A constellation is an arbitary grouping of stars, which has no real significance.

There are 88 constellations recognised by modern astronomers. These were officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1922, with the official boundaries being defined in 1930.

In the past many civilisations developed their own. In the 3rd century, the Chinese had as many as 283 constellations, many of which were small and faint.

Name:  Andromeda
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern
Details: In Greek mythology Andromeda was the daughter of King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia.  She was chained to a rock as a sacrifice to the sea monster Cetus, but was rescued by Perseus.

Name:  Antlia
Origin: Introduced by Lacaille in the 18th century.
Location: Southern
Details:  Representing an air pump.

Name:  Apus
Origin: Introduced by Keyser and de Houtman at the end of the 16th century.
Location: Southern
Details:  Represents a bird of paradise.

Name:  Aquarius
Origin: Greek
Location: Zodiacal
Details:  It represents the water bearer, possibly Ganymede from Greek mythology.

Name:  Aquila
Origin: Greek
Location: Equitorial
Details: Representing an eagle, very probably the one belonging to Zeus in Greek mythology.

Name:  Ara
Origin: Greek
Location: Southern
Details: Representing an alter, thought to be were the gods swore allegiance before the battle agains the Titans in Greek mythology.

Name:  Aries
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern zodiac
Details: It represents the ram whose golden fleece Jason and the Argonauts searched for.

Name:  Auriga
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern
Details: Represents a charioteer.  As this is one of the original Greek constellations it is thought to be the legendary king of Athens Erichtonius.

Name:  Boötes
Origin:Greek
Location: Northern
Details: Representing a herdsman

Name:  Caelum
Origin: Introduced by Nocolas Lacaille in the 1750s.
Location: Southern
Details: It represents a scultors chisel.

Name:  Camelopardais
Origin: Introduced by Petrus Plancius in 1613.
Location: Northern
Details: It supposedly commemorates the biblical animal that carried Rebecca to Isaac.

Name:  Cancer
Origin: Greek
Location: Zodiac
Details: In Greek mythology it represents the crab that was crushed underfoot by Hercules during his fight with the Hydra.

Name:  Canes Venatici
Origin: Introduced in 1687 by Johannes Hevelius.
Location: Southern
Details: Representing a pair of hunting dogs.

Name:  Canis Major
Origin: Greek
Location: South of the celestial equator
Details: Represents the larger of the dogs of Orion and is one of the constellations recognised since the time of the ancient Greeks.

Name:  Canis Minor
Origin: Greek
Location: Celestial equator
Details: Representing the smaller of the two dogs following Orion.

Name: Capricornus
Origin: Greek
Location: Southern, zodiac
Details: In Greek mythology it was said to represent the god Pan after he jumped into a river to escape form the monster Typhon.

Name:  Carina
Origin: Introduced by Lacaille in the 18th century.
Location: Southern
Details: This is part of the old Greek constellation Argo Navis, the ship of the Argonauts.  Carina represents the ships keel.

Name:  Cassiopeia
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern
Details: This constellation represents the Queen of Ethiopia, wife of Cepheus in the Greek Andromeda myth.  Often considered to have been vain and boastful.

Name:  Centaurus
Origin: Greek
Location: Southern
Details: This constellation represents a centaur, a mythological beast with the legs and body of a horse and the upper torso of a man.  This particular centaur was said to be Chiron who taught the princes and heroes of Greek mythology.

Name:  Cepheus
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern
Details: This constellation represents a mythological king, husband of Cassiopeia and father to Andromeda.

Name:  Cetus
Origin: Greek
Location: Celestial equator
Details: Represents the sea monster from which Andromeda was saved by Perseus.

Name:  Chamaeleon
Origin: Introduced by Keyser and de Houtman in the 16th century.
Location: Near the southern pole.
Details: Representing the colour changing lizard.

Name:  Circinus
Origin: Introduced by Lacaille.
Location: Southern
Details: Representing a drawing compass.

Name:  Columba
Origin: Petrus Lancius in 1592.
Location: Southern
Details: The constellation is supposed to represent the biblical dove that followed Noah's Ark.

Name:  Coma Berenices
Origin:  Considered by Greeks to be part of Leo.  Separated by Gerardus Meractor in 1551.
Location: Northern
Details: It's supposed to represent the hair of Queen Berenice of Egypt, which she cut off in gratitude to the gods for the safe return of her husband from battle.

Name:  Corona Australis
Origin: Greek
Location: Southern
Details: Represents a crown or wreath.

Name:  Corona Borealis
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern
Details: Representing the crown worn by Ariadne when she married Dionysus, who later threw it into the sky in celebration.

Name:  Corvus
Origin: Greek
Location: Southern
Details: Representing the crow which in Greek legend was sent by Apollo to carry a cup to fetch water.

Name:  Crater
Origin: Greek
Location: Southern
Details:Representing a cup or chalice and linked with the legend of Corvus.

Name:  Crux
Origin: Plancius
Location: Southern
Details:  Better known as the 'Southern Cross'.  Crux was formed from stars in the hind-legs of Centaurus during the 16th century.

Name:  Cygnus
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern
Details: Representing the swan that Zeus turned himself into before seducing Leda, the Queen of Sparta.  Sometimes also called the 'Northern Cross'.

Name:  Delphinus
Origin: Greek
Location: Equatorial
Details: Representing a dophin

Name:  Dorado
Origin: Introduced by Keyser and de Houtman at the end of the 16th century.
Location: Southern
Details: Representing a goldfish or swordfish.

Name:  Draco
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern
Details: Representing the dragon Ladon in Greek mythology.

Name:  Equuleus
Origin: Greek
Location: Equatorial.
Details: Represents a foal.

Name:  Eridanus
Origin: Greek
Location: Equitorial
Details: Sixth largest