When are the Constellations visible?

| Constellations Index | Bowl of Night | Basic Celestial Phenomena |

Month of midnight culmination for constellations at least partially visible from America

Prominent or important constellations for northern hemisphere observers are noted in bold. To plan a skywatch, look at the web pages for the constellations in bold a month or two on either side of the current date. For example, in January, plan to look for the constellations listed in bold for November through March. Also check out the circumpolar constellations visible anytime (below).

Where should I look for a constellation on a date before or after its midnight culmination? What is midnight culmination?

January CANCER CANIS MAJOR CANIS MINOR GEMINI LYNX MONOCEROS PUPPIS	February ANTLIA ARGO NAVIS (extinct constellation) LEO MINOR PYXIS (OR MALUS) SEXTANS VELA	March CENTAURUS CORVUS CRATER HYDRA LEO
April CANES VENATICI COMA BERENICES VIRGO	May BOOTES CORONA BOREALIS LIBRA LUPUS NORMA	June CORONA AUSTRALIS HERCULES OPHIUCHUS SCORPIUS SERPENS
July AQUILA CYGNUS DELPHINUS LYRA SAGITTA SAGITTARIUS SCUTUM TELESCOPIUM VULPECULA	August AQUARIUS CAPRICORNUS EQUULEUS GRUS LACERTA MICROSCOPIUM PISCIS AUSTRINUS	September PEGASUS PISCES SCULPTOR
October ANDROMEDA ARIES CETUS PHOENIX TRIANGULUM	November ERIDANUS FORNAX PERSEUS TAURUS	December AURIGA CAELUM COLUMBA LEPUS ORION

Constellations visible anytime

• CAMELOPARDUS (December)
• CASSIOPEIA (October)
• CEPHEUS (September)
• DRACO (May)
• URSA MAJOR (March)
• URSA MINOR (May)

Never visible from most of America

These constellations lie far south of the celestial equator. Their declination is more than 55 degrees south, therefore they are never even partially visible from a terrestrial latitude of 35 degrees north.

ARA APUS CARINA CHAMAELEON CIRCINUS CRUX DORADO

HOROLOGIUM HYDRUS INDUS MENSA MUSCA OCTANS

PAVO PICTOR RETICULUM TRIANGULUM AUSTRALE TUCANA VOLANS

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