Planet Earth
International Astronomical Union WGSN

Modern Constellations

List

Today, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has defined these 88 constellations (and 89 constellation names). 

IAU-NameAbbr.EnglishOriginal NamesourceBabylonianGerman translationpage
in Hoffmann’s Book
1AndromedaAndPrincessAndromeda (Ancient Syria)antiquityAnunituPrinzessin
Andromeda
114
2AntliaAntAir Pumpla Machina PneumatiqueLacaille
(French)
Luftpumpe190
3ApusApsBird of Paradisede Paradijs VoghelDutchParadiesvogel76
4AquariusAqrWater PourerBabylonianThe Great One = God Ea/ EnkiWassermann93
5AquilaAqlEagleBabylonianEagle and CorpseAdler86
6AraAraAltarGreekAltar62
CarinaCarShip’s
Keel
le CorpsLacailleSchiffskiel172
7ArgoArgShipPuppisPupShip’s SternPouppeLacailleAchterschiff
PyxisPyxMariner’s
Compass
le BoussoleLacailleKompass
VelaVelShip’s
Sail
la VoilureLacailleSegel
8AriesAriRamBabylonianHired ManWidder130
9AurigaAurCharioteerGreek
(Athens)
The Crook
(a weapon)
Fuhrmann168
10BoötesBooHerdsmanPloughmanGreco-Babylonian
transformation
Shupa/ God EnlilSchäfer, Wächter, Ochsentreiber44
11CaelumCaeEngraving Toolles BurinsLacaille
(French)
Grabstichel193
12CamelopardalisCamGiraffePlanciusGiraffe141
13CancerCncCrabBabylonianCrab, Seat of God AnuKrebs178
14Canes VenaticiCVnHunting DogsHeveliusJagdhunde38
15Canis MajorCMaGreat DogGreekArrowGroßer Hund160
16Canis MinorCMiLittle DogProkyonGreekKleiner Hund163
17CapricornusCapSea GoatBabylonianGoat-FishSteinbock /
Ziegenfisch
96
18CassiopeiaCasQueenKassiepeiaGreekPloughKönigin
Cassiopeia
118
19,
20
Centaurus +
Lupus
Cen
Lup
Centaur,
Wolf
Greek
Babylonian
– – ? – –
Rabid Dog
Kentaur
Wolf
68
21CepheusCepKingKepheusGreekKönig Kepheus120
22CetusCetSea MonsterGreekGiant SwallowSeeungeheuer
Ketos
125
23ChamaeleonChaChameleonhet ChameljoenDutchChamäleon78
24CircinusCirDrawing
Compass
le CompassLacaille
(French)
Zirkel73
25ColumbaColDovePlanciusTaube176
26Coma BerenikesComBerenice’s HairGreco-Egyptian
(Konon)
Spadix of Date PalmHaar der Berenike186
27Corona AustralisCrASouthern CrownRoman
(1st c. CE)
Südliche Krone100
28Corona BorealisCrBNorthern CrownantiquityAsterism of DignityNördliche Krone46
29CraterCrtCup (a crater)KraterGreco-AkkadianKrater56
30CruxCru(Southern) Cross[to Cen]Christian-Italian,
14th to 16th Jh.
Kreuz71
31CygnusCygSwanBirdGreeka demon with a gaping mouthSchwan84
32DelphinusDelDolphinGreekDelphin91
33DoradoDorDorado or
Dolphinfish
den DoradoDutchGoldmakrele
(Dorade)
196
34DracoDraDragonSnakeGreekDrache40
35EquuleusEquLittle HorseRoman (Ptolemaios)Fohlen/ Füllen140
36EridanusEriRiverRiverGreekFluss Eridanus170
37FornaxForFurnacele FourneauLacaille
(French)
Chemischer Ofen146
38GeminiGemTwinsLugalirra and MeslamtaeaBabylonianGreat TwinsZwillinge166
39GrusGruCraneden ReygherDutchKranich105
40HerculesHerHerculesthe KneelerGreekHerkules42
41HorologiumHorPendulum Clockl’HorlogeLacaille
(French)
Pendeluhr144
42,
43
Corvus,
Hydra
Crv
Hya
Crow,
Water Snake
BabylonianRabe,
Wasserschlange
52
44HydrusHyiSmall Water Snakede WaterslangDutchKleine Wasser-
schlange
148
45IndusIndIndiande IndiaenDutchEingeborener106
46LacertaLacLizardHevelius
(Polish)
Eidechse143
47LeoLeoLionBabyloniana demon
(griffin?, winged? lion)
Löwe182
48Leo MinorLMiLesser LionHevelius
(Polish)
Kleiner Löwe185
49LepusLepHareGreekRoosterHase164
50LibraLibScalesBabylonianWaage60
51LynxLynLynxHevelius
(Polish)
Luchs189
52LyraLyrLyreGreekGoddess GulaLyra/ Leier82
53MensaMenTable Mountainla Montagne de la TableLacaille
(French)
Tafelgebirge192
54MicroscopiumMicMicroscopeLacaille
(French)
Mikroskop109
55MonocerosMonUnicornPlanciusEinhorn177
56MuscaMusFlyde VliegheDutchFliege72
57NormaNorSet Squarel’Equerre et la RègleLacaille
(French)
Maß74
58OctansOctOctantl’Octans de RéflecionLacaille
(French)
Oktant111
59,
60
Ophiuchus,
Serpens
Oph
Ser
Serpent Bearer,
Serpent
antiquity
Greek
God ZababaSchlangenträger
Schlange
64
61OrionOriHunterantiquityHeavenly ShepherdOrion156
62PavoPavPeacockDutchde PauwPfau107
63PegasusPegWinged HorseHorse (Greek)antiquityfield measure “one Iku”, Seat of God EaPegasus138
64PerseusPerHeroantiquityOld ManPerseus122
65PhoenixPhePhoenixde Voghel FenicxDutchPhönix150
66PictorPicPainter’s Easelle Chévalet et la PaletteLacaille
(French)
Malerstaffelei152
67PiscesPscFishesantiquityTails of the Giant SwallowFische127
68Piscis AustrinusPsASouthern FishBabylonianSüdlicher Fisch98
69ReticulumRetNet
(an instrument)
Réticule RhomboïdeLacaille
(French)
Netz195
70SagittaSgeArrowGreekPfeil89
71SagittariusSgrArcherBabylonianGod PabilsangSchütze102
72ScorpiusScoScorpionBabylonianSkorpion58
73SculptorSclSculptorl’Atelier du SculpteurLacaille
(French)
Bildhauer153
74ScutumSctShieldScutum SobiescianumHevelius
(Polish)
Schild104
75SextansSexSextantHeveliusSextant188
76TaurusTauBullBabylonianHeavenly BullStier134
77TelescopiumTelTelescopele TélescopeLacaille
(French)
Teleskop110
78TriangulumTriTriangleDeltaGreekDreieck133
79Triangulum AustraleTrASouthern Triangleden Zuyder TrianghelDutchSüdliches Dreieck75
80TucanaTucToucanden Indiaenschen Exster, op Indies Lang ghenaemtDutchTukan108
81Ursa MajorUMaGreat BearGreekChariot or Wagon (for goods, not war)Große Bärin34
82Ursa MinorUMiLittle BearGreekChariot or Wagon (for Goods)Kleine Bärin36
83VirgoVirMaidenBabylonianFurrow + Ear of GrainJungfrau/ Mädchen48
84VolansVolFlying Fishde Vliegende VischDutchFliegender Fisch79
85VulpeculaVulFoxVulpecula et AnserHeveliusFüchslein90