydri

Hydrus is not associated with any myths. It is one of the constellations

introduced by Petrus Plancius in the late 16th century. It represents the sea
snakes that Dutch explorers would have seen on their journeys to the East
Indies.

INDUS – THE INDIAN

Genitive: Indi

Indus is another constellation introduced by Plancius. It represents the

Indian. Since Dutch explorers encountered many indigenous peoples on
their expeditions, it is unclear if the constellation’s name refers to a native
of the East Indies, Madagascar, or South Africa.

LACERTA – THE LIZARD

Genitive: Lacertae

Lacerta is one of the constellations created by the Polish astronomer

Johannes Hevelius in the 17th century. It is not associated with any myths.

LEO – THE LION

Genitive: Leonis

Leo constellation is associated with the Nemean lion in Greek mythology,

the beast killed by Heracles as part of his Twelve Labours.

LEO MINOR – THE LITTLE LION

Genitive: Leonis Minoris
Leo Minor is one of the constellations introduced by Hevelius in the 17th
century. There are no stories associated with it.

LEPUS – THE HARE

Genitive: Leporis

Lepus is one of the Greek constellations, first catalogued by Ptolemy in the

2nd century. It is not associated with any particular stories from Greek
mythology, but is often depicted as a hare chased by the hunter Orion and
his two dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor.

LIBRA – THE SCALES

Genitive: Librae

The name Libra means “the weighing scales” in Latin, and the constellation
represents the scales of justice held by Dike, the Greek goddess of justice,
associated with Virgo constellation.

LUPUS – THE WOLF

Genitive: Lupus

Lupus is a very old constellation, first catalogued by Ptolemy. It was not

associated with the wolf until the Renaissance times. The Greeks called the
constellation Therium, which means “wild animal,” and the Romans knew it
as Bestia, the beast. The stars of Lupus used to be part of Centaurus
constellation, and they represented an animal sacrificed by the centaur.
The centaur was holding the animal toward an altar, represented by Ara
constellation.

LYNX – THE LYNX

Genitive: Lyncis

Lynx is one of the constellations introduced by Johannes Hevelius. It

represents the lynx. Hevelius gave it this name because it is a faint
constellation and it takes the eyesight of a lynx to see it.

LYRA – THE HARP

Genitive: Lyrae

Lyra constellation represents the lyre of Orpheus, the Greek poet and
musician who died at the hands of the Bacchantes.

MENSA – THE TABLE MOUNTAIN

Genitive: Mensae

The name Mensa means “the table” in Latin. The constellation was created
by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century. He originally named it
Mons Mensae, which is the Latin name for Table Mountain in South Africa.
Lacaille spent a couple of years there mapping the southern skies.

MICROSCOPIUM – THE MICROSCOPE

Genitive: Microscopii
Microscopium is one of Lacaille’s constellations. He named it after an early
type of compound microscope, one that was widely used in the 18th
century.

MONOCEROS – THE UNICORN

Genitive: Monocerotis

The name Monoceros means “the unicorn” in Latin. The constellation was
created by the Dutch astronomer, cartographer, and clergyman Petrus
Plancius in 1612. He named it after the unicorn because the mythical
animal appears several times in the Old Testament.

MUSCA – THE FLY

Genitive: Muscae

Musca is one of the constellations introduced by Dutch explorers in the

16th century. It represents the fly.

NORMA – THE LEVEL

Genitive: Normae

Norma constellation represents the draughtsman’s set-square and rule, or

a carpenter’s square, one used by carpenters on exploratory vessels. It
was created by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century.

OCTANS – THE OCTANT

Genitive: Octantis

Octans constellation represents the reflecting octant, the precursor to the

modern sextant. It was created by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1752.

OPHIUCHUS – THE SERPENT HOLDER

Genitive: Ophiuchi

Ophiuchus is another Greek constellation. It represents Asclepius, the

famous healer in Greek mythology, and is usually depicted as a man
holding a serpent, represented by the constellation Serpens. Asclepius is
said to have learned how to bring people back from the dead when he saw
one snake bringing healing herbs to another.

ORION – THE HUNTER

Genitive: Orionis

Orion constellation represents the mythical hunter Orion, son of the sea
god Poseidon and the Cretan princess Euryale. It is one of the oldest
constellations known, also associated with the Sumerian myth of
Gilgamesh.

