The zodiac constellations

The Sun, Moon and planets move through a band of 12 constellations along the ecliptic. (The Sun also crosses a 13th, Ophiuchus, from late November to mid-December.)

Aries constellationAriesthe RamTaurus constellationTaurusthe BullGemini constellationGeminithe TwinsCancer constellationCancerthe CrabLeo constellationLeothe LionVirgo constellationVirgothe MaidenLibra constellationLibrathe ScalesScorpius constellationScorpiusthe ScorpionSagittarius constellationSagittariusthe ArcherCapricornus constellationCapricornusthe Sea GoatAquarius constellationAquariusthe Water BearerPisces constellationPiscesthe Fishes

Ophiuchus

Constellation maps of the whole sky

Constellation map of the whole sky: all 88 constellations labeled, with stick figures, constellation boundaries, the ecliptic and the brightest stars (Sirius, Canopus, Arcturus, Vega)
The dashed red line on this map is the ecliptic, the yearly path of the Sun. The 12 zodiac constellations (gold) lie along it, and so does Ophiuchus.
Download:PNG 2400×1350

List of the 12 zodiac constellations

Click a column heading to sort.

ConstellationMeaningAbbr.Area (sq°)Size rankBrightest starHemisphereBest month
Ariesthe RamAri44139HamalNorthernDecember
Taurusthe BullTau79717AldebaranNorthernJanuary
Geminithe TwinsGem51430PolluxNorthernFebruary
Cancerthe CrabCnc50631TarfNorthernMarch
Leothe LionLeo94712RegulusNorthernApril
Virgothe MaidenVir1,2942SpicaEquatorMay
Librathe ScalesLib53829ZubeneschamaliSouthernJune
Scorpiusthe ScorpionSco49733AntaresSouthernJuly
Sagittariusthe ArcherSgr86715Kaus AustralisSouthernAugust
Capricornusthe Sea GoatCap41440Deneb AlgediSouthernSeptember
Aquariusthe Water BearerAqr98010SadalsuudSouthernOctober
Piscesthe FishesPsc88914AlphergNorthernNovember

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