The International Astronomical Union (IAU) designates 88 constellations. In the table below, they are listed by geographical visibility according to latitude as seen from Earth, as well as the best months for viewing the constellations at 21:00 (9 p.m.).
List
| Geographical visibility | Celestial coordinates | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbrev. | Constellation | Northern- most latitude |
Southern- most latitude |
Month for best visibility at 21:00 (9 p.m.) |
Right ascension (hours & mins) |
Declination (degs & mins) |
Quad |
| UMi | Ursa Minor | 90 | -10 | June | +15 00.00 | +77 41.99 | NQ3 |
| Cep | Cepheus | 90 | -10 | November | +02 32.64 | +71 00.51 | NQ4 |
| Cam | Camelopardalis | 90 | -10 | February | +08 51.37 | +69 22.89 | NQ2 |
| Dra | Draco | 90 | -15 | July | +15 08.64 | +67 00.40 | NQ3 |
| Cas | Cassiopeia | 90 | -20 | November | +01 19.16 | +62 11.04 | NQ1 |
| UMa | Ursa Major | 90 | -30 | April | +11 18.76 | +50 43.27 | NQ2 |
| Lyn | Lynx | 90 | -55 | February | +07 59.53 | +47 28.00 | NQ2 |
| Lac | Lacerta | 90 | -40 | October | +22 27.68 | +46 02.51 | NQ4 |
| Per | Perseus | 90 | -35 | December | +03 10.50 | +45 00.79 | NQ1 |
| Cyg | Cygnus | 90 | -40 | September | +20 35.28 | +44 32.70 | NQ4 |
| Aur | Auriga | 90 | -40 | February | +06 04.42 | +42 01.68 | NQ2 |
| CVn | Canes Venatici | 90 | -40 | May | +13 06.96 | +40 06.11 | NQ3 |
| And | Andromeda | 90 | -40 | November | +00 48.46 | +37 25.91 | NQ1 |
| Lyr | Lyra | 90 | -40 | August | +18 51.17 | +36 41.36 | NQ4 |
| CrB | Corona Borealis | 90 | -50 | June | +15 50.59 | +32 37.49 | NQ3 |
| LMi | Leo Minor | 90 | -45 | April | +10 14.72 | +32 08.08 | NQ2 |
| Tri | Triangulum | 90 | -60 | December | +02 11.07 | +31 28.56 | NQ1 |
| Boo | Boötes | 90 | -50 | June | +14 42.64 | +31 12.16 | NQ3 |
| Her | Hercules | 90 | -50 | July | +17 23.16 | +27 29.93 | NQ3 |
| Vul | Vulpecula | 90 | -55 | September | +20 13.88 | +24 26.56 | NQ4 |
| Com | Coma Berenices | 90 | -70 | May | +12 47.27 | +23 18.34 | NQ3 |
| Gem | Gemini | 90 | -60 | February | +07 04.24 | +22 36.01 | NQ2 |
| Ari | Aries | 90 | -60 | December | +02 38.16 | +20 47.54 | NQ1 |
| Cnc | Cancer | 90 | -60 | March | +08 38.96 | +19 48.35 | NQ2 |
| Peg | Pegasus | 90 | -60 | October | +22 41.84 | +19 27.98 | NQ4 |
| Sge | Sagitta | 90 | -70 | August | +19 39.05 | +18 51.68 | NQ4 |
| Tau | Taurus | 90 | -65 | January | +04 42.13 | +14 52.63 | NQ1 |
| Psc | Pisces | 90 | -65 | November | +00 28.97 | +13 41.23 | NQ1 |
| Leo | Leo | 90 | -65 | April | +10 40.03 | +13 08.32 | NQ2 |
| Del | Delphinus | 90 | -69 | September | +20 41.61 | +11 40.26 | NQ4 |
| Equ | Equuleus | 90 | -80 | September | +21 11.26 | +07 45.49 | NQ4 |
| CMi | Canis Minor | 90 | -75 | February | +07 39.17 | +06 25.63 | NQ2 |
| Ser | Serpens | 80 | -80 | July | +16 57.04 | +06 07.32 | NQ3 |
| Ori | Orion | 85 | -75 | January | +05 34.59 | +05 56.94 | NQ1 |
| Aql | Aquila | 90 | -75 | August | +19 40.02 | +03 24.65 | NQ4 |
| Mon | Monoceros | 75 | -90 | February | +07 03.63 | +00 16.93 | NQ2 |
| Sex | Sextans | 80 | -90 | April | +10 16.29 | −02 36.88 | SQ2 |
| Vir | Virgo | 80 | -80 | May | +13 24.39 | −04 09.51 | SQ3 |
| Cet | Cetus | 70 | -90 | November | +01 40.10 | −07 10.76 | SQ1 |
| Oph | Ophiuchus | 80 | -80 | July | +17 23.69 | −07 54.74 | SQ3 |
| Sct | Scutum | 80 | -90 | August | +18 40.39 | −09 53.32 | SQ4 |
| Aqr | Aquarius | 65 | -90 | October | +22 17.38 | −10 47.35 | SQ4 |
| Hya | Hydra | 54 | -83 | April | +11 36.73 | −14 31.91 | SQ2 |
| Lib | Libra | 65 | -90 | June | +15 11.96 | −15 14.08 | SQ3 |
