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IAU designated constellations by geographical visibility

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The International Astronomical Union (IAU) designates 88 constellations.[1] 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

[edit]
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)[2]
Declination
(degs & mins)[3]
Quad [4]
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 March +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 late February to early March +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 July +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 March +07 39.17 +06 25.63 NQ2
Ser Serpens[5] 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 February +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 July +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 January +03 55.27 −59 59.85 SQ1
Cru Crux 20 -90 May +12 26.99 −60 11.19 SQ3
Cir Circinus 30 -90 July +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 November +23 46.64 −65 49.80 SQ4
Vol Volans 15 -90 March +07 47.73 −69 48.07 SQ2
Hyi Hydrus 8 -90 November +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

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  1. ^ "The Constellations". International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  2. ^ Average of the most eastward and most westward RA.
  3. ^ Average of the most northern and most southern declination.
  4. ^ "Quad" designates the quadrant of the sky as N for North or S for South, Quadrants 1 (0h 6h ), 2 (6h 12h ), 3 (12h 18h ), or 4 (18h 0h ).
  5. ^ 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)

See also

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