PAVO – THE PEACOCK

Genitive: Pavonis

Pavo constellation was introduced by Petrus Plancius in the 16th century.

It represents the Java green peacock that Dutch navigators probably
encountered while exploring the East Indies.

PEGASUS – THE WINGED HORSE

Genitive: Pegasi

Pegasus represents the white winged horse from Greek mythology. The
horse was said to have sprung from the neck of the Gorgon Medusa when
Perseus beheaded her.

PERSEUS – THE GREEK HERO

Genitive: Persei

Perseus constellation represents the Greek hero Perseus. It is one of the

six constellations associated with Perseus and was originally catalogued by
Ptolemy in the 2nd century.

PHOENIX – THE FIREBIRD

Genitive: Phoenicis

The constellation Phoenix represents the mythical firebird, sacred across

many cultures and mythologies. Phoenix was one of the southern
constellations introduced by Dutch explorers in the late 16th century.

PICTOR – THE PAINTER’S EASEL

Genitive: Pictoris

The name Pictor means “the painter” in Latin. The constellation, created by
Lacaille in the 17th century, was originally named le Chevalet et la Palette,
or “the easel and palette,” and the name was later Latinized to Equuleus
Pictoris, or “the painter’s easel,” and eventually shortened to Pictor.

PISCES – THE FISHES

Genitive: Piscis

Pisces is one of the zodiac constellations, first catalogued by Ptolemy

along with the other Greek constellations. It is associated with a story about
the goddess Aphrodite and her son Eros transforming into fish to escape
the monster Typhon.

PISCIS AUSTRINUS – THE SOUTHERN FISH

Genitive: Piscis Austrini

Piscis Austrinus is one of the ancient constellations, dating back to

Babylonian times. In Greek mythology, it represents the Great Fish and is
usually depicted as swallowing the water poured by Aquarius.

PUPPIS – THE STERN OF THE ARGO NAVIS

Genitive: Puppis

Puppis represents the stern of the Argo Navis, the ship on which the
Argonauts sailed to get the Golden Fleece. The ship used to be
represented by a single larger constellation, which was split into three
smaller ones in the 18th century.

PYXIS – THE COMPASS

Genitive: Pyxidis

Pyxis constellation represents the mariner’s compass. It was created by

Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, who originally named it Pyxis Nautica.

RETICULUM – THE RETICLE

Genitive: Reticuli

Reticulum represents the reticle. The constellation was named by Nicolas

Louis de Lacaille, who gave it the name le Réticule Rhomboide to
commemorate the reticle in his telescope, which he used during his trip to
South Africa, where he spent some time mapping the southern skies in the
1750s. The constellation was created in 1621 by Isaac Habrecht II, who
originally named it Rhombus.

SAGITTA – THE ARROW

Genitive: Sagittae

Sagitta is one of the Greek constellations. It represents the arrow that

Heracles used to kill the eagle that gnawed on Prometheus’ liver.

SAGITTARIUS – THE ARCHER

Genitive: Sagittarii

Sagittarius constellation represents a centaur aiming an arrow

toward Antares, the bright star that marks the scorpion’s heart. It is also
frequently associated with Crotus, the son of Pan, who invented archery
and lived on Mount Helicon. Crotus was said to have two feet and a satyr’s
tail. Sagittarius is also sometimes wrongly associated with the centaur
Chiron, represented by Centaurus constellation.

SCORPIUS – THE SCORPION

Genitive: Scorpii

Scorpius is one of the Greek constellations, first catalogued by Ptolemy. It

represents the scorpion that killed the mythical hunter Orion. Orion is still
said to be fleeing from the scorpion, and this is why the two constellations
can never be seen in the sky at the same time: Orion sets just as Scorpius
rises.

SCULPTOR – THE SCULPTOR

Genitive: Sculptoris

Sculptor constellation represents the sculptor’s studio. It was created by

Lacaille in the 18th century and originally named l’Atelier du Sculpteur.
 SCUTUM – THE SHIELD
Genitive: Scuti

Scutum was created by Johannes Hevelius in the 17th century. He named

the constellation Scutum Sobiescianum, or the Shield of Sobieski, to
honour the victory of the Polish King Jan III Sobieski in the Battle of Vienna
in 1683. The name was later shortened to Scutum, the shield.

