Lacerta–Vulpecula

Constellation

Genitive

Abbr.

Area

(square

degs.)

Area

of sky

(%)

Order

of

size

Visibility range

(full)

Visibility range

(partial)

Number

of stars

6.5*

Lacerta

Lacertae

Lac

200.7

0.486

68

90°N – 33°S

33°S – 54°S

68

5

Leo

Leonis

Leo

947.0

2.296

12

82°N – 57°S

57°S – 90°S

123

1

Leo Minor

Leonis Minoris

LMi

232.0

0.562

64

90°N – 48°S

48°S – 67°S

37

5

Lepus

Leporis

Lep

290.3

0.704

51

62°N – 90°S

79°N – 62°N

73

1

Libra

Librae

Lib

538.1

1.304

29

60°N – 90°S

89°N – 60°N

83

1

Lupus

Lupi

Lup

333.7

0.809

46

34°N – 90°S

60°N – 34°N

127

1

Lynx

Lyncis

Lyn

545.4

1.322

28

90°N – 28°S

28°S – 57°S

97

5

Lyra

Lyrae

Lyr

286.5

0.694

52

90°N – 42°S

42°S – 64°S

73

1

Mensa

Mensae

Men

153.5

0.372

75

5°N – 90°S

20°N – 5°N

22

6

Microscopium

Microscopii

Mic

209.5

0.508

66

45°N – 90°S

62°N – 45°N

43

6

Monoceros

Monocerotis

Mon

481.6

1.167

35

78°N – 78°S

90°N – 78°N,

78°S – 90°S

138

4

Musca

Muscae

Mus

138.4

0.335

77

14°N – 90°S

25°N – 14°N

62

3

Norma

Normae

Nor

165.3

0.401

74

29°N – 90°S

48°N – 29°N

44

6

Octans

Octantis

Oct

291.0

0.706

50

0° – 90°S

25°N – 0°

60

6

Ophiuchus

Ophiuchi

Oph

948.3

2.299

11

59°N – 75°S

90°N – 59°N,

75°S – 90°S

174

1

Orion

Orionis

Ori

594.1

1.440

26

79°N – 67°S

90°N – 79°N,

67°S – 90°S

204

1

Pavo

Pavonis

Pav

377.7

0.915

44

15°N – 90°S

33°N – 15°N

87

3

Pegasus

Pegasi

Peg

1120.8

2.717

7

90°N – 53°S

53°S – 87°S

177

1

Perseus

Persei

Per

615.0

1.491

24

90°N – 31°S

31°S – 59°S

158

1

Phoenix

Phoenicis

Phe

469.3

1.138

37

32°N – 90°S

50°N – 32°N

71

3

Pictor

Pictoris

Pic

246.7

0.598

59

26°N – 90°S

47°N – 26°N

49

6

Pisces

Piscium

Psc

889.4

2.156

14

83°N – 56°S

56°S – 90°S

150

1

Piscis Austrinus

Piscis Austrini

PsA

245.4

0.595

60

53°N – 90°S

65°N – 53°N

47

1

Puppis

Puppis

Pup

673.4

1.632

20

39°N – 90°S

78°N – 39°N

237

7

Pyxis

Pyxidis

Pyx

220.8

0.535

65

52°N – 90°S

72°N – 52°N

41

6

Reticulum

Reticuli

Ret

113.9

0.276

82

23°N – 90°S

37°N – 23°N

23

6

Sagitta

Sagittae

Sge

79.9

0.194

86

90°N – 69°S

69°S – 73°S

26

1

Sagittarius

Sagittarii

Sgr

867.4

2.103

15

44°N – 90°S

78°N – 44°N

194

1

Scorpius

Scorpii

Sco

496.8

1.204

33

44°N – 90°S

81°N – 44°N

167

1

Sculptor

Sculptoris

Scl

474.8

1.151

36

50°N – 90°S

65°N – 50°N

52

6

Scutum

Scuti

Sct

109.1

0.264

84

74°N – 90°S

86°N – 74°N

29

5

Serpens

Serpentis

Ser

636.9

1.544

23

Serpens Caput:

86°N – 64°S


Serpens Cauda:

73°N – 83°S

Serpens Caput:

90°N – 86°N,

64°S – 90°S

Serpens Cauda:

90°N – 73°N,

83°S – 90°S

108

1

Sextans

Sextantis

Sex

313.5

0.760

47

78°N – 83°S

90°N – 78°N,

83°S – 90°S

38

5

Taurus

Tauri

Tau

797.2

1.933

17

88°N – 58°S

58°S – 90°S

223

1

Telescopium

Telescopii

Tel

251.5

0.610

57

33°N – 90°S

44°N – 33°N

57

6

Triangulum

Trianguli

Tri

131.8

0.320

78

90°N – 52°S

52°S – 64°S

25

1

Triangulum Australe

Trianguli Australis

TrA

110.0

0.267

83

19°N – 90°S

29°N – 19°N

35

3

Tucana

Tucanae

Tuc

294.6

0.714

48

14°N – 90°S

33°N – 14°N

45

3

Ursa Major

Ursae Majoris

UMa

1279.7

3.102

3

90°N – 16°S

16°S – 62°S

209

1

Ursa Minor

Ursae Minoris

UMi

255.9

0.620

56

90°N – 0°

0° – 24°S

39

1

Vela

Velorum

Vel

499.6

1.211

32

32°N – 90°S

52°N – 32°N

214

7

Virgo

Virginis

Vir

1294.4

3.138

2

67°N – 75°S

90°N – 67°N,

75°S – 90°S

169

1

Volans

Volantis

Vol

141.4

0.343

76

14°N – 90°S

25°N – 14°N

31

3

Vulpecula

Vulpeculae

Vul

268.2

0.650

55

90°N – 61°S

61°S – 71°S

68

5

* NOTES ON COLUMN HEADINGS:

Visibility range (full) gives the range of latitudes from which each constellation rises fully above the horizon at some time. Stars close to the horizon will be considerably dimmed by atmospheric extinction.

Visibility range (partial) gives the latitudes from which the constellation only ever rises partly above the horizon. Constellations which never rise more than a few degrees above the horizon from a given latitude will be effectively unobservable.

Number of stars ≤6.5 gives the number of stars within the constellation of magnitude 6.5 and brighter as listed in the Hipparcos Catalogue.

Origin:

1. Original Greek constellations listed by Ptolemy in the Almagest

2. Considered by the Greeks as part of Leo; made separate by Caspar Vopel in 1536, followed by Gerardus Mercator in 1551.

3. The 12 southern constellations of Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman

4. Constellations added by Petrus Plancius

5. Seven constellations of Johannes Hevelius

6. The 14 southern constellations of Nicolas Louis de Lacaille

7. Part of the original Greek constellation Argo Navis, dismantled in the 18th century by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille.


Who were Ptolemy, Keyser, de Houtman, Plancius, Hevelius, and Lacaille? For more on the origin and originators of the constellations, see Chapter One of Ian Ridpath’s Star Tales.