CONSTELLATIONS

Hands holding a blue and white disk with stars and constellations printed on it.

Planisphere: Your friend to find stars and constellations

A planisphere is an easy-to-use tool that can help you learn the night sky. Align the date and time to see what constellations and stars are overhead.

Chart: 5 constellations with lines between stars, and green line of ecliptic plus 1 bright star.

Celestial ocean: The watery constellations in the autumn sky

In Northern Hemisphere autumn (Southern Hemisphere spring), you can see some constellations representing a "celestial ocean in the sky" to early stargazers.

Star chart: Large triangle with small constellation inside it and some stars and constellations labeled.

See 3 small constellations near the Summer Triangle

You need a dark country sky to see these 3 small constellations: Vulpecula, Delphinus and Sagitta. They are all near the Summer Triangle.

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Sun’s entry into zodiac constellations, 2021

The sun entered the constellation Sagittarius on December 18, 2020. It'll cross into the constellation Capricornus on January 19, 2021. Look here for dates of the sun's entry into the zodiacal constellations for 2021.

Astronomers issue report on the effect of ‘satellite constellations’ on astronomy

A new report concludes that large constellations of bright satellites in low-Earth orbit will fundamentally change ground-based astronomy and impact the appearance of the night sky for stargazers worldwide.

Sun in zodiac constellations, 2019

Sun-entry dates to zodiac constellations in 2019, using boundaries for constellations set by the International Astronomical Union in the 1930s.

Sun in zodiac constellations, 2018

Sun entry dates into zodiac constellations, using boundaries for constellations set by the International Astronomical Union in the 1930s.

Find constellations of the zodiac

Today's sky chart shows the constellations of the zodiac that are up after nightfall on these October evenings.

Altair your guide to small constellations

Little constellations typically have very distinctive shapes. That's true of Delphinus the Dolphin and Sagitta the Arrow.

loudy band of Milky Way arching over desert hills and tower-like rock formations.

Which moon phase is best for stargazing? That depends.

Which moon phase is best for stargazing? Most astronomers would tell you that the best moon is no moon. But it depends on what you want to see.

Round sky chart with Venus and Jupiter on right side.

Visible planets and night sky guide for May

Visible planets and night sky guide. Watch for Venus and Jupiter, both shining in the west in the evening sky. They're getting closer together, day by day.

Star chart showing the bright star Vega in the northeast in the evening in May, with an inset showing the constellation Lyra.

Apex of the sun: Look to Vega in May

Apex of the sun shows the direction our solar system moves through space, toward the bright star Vega in the May night sky.

The Southern Cross: your guide to due south

There's no bright star marking due south from the Southern Hemisphere. But the Southern Cross points the way.

Dark sky over buildings with 6 stars labeled and Southern Cross pattern shown.

How to see the Southern Cross from the Northern Hemisphere

The Southern Cross can be seen from the Northern Hemisphere, as long as you're below 26 degrees north and know when and where to look!

2 dark objects swirling around each other against a starry backdrop.

Built not born: Huge black holes form in mergers, study says

A new study suggests the largest stellar-mass black holes form not from single stars collapsing, but from collisions and mergers between smaller black holes.

Bright, thin, white concentric circles around Polaris, with a brighter, yellowish streak across the bottom.

Polaris is the present-day North Star of Earth

Many people think Polaris is the brightest star, but it's only 48th in brightness. Still, Polaris is famous because the entire northern sky wheels around it.

How to see the Northern Crown (Corona Borealis)

Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, is an almost-perfect semicircle of stars. Learn to find it and identify its brightest star, and about its mythology.

Will the Blaze Star explode in 2026? How to see it

We're still waiting for the Blaze Star to go nova! Will it happen in 2026? Here's how to find Corona Borealis so you're ready when this star goes kablooey.

Kite-shaped constellation with bright blue-white star at bottom, and 4 other stars in Lyra marked.

Blue-white Vega is the sky’s 5th-brightest star

The blue star Vega is the brightest light in the distinctive constellation Lyra the Harp. Vega is easy to spot in May by looking northeast in the evening.

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Planisphere: Your friend to find stars and constellations

Celestial ocean: The watery constellations in the autumn sky

See 3 small constellations near the Summer Triangle

constellations

Sun’s entry into zodiac constellations, 2021

Astronomers issue report on the effect of ‘satellite constellations’ on astronomy

Sun in zodiac constellations, 2019

Sun in zodiac constellations, 2018

Find constellations of the zodiac

Altair your guide to small constellations

Which moon phase is best for stargazing? That depends.

Visible planets and night sky guide for May

Apex of the sun: Look to Vega in May

The Southern Cross: your guide to due south

How to see the Southern Cross from the Northern Hemisphere

Built not born: Huge black holes form in mergers, study says

Polaris is the present-day North Star of Earth

How to see the Northern Crown (Corona Borealis)

Will the Blaze Star explode in 2026? How to see it

Blue-white Vega is the sky’s 5th-brightest star