Star In A Star
There are 42 animal constellations in the night sky.
That is almost half of the official 88 constellations! Here are the other types of constellations you will find in the celestial sphere. This is a fun activity for kids astronomy! There are 42 animal constellations, 28 objects, 14 humans, 2 chimeras (a mix of human and animal), and 2 natural features (a river and a mesa).
🦅🐏🦀🦁
🐺🦂🐉🦢
🐬🦊🐻🦄
88 official constellations broken down into 5 groups: 42 animals, 28 objects, 14 humans, 2 chimeras, and 2 natural features. The 88 constellations listed by type:
Animal (42)
| Constellation | Meaning | Emoji |
|---|---|---|
| Apus | Bird of Paradise | 🐦🏝️ |
| Aquila | Eagle | 🦅 |
| Aries | Ram | 🐏 |
| Camelopardus | Giraffe | 🦒 |
| Cancer | Crab | 🦀 |
| Canes Venatici | Hunting dogs | 🐕🐕 |
| Canis Major | Big dog | 🐕 |
| Canis Minor | Little dog | 🐶 |
| Capricornus | Sea goat | 🌊🐐 |
| Cetus | Sea monster (whale) | 🐋 |
| Chamaeleon | Chameleon | 🦎 |
| Columba | Dove | 🕊️ |
| Corvus | Crow | 🐦⬛ |
| Cygnus | Swan | 🦢 |
| Delphinus | Porpoise | 🐬 |
| Dorado | Swordfish | ⚔️🐟 |
| Draco | Dragon | 🐉 |
| Equuleus | Little horse | 🐴 |
| Grus | Crane | 🦩🏗️ |
| Hydra | Sea serpent | 🌊🐍 |
| Hydrus | Water snake | 💧🐍 |
| Lacerta | Lizard | 🦎 |
| Leo | Lion | 🦁 |
| Leo Minor | Little lion | 🦁 |
| Lepus | Hare | 🐇 |
| Lupus | Wolf | 🐺 |
| Lynx | Lynx | 🐈 |
| Monoceros | Unicorn | 🦄 |
| Musca | Fly | 🪰 |
| Pavo | Peacock | 🦚 |
| Pegasus | Pegasus, the winged horse | 🐴🪽 |
| Phoenix | Phoenix | 🐦🔥 |
| Pisces | Fishes | 🐟🐟 |
| Piscis Austrinis | Southern fish | 🐟 |
| Scorpius | Scorpion | 🦂 |
| Serpens | Serpent | 🐍 |
| Taurus | Bull | 🐂 |
| Tucana | Toucan | 🐦 |
| Ursa Major | Big bear | 🐻 |
| Ursa Minor | Little bear | 🧸 |
| Volans | Flying fish | 🐟🪽 |
| Vulpecula | Fox | 🦊 |
Chimera (2)
| Constellation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Centaurus | Centaur |
| Sagittarius | Archer |
Human (14)
| Constellation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Andromeda | Princess of Ethiopia |
| Aquarius | Water bearer |
| Auriga | Charioteer |
| Bootes | Herdsman |
| Cassiopeia | Queen of Ethiopia |
| Cephus | King of Ethiopia |
| Coma Berenices | Berenice’s hair |
| Gemini | Twins |
| Hercules | Hercules, son of Zeus |
| Indus | Indian |
| Ophiuchus | Holder of serpent |
| Orion | Orion, the hunter |
| Perseus | Perseus, hero who saved Andromeda |
| Virgo | Virgin |
Natural Feature (2)
| Constellation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Eridanus | River |
| Mensa | Table mountain |
Object (28)
| Constellation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Antlia | Air pump |
| Ara | Altar |
| Caelum | Graving tool |
| Carina | Keel of Argonauts’ ship |
| Circinus | Compasses |
| Corona Australis | Southern crown |
| Corona Borealis | Northern crown |
| Crater | Cup |
| Crux | Cross (southern) |
| Fornax | Furnace |
| Horologium | Clock |
| Libra | Balance |
| Lyra | Lyre or harp |
| Microscopium | Microscope |
| Norma | Carpenter’s Level |
| Octans | Octant |
| Pictor | Easel |
| Puppis | Stern of the Argonauts’ ship |
| Pyxis (=Malus) | Compass on the Argonauts’ ship |
| Reticulum | Net |
| Sagitta | Arrow |
| Sculptor | Sculptor’s tools |
| Scutum | Shield |
| Sextans | Sextant |
| Telescopium | Telescope |
| Triangulum | Triangle |
| Triangulum Australe | Southern triangle |
| Vela | Sail of the Argonauts’ ship |
Comments (4)
John Cummings - May 12, 2018 at 9:06 AM
Learned something new today, didn’t know there were 88 constellations. Thanks Dan!
starinastar - May 12, 2018 at 9:53 PM
Glad you enjoyed the posting! Thanks for the feedback. The stars are the ultimate canvas.
Maddie - October 24, 2019 at 9:51 AM
Only two Chimaera? That is surprising!
Pingback: […] Moon is titled toward you, if it’s in an ascending or descending part of its orbit, and what constellation it is […]