SERPENS – THE SERPENT

Genitive: Serpentis

Serpens is usually associated with the snake held by the healer Asclepius,
represented by the constellation Ophiuchus.

SEXTANS – THE SEXTANT

Genitive: Sextantis

Sextans is one of the constellations introduced by the Polish astronomer

Johannes Hevelius. It represents the astronomical sextant. Hevelius named
the constellation after the sextant he used to measure star positions. The
constellation’s original name was Sextans Uraniae, but it was later
shortened to simply Sextant.

TAURUS – THE BULL

Genitive: Tauri

Taurus is one of the oldest constellations known. It was first catalogued by

Ptolemy in the 2nd century.

In Greek mythology, Taurus represents the god Zeus, who in one tale
transformed himself into a bull in order to seduce and abduct Europa, the
beautiful daughter of the Phoenician King Agenor.

In a different myth, the constellation is associated with the nymph Io, who
was also seduced by Zeus. When the two were almost caught by Zeus’
wife Hera, the god transformed Io into a heifer to protect her.

TELESCOPIUM – THE TELESCOPE

Genitive: Telescopii

Telescopium is one of the constellations created by Nicolas Louis de

Lacaille that were named after various instruments. The constellation
represents an aerial telescope, a type of refractor.

TRIANGULUM – THE TRIANGLE

Genitive: Trianguli

Triangulum, or “the triangle,” is one of the Greek constellations, first

catalogued by Ptolemy in the 2nd century. The Greeks called the
constellation Deltoton because its shape resembled the Greek letter delta.
 TRIANGULUM AUSTRALE – THE SOUTHERN TRIANGLE
Genitive: Trianguli Australis

Triangulum Australe means “the southern triangle” in Latin. The

constellation was created by the Dutch cartographer Petrus Plancius from
observations of Dutch navigators in the late 16th century. Like
most southern constellations, it is not associated with any myths.

TUCANA – THE TOUCAN

Genitive: Tucanae

Tucana is one of the southern constellationscreated by Dutch explorers in

the late 16th century. It was named after the toucan, a type of bird found in
South America.

URSA MAJOR – THE BIG BEAR

Genitive: Ursae Majoris

Ursa Major, the “great bear” in Latin, is associated with many different
myths in many cultures, and represents a bear in many of the legends it is
associated with across the globe. It is one of the most ancient
constellations in the sky. In Greek mythology, it is most commonly taken to
represent Callisto, a nymph Zeus fell in love with, whom his wife Hera
turned into a bear. Sometimes the constellation is also associated with
Adrasteia, a nymph who took care of Zeus when he was very young.

URSA MINOR – THE SMALL BEAR

Genitive: Ursae Minoris

Ursa Minor is another Greek constellation. It is usually associated with

either Arcas, the son of Zeus and the nymph Callisto, or with Ida, one of the
nymphs who took care of Zeus on Crete, where his mother Rhea had
hidden him from his father because Cronus, fearful of an old prophecy that
said he would be overthrown by one of his children, swallowed five of his
older children after they were born.

VELA – THE SAILS OF THE ARGO NAVIS

Genitive: Velorum

The name Vela means “the sails” in Latin. It is one of the three
constellations that used to form the larger constellation Argo Navis, which
represented the ship of the Argonauts.

VIRGO – THE YOUNG MAIDEN

Genitive: Virginis

Virgo is one of the Greek constellations. It is associated with Dike, the

Greek goddess of justice, holding the scales of justice represented by the
neighbouring constellation Libra.
 VOLANS – THE FLYING FISH
Genitive: Volantis

Volans constellation represents the flying fish, a type of fish found in

tropical waters that can jump out of the water and glide through the air. It is
one of the southern constellations introduced by Dutch navigators in the
16th century.

VULPECULA – THE LITTLE FOX

Genitive: Vulpeculae

Vulpecula constellation was created and named by the Polish astronomer

Johannes Hevelius in the 17th century. It represents a little fox holding a
goose in its jaws. Hevelius originally named it Vulpecula et Anser, which
means “the little fox with the goose” in Latin. He said that the constellation
represented a fox carrying a goose to Cerberus, the dog that guarded the
entrance to the Underworld in Greek mythology.