✦ THE SKY
Constellations of the zodiac.
Constellations are figures humanity drew among the stars thousands of years ago. These are the twelve the Sun travels through over the year, plus a few other essentials of the night sky.
Aries · the Ram
21 Mar – 19 Apr
It represents the ram of the Golden Fleece from Greek mythology, whose golden coat was the goal of the Argonauts. It is a discreet constellation of faint stars, but it opens the zodiac circle because centuries ago it marked the vernal point, the start of spring.
Main star: Hamal · Best season: Autumn (October–December)
Taurus · the Bull
20 Apr – 20 May
One of the oldest and most recognizable constellations. In it shines Aldebaran, the reddish eye of the bull, and it hosts two famous clusters: the Pleiades (the seven sisters) and the Hyades. To the Greeks it was Zeus turned into a white bull.
Main star: Aldebaran · Best season: Winter (November–February)
Gemini · the Twins
21 May – 20 Jun
Marked by its two bright stars, Castor and Pollux, the inseparable twins of the myth. When Castor died, Pollux asked to share his immortality with him, and Zeus united them forever in the sky.
Main star: Pollux · Best season: Winter (January–March)
Cancer · the Crab
21 Jun – 22 Jul
The faintest in the zodiac, almost invisible under light-polluted skies. It hides, however, the Beehive (M44), a lovely open cluster visible with binoculars. The myth links it to the crab Hera sent against Hercules.
Main star: Al Tarf · Best season: Spring (March–May)
Leo · the Lion
23 Jul – 22 Aug
One of the few constellations that resembles the figure it names: a sickle of stars traces the mane and chest of the lion. Regulus, "the little king", beats at its heart. It represents the Nemean Lion defeated by Hercules.
Main star: Regulus · Best season: Spring (February–May)
Virgo · the Maiden
23 Aug – 22 Sep
The second largest constellation in the sky. Its star Spica means "the ear of wheat" the maiden holds, associated with Demeter or with justice (Astraea). It hosts a huge cluster of galaxies.
Main star: Spica · Best season: Spring (April–June)
Libra · the Scales
23 Sep – 22 Oct
The only zodiac constellation that does not represent a living being, but the scales of justice. Long ago its stars were the claws of Scorpius; that is why their names mean "northern claw" and "southern claw".
Main star: Zubeneschamali · Best season: Summer (May–July)
Scorpio · the Scorpion
23 Oct – 21 Nov
One of the most spectacular: its curve of stars clearly draws the body and stinger. At its center burns Antares, a red supergiant called "the rival of Mars" for its color. It is the scorpion that, according to myth, killed Orion.
Main star: Antares · Best season: Summer (June–August)
Sagittarius · the Archer
22 Nov – 21 Dec
It points toward the center of our galaxy, making it the richest region of stars and nebulae in the sky. Its central group of stars forms "the teapot". It represents an archer centaur, often identified with Chiron.
Main star: Kaus Australis · Best season: Summer (June–August)
Capricorn · the Sea-Goat
22 Dec – 19 Jan
A mythological creature with the body of a goat and the tail of a fish, linked to the god Pan. It is faint and shaped like a smile or triangle. At the winter solstice it marks the Sun's lowest point.
Main star: Deneb Algedi · Best season: Summer-autumn (August–October)
Aquarius · the Water-Bearer
20 Jan – 18 Feb
One of the oldest constellations, linked since Babylon to water and rain. It represents a young man pouring water from a jar; that stream flows into the mouth of the Southern Fish.
Main star: Sadalsuud · Best season: Autumn (September–November)
Pisces · the Fishes
19 Feb – 20 Mar
Two fish tied by the tail with a cord, who in the myth were Aphrodite and Eros fleeing the monster Typhon. It is large but very faint; today it contains the vernal point, where the Sun crosses the equator in spring.
Main star: Alrescha · Best season: Autumn (October–December)
Other famous constellations
Orion · the Hunter
The most recognizable constellation of the winter sky. Its belt of three aligned stars (the "Three Marys") is unmistakable, and beneath it hangs the great Orion Nebula, a nursery of stars. Betelgeuse, red, and Rigel, blue, mark the hunter's shoulder and foot.
Main star: Rigel and Betelgeuse
Ursa Major · the Big Dipper
Its seven brightest stars form the Plough or the Dipper, one of the most used asterisms for orientation: extending its two end stars leads to the Pole Star. It is visible all year from the northern hemisphere.
Main star: Alioth
Cassiopeia · the Queen
Its characteristic W (or M) shape makes it easy to locate, right on the other side of Polaris from the Big Dipper. It represents a vain queen of Greek mythology, condemned to turn upside down in the sky.
Main star: Schedar
Cygnus · the Northern Cross
It flies along the Milky Way with wings outstretched. Deneb, its tail, is one of the most luminous stars known and forms, together with Vega and Altair, the Summer Triangle.
Main star: Deneb
Your sun sign is born from the constellation the Sun was passing through when you were born.
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