| Crt | Crater | 65 | -90 | April | +11 23.75 | −15 55.74 | SQ2 |
| Cap | Capricornus | 60 | -90 | September | +21 02.93 | −18 01.39 | SQ4 |
| Crv | Corvus | 60 | -90 | May | +12 26.52 | −18 26.20 | SQ3 |
| Lep | Lepus | 63 | -90 | January | +05 33.95 | −19 02.78 | SQ1 |
| CMa | Canis Major | 60 | -90 | February | +06 49.74 | −22 08.42 | SQ2 |
| Sco | Scorpius | 40 | -90 | July | +16 53.24 | −27 01.89 | SQ3 |
| Pyx | Pyxis | 50 | -90 | March | +08 57.16 | −27 21.10 | SQ2 |
| Sgr | Sagittarius | 55 | -90 | August | +19 05.94 | −28 28.61 | SQ4 |
| Eri | Eridanus | 32 | -90 | December | +03 18.02 | −28 45.37 | SQ1 |
| PsA | Piscis Austrinus | 55 | -90 | October | +22 17.07 | −30 38.53 | SQ4 |
| Pup | Puppis | 40 | -90 | February | +07 15.48 | −31 10.64 | SQ2 |
| For | Fornax | 50 | -90 | December | +02 47.88 | −31 38.07 | SQ1 |
| Scl | Sculptor | 50 | -90 | November | +00 26.28 | −32 05.30 | SQ1 |
| Ant | Antlia | 45 | -90 | April | +10 16.43 | −32 29.01 | SQ2 |
| Col | Columba | 45 | -90 | January | +05 51.76 | −35 05.67 | SQ1 |
| Mic | Microscopium | 45 | -90 | September | +20 57.88 | −36 16.49 | SQ4 |
| Cae | Caelum | 40 | -90 | January | +04 42.27 | −37 52.90 | SQ1 |
| CrA | Corona Australis | 40 | -90 | August | +18 38.79 | −41 08.85 | SQ4 |
| Lup | Lupus | 35 | -90 | June | +15 13.21 | −42 42.53 | SQ3 |
| Gru | Grus | 34 | -90 | October | +22 27.39 | −46 21.11 | SQ4 |
| Vel | Vela | 30 | -90 | March | +09 34.64 | −47 10.03 | SQ2 |
| Cen | Centaurus | 25 | -90 | May | +13 04.27 | −47 20.72 | SQ3 |
| Phe | Phoenix | 32 | -90 | November | +00 55.91 | −48 34.84 | SQ1 |
| Tel | Telescopium | 40 | -90 | August | +19 19.54 | −51 02.21 | SQ4 |
| Nor | Norma | 30 | -90 | June | +15 54.18 | −51 21.09 | SQ3 |
| Hor | Horologium | 30 | -90 | December | +03 16.56 | −53 20.18 | SQ1 |
| Pic | Pictor | 26 | -90 | January | +05 42.46 | −53 28.45 | SQ1 |
| Ara | Ara | 25 | -90 | July | +17 22.49 | −56 35.30 | SQ3 |
| Dor | Dorado | 20 | -90 | January | +05 14.51 | −59 23.22 | SQ1 |
| Ind | Indus | 15 | -90 | September | +21 58.33 | −59 42.40 | SQ4 |
| Ret | Reticulum | 23 | -90 | December | +03 55.27 | −59 59.85 | SQ1 |
| Cru | Crux | 20 | -90 | May | +12 26.99 | −60 11.19 | SQ3 |
| Cir | Circinus | 30 | -90 | June | +14 34.54 | −63 01.82 | SQ3 |
| Car | Carina | 20 | -90 | March | +08 41.70 | −63 13.16 | SQ2 |
| TrA | Triangulum Australe | 25 | -90 | July | +16 04.95 | −65 23.28 | SQ3 |
| Pav | Pavo | 30 | -90 | August | +19 36.71 | −65 46.89 | SQ4 |
| Tuc | Tucana | 25 | -90 | October | +23 46.64 | −65 49.80 | SQ4 |
| Vol | Volans | 15 | -90 | February | +07 47.73 | −69 48.07 | SQ2 |
| Hyi | Hydrus | 8 | -90 | December | +02 20.65 | −69 57.39 | SQ1 |
| Mus | Musca | 10 | -90 | May | +12 35.28 | −70 09.66 | SQ3 |
| Aps | Apus | 5 | -90 | July | +16 08.65 | −75 18.00 | SQ3 |
| Men | Mensa | 4 | -90 | January | +05 24.90 | −77 30.24 | SQ1 |
| Cha | Chamaeleon | 5 | -90 | April | +10 41.53 | −79 12.30 | SQ2 |
| Oct | Octans | 0 | -90 | October | +23 00.00 | −82 09.12 | SQ4 |
Notes and references
- "The Constellations". International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
- Average of the most eastward and most westward RA.
- Average of the most northern and most southern declination.
- "Quad" designates the quadrant of the sky as N for North or S for South, Quadrants 1 (0 –6 ), 2 (6 –12 ), 3 (12 –18 ), or 4 (18 –0 ).
- Serpens is divided into two parts:
Serpens Caput ("Serpent's Head"; 428.484 sq. deg.; midpoint: RA: 15 46.49, Dec: +10 58.20), and
Serpens Cauda ("Serpent's Tail"; 208.444 sq. deg.; midpoint: RA: 18 07.60, Dec: -04 51.73)
