Modern scientific sky
The IAU's 88 official constellations partition the entire celestial sphere. This is the canonical directory used for modern positions and boundaries.
- IAU 88 constellations
Constellations of the world
Explore official constellations, asterisms, lunar mansions, dark-cloud figures and navigation traditions together in one global, cross-referenced sky catalogue.
Showing 172 of 172 sky patterns
Abhijit (optional 28th)
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Andromeda
AndIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Northern sky · Autumn evenings
Antlia
AntIAU 88
Southern sky · Winter evenings
Anuradha
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Apus
ApsIAU 88
Southern sky · Spring evenings
Aquarius
AqrIAU 88Ptolemaic heritageWestern zodiacAstronomical zodiac
Celestial equator · Summer evenings
Aquila
AqlIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Celestial equator · Summer evenings
Ara
AraIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Southern sky · Summer evenings
Ardra
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Aries
AriIAU 88Ptolemaic heritageWestern zodiacAstronomical zodiac
Northern sky · Autumn evenings
Ashlesha
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Ashwini
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Auriga
AurIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Northern sky · Winter evenings
Azure Dragon of the East
Chinese great frameworks
Large organizing regions
Baby Llama
Andean dark-cloud figures
Silhouettes in Milky Way dust
Bharani
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Big Dipper
Major Western asterismsOverlaps Ursa Major
Recognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations
Black Tortoise of the North
Chinese great frameworks
Large organizing regions
Bond
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Boötes
BooIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Northern sky · Spring evenings
Caelum
CaeIAU 88
Southern sky · Autumn evenings
Camelopardalis
CamIAU 88
Northern sky · Winter evenings
Cancer
CncIAU 88Ptolemaic heritageWestern zodiacAstronomical zodiac
Northern sky · Winter evenings
Canes Venatici
CVnIAU 88
Northern sky · Spring evenings
Canis Major
CMaIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Southern sky · Winter evenings
Canis Minor
CMiIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Celestial equator · Winter evenings
Capricornus
CapIAU 88Ptolemaic heritageWestern zodiacAstronomical zodiac
Southern sky · Summer evenings
Carina
CarIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Southern sky · Winter evenings
Cassiopeia
CasIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Northern sky · Autumn evenings
Centaurus
CenIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Southern sky · Spring evenings
Cepheus
CepIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Northern sky · Summer evenings
Cetus
CetIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Celestial equator · Autumn evenings
Chamaeleon
ChaIAU 88
Southern sky · Spring evenings
Chariot
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Chitra
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Circinus
CirIAU 88
Southern sky · Spring evenings
Coathanger
Major Western asterisms
Recognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations
Columba
ColIAU 88
Southern sky · Winter evenings
Coma Berenices
ComIAU 88
Northern sky · Spring evenings
Corona Austrina
CrAIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Southern sky · Summer evenings
Corona Borealis
CrBIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Northern sky · Spring evenings
Corvus
CrvIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Celestial equator · Spring evenings
Crater
CrtIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Celestial equator · Spring evenings
Crux
CruIAU 88
Southern sky · Spring evenings
Cygnus
CygIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Northern sky · Summer evenings
Delphinus
DelIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Celestial equator · Summer evenings
Dhanishtha
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Diamond Cross
Major Western asterisms
Recognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations
Dipper
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Dorado
DorIAU 88
Southern sky · Winter evenings
Draco
DraIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Northern sky · Summer evenings
Emptiness
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Emu in the Sky (regional forms)
Australian Aboriginal dark-sky traditions
Many distinct, living regional traditions
Encampment
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Equuleus
EquIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Celestial equator · Summer evenings
Eridanus
EriIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Celestial equator · Autumn evenings
Extended Net
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
False Cross
Major Western asterisms
Recognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations
Fornax
ForIAU 88
Southern sky · Autumn evenings
Gemini
GemIAU 88Ptolemaic heritageWestern zodiacAstronomical zodiac
Northern sky · Winter evenings
Ghost
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Girl
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Great Square of Pegasus
Major Western asterismsOverlaps PegasusOverlaps Andromeda
Recognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations
Grus
GruIAU 88
Southern sky · Summer evenings
Hairy Head
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Hanp'atu (Toad)
Andean dark-cloud figures
Silhouettes in Milky Way dust
Hasta
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Heart
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Heavenly Market Enclosure
Chinese great frameworks
Large organizing regions
Hercules
HerIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Northern sky · Spring evenings
Horn
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Horologium
HorIAU 88
Southern sky · Autumn evenings
Hydra
HyaIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Southern sky · Winter evenings
Hydrus
HyiIAU 88
Southern sky · Autumn evenings
Indus
IndIAU 88
Southern sky · Summer evenings
Jyeshtha
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Keystone
Major Western asterismsOverlaps Hercules
Recognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations
Krittika
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Lacerta
LacIAU 88
Northern sky · Summer evenings
Legs
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Leo
LeoIAU 88Ptolemaic heritageWestern zodiacAstronomical zodiac
Celestial equator · Winter evenings
Leo Minor
LMiIAU 88
Northern sky · Winter evenings
Lepus
LepIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Southern sky · Winter evenings
Libra
LibIAU 88Ptolemaic heritageWestern zodiacAstronomical zodiac
Southern sky · Spring evenings
Little Dipper
Major Western asterismsOverlaps Ursa Minor
Recognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations
Lupus
LupIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Southern sky · Spring evenings
Lynx
LynIAU 88
Northern sky · Winter evenings
Lyra
LyrIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Northern sky · Summer evenings
Mach'acuay (Serpent)
Andean dark-cloud figures
Silhouettes in Milky Way dust
Magha
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Mensa
MenIAU 88
Southern sky · Winter evenings
Microscopium
MicIAU 88
Southern sky · Summer evenings
Monoceros
MonIAU 88
Celestial equator · Winter evenings
Mrigashira
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Mula
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Musca
MusIAU 88
Southern sky · Spring evenings
Neck
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Net
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Norma
NorIAU 88
Southern sky · Spring evenings
Northern Cross
Major Western asterismsOverlaps Cygnus
Recognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations
Octans
OctIAU 88
Southern sky · Summer evenings
Ophiuchus
OphIAU 88Ptolemaic heritageAstronomical zodiac
Celestial equator · Summer evenings
Orion
OriIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Celestial equator · Winter evenings
Ox
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Pavo
PavIAU 88
Southern sky · Summer evenings
Pegasus
PegIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Celestial equator · Summer evenings
Perseus
PerIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Northern sky · Autumn evenings
Phoenix
PheIAU 88
Southern sky · Autumn evenings
Pictor
PicIAU 88
Southern sky · Winter evenings
Pisces
PscIAU 88Ptolemaic heritageWestern zodiacAstronomical zodiac
Celestial equator · Autumn evenings
Piscis Austrinus
PsAIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Southern sky · Summer evenings
Punarvasu
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Puppis
PupIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Southern sky · Winter evenings
Purple Forbidden Enclosure
Chinese great frameworks
Large organizing regions
Purva Ashadha
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Purva Bhadrapada
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Purva Phalguni
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Pushya
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Pyxis
PyxIAU 88
Southern sky · Winter evenings
Reticulum
RetIAU 88
Southern sky · Autumn evenings
Revati
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Rohini
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Rooftop
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Room
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Root
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Sagitta
SgeIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Celestial equator · Summer evenings
Sagittarius
SgrIAU 88Ptolemaic heritageWestern zodiacAstronomical zodiac
Southern sky · Summer evenings
Scorpius
ScoIAU 88Ptolemaic heritageWestern zodiacAstronomical zodiac
Southern sky · Spring evenings
Sculptor
SclIAU 88
Southern sky · Autumn evenings
Scutum
SctIAU 88
Celestial equator · Summer evenings
Serpens
SerIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Celestial equator · Spring evenings
Sextans
SexIAU 88
Celestial equator · Winter evenings
Shatabhisha
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Shravana
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Sickle
Major Western asterismsOverlaps Leo
Recognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations
Southern Cross
Major Western asterismsOverlaps Crux
Recognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations
Spring Triangle
Major Western asterismsOverlaps BoötesOverlaps VirgoOverlaps Leo
Recognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations
Star
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Stomach
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Summer Triangle
Major Western asterismsOverlaps CygnusOverlaps LyraOverlaps Aquila
Recognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations
Supreme Palace Enclosure
Chinese great frameworks
Large organizing regions
Swati
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Tail
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Taurus
TauIAU 88Ptolemaic heritageWestern zodiacAstronomical zodiac
Celestial equator · Autumn evenings
Teapot
Major Western asterismsOverlaps Sagittarius
Recognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations
Telescopium
TelIAU 88
Southern sky · Summer evenings
Three Stars
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Triangulum
TriIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Northern sky · Autumn evenings
Triangulum Australe
TrAIAU 88
Southern sky · Spring evenings
Tucana
TucIAU 88
Southern sky · Autumn evenings
Turtle Beak
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Ursa Major
UMaIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Northern sky · Spring evenings
Ursa Minor
UMiIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Northern sky · Spring evenings
Uttara Ashadha
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Uttara Bhadrapada
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Uttara Phalguni
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Vela
VelIAU 88Ptolemaic heritage
Southern sky · Winter evenings
Vermilion Bird of the South
Chinese great frameworks
Large organizing regions
Virgo
VirIAU 88Ptolemaic heritageWestern zodiacAstronomical zodiac
Celestial equator · Spring evenings
Vishakha
Indian nakshatras
27/28 lunar mansions
Volans
VolIAU 88
Southern sky · Winter evenings
Vulpecula
VulIAU 88
Northern sky · Summer evenings
Wall
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Well
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
White Tiger of the West
Chinese great frameworks
Large organizing regions
Willow
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Wings
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Winnowing Basket
Chinese lunar mansions
28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)
Winter Hexagon
Major Western asterismsOverlaps AurigaOverlaps TaurusOverlaps OrionOverlaps Canis MajorOverlaps Canis MinorOverlaps Gemini
Recognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations
Winter Triangle
Major Western asterismsOverlaps OrionOverlaps Canis MajorOverlaps Canis Minor
Recognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations
Yacana (Llama)
Andean dark-cloud figures
Silhouettes in Milky Way dust
Yutu (Tinamou)
Andean dark-cloud figures
Silhouettes in Milky Way dust
One sky, many frameworks
How constellation systems are grouped
These traditions cannot be collapsed into one universal list. We group them by how they organize the sky, then connect related concepts without claiming one-to-one equivalence.
Mediterranean and European lineages
Historical layers that contributed to today's Western sky map. They overlap heavily, so they are memberships and historical lenses—not duplicate constellations.
- Ptolemy's 48 classical figures
- 12-sign Western zodiac
- 13 IAU constellations on the Sun's path
- Babylonian and Mesopotamian traditions
- Early-modern southern constellations
East Asian skies
Chinese, Korean and Japanese systems use many smaller asterisms, Three Enclosures and 28 lunar mansions. Their boundaries do not map one-to-one to the IAU 88.
- Chinese Three Enclosures
- Chinese 28 Lunar Mansions
- Chinese Four Symbols
- Korean traditional astronomy
- Japanese Nijūhasshuku and folk asterisms
South and Central Asian systems
Lunar stations and sidereal divisions are central, with substantial exchange among Indian, Tibetan, Persian and Islamic astronomy.
- 27/28 Indian Nakshatras
- 12 Vedic Rāśis
- 28 Arabic Manāzil al-Qamar
- Traditional Arabic star groups
- Persian astronomical traditions
- Tibetan astronomy
- Mongolian and Central Asian star lore
African and ancient Egyptian skies
A collection of distinct traditions rather than a single African system. Egyptian decans are a timekeeping framework, while other traditions encode seasons, agriculture and mythology.
- 36 Egyptian decans
- Ancient Egyptian star figures
- Khoisan and San traditions
- Southern African Bantu traditions
- West African traditions
American skies
Independent knowledge systems across the Americas, including bright-star figures, calendar markers and Andean shapes formed by dark Milky Way dust.
- Maya astronomy
- Aztec and Nahua traditions
- Inca bright-star figures
- Inca dark-cloud constellations
- Inuit traditions
- Lakota/Dakota star knowledge
- Pawnee traditions
- Navajo/Diné traditions
Oceanic and navigational skies
Voyaging traditions commonly organize stars as paths, rising points and seasonal guides rather than fixed Western-style polygons.
- Polynesian navigation systems
- Hawaiian star lines
- Māori constellations and Matariki
- Samoan, Tahitian and Tongan traditions
- Micronesian star compasses
Australian Aboriginal skies
Hundreds of living, locally specific traditions include both bright-star patterns and dark shapes such as the Emu in the Sky.
- Regional Aboriginal star traditions
- Aboriginal dark constellations
Cross-cultural pattern types
Useful ways to compare methods without claiming that culturally distinct figures are the same object.
- Asterisms
- Dark constellations
- Lunar-mansion systems
- Zodiac systems
- Navigation star paths
Understanding the combined list
Systems, membership and overlap
All named entries appear together in the directory above. This reference explains their original systems and why one pattern may carry several badges.
Indian nakshatras27/28 lunar mansions28
AshwiniBharaniKrittikaRohiniMrigashiraArdraPunarvasuPushyaAshleshaMaghaPurva PhalguniUttara PhalguniHastaChitraSwatiVishakhaAnuradhaJyeshthaMulaPurva AshadhaUttara AshadhaShravanaDhanishthaShatabhishaPurva BhadrapadaUttara BhadrapadaRevatiAbhijit (optional 28th)
Chinese lunar mansions28 mansions (Twenty-Eight Xiù)28
HornNeckRootRoomHeartTailWinnowing BasketDipperOxGirlEmptinessRooftopEncampmentWallLegsBondStomachHairy HeadNetTurtle BeakThree StarsWellGhostWillowStarExtended NetWingsChariot
Major Western asterismsRecognizable patterns inside or across IAU constellations15
Big DipperLittle DipperSummer TriangleWinter TriangleWinter HexagonGreat Square of PegasusNorthern CrossTeapotSickleKeystoneCoathangerSouthern CrossFalse CrossDiamond CrossSpring Triangle
Andean dark-cloud figuresSilhouettes in Milky Way dust5
Yacana (Llama)Baby LlamaMach'acuay (Serpent)Hanp'atu (Toad)Yutu (Tinamou)
Australian Aboriginal dark-sky traditionsMany distinct, living regional traditions1
Emu in the Sky (regional forms)
Chinese great frameworksLarge organizing regions7
Purple Forbidden EnclosureSupreme Palace EnclosureHeavenly Market EnclosureAzure Dragon of the EastVermilion Bird of the SouthWhite Tiger of the WestBlack Tortoise of the North
This is an expanding, cited catalogue—not a claim that these are all the world's traditions. Indigenous knowledge is locally specific, and many names, boundaries and ceremonial meanings should not be reproduced without appropriate community sources.
What overlaps—and what does not
The IAU 88 are areas: every coordinate belongs to exactly one official constellation. Asterisms are patterns: the Big Dipper, for example, sits within Ursa Major. Zodiacs and lunar mansions are paths: they divide the Sun's or Moon's route using different rules. Dark constellations are silhouettes: figures such as the Inca Llama and Aboriginal Emu use dust lanes in the Milky Way instead of connected bright stars.
Historical overlap is shown as a tag on one canonical page. Orion therefore has one modern constellation guide with a Ptolemaic-heritage reference, not several competing Orion records. Cultural names are only cross-linked where scholarship supports the relationship.
Sources and methodology
Names, abbreviations and the 88-part framework follow the International Astronomical Union. Classical and zodiac groupings are checked against the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. The preview line geometry comes from the open-source D3-Celestial dataset. Line figures are conventional illustrations and should not be mistaken for official IAU boundaries.