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IAU designated constellations in equirectangular projection (epoch B1875.0) In contemporary astronomy, 88 constellations are recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). [1] Each constellation is a region of the sky bordered by arcs of right ascension and declination, together covering the entire celestial sphere. Their boundaries ...
The following lists of constellations are available: IAU designated constellations – a list of the current, or "modern", constellations; Former constellations – a list of former constellations; Chinese constellations – traditional Chinese astronomy constellations; List of Nakshatras – sectors along the Moon's ecliptic
Hydra is the largest constellation, covering more than 1 ⁄ 32 of the night sky and 19 times the area of Crux, the smallest constellation. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) designates 88 constellations of stars.
All stars but one can be associated with an IAU (International Astronomical Union) constellation. IAU constellations are areas of the sky. Although there are only 88 IAU constellations, the sky is actually divided into 89 irregularly shaped boxes as the constellation Serpens is split into two separate sections, Serpens Caput (the snake's head) to the west and Serpens Cauda (the snake's tail ...
In 1922, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) formally accepted the modern list of 88 constellations, and in 1928 adopted official constellation boundaries that together cover the entire celestial sphere. [4] [5] Any given point in a celestial coordinate system lies in one of the modern constellations.
Equirectangular plot of declination vs right ascension of the modern constellations with a dotted line denoting the ecliptic. Constellations are colour-coded by family and year established. Constellation families are collections of constellations sharing some defining characteristic, such as proximity on the celestial sphere , common historical ...
These former constellations are often found in older books, star charts, or star catalogues. The 88 modern constellation names and boundaries were standardised by Eugene Delporte for the IAU in 1930, under an international agreement, removing any possible astronomical ambiguities between astronomers from different countries. [3]
Constellations are groupings of stars as they are viewed, along a line-of-sight at a constant azimuth and elevation in the sky. This category identifies the 88 constellations currently recognised (areas of the sky) by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), plus some further subcategories. For individual stars, see also the category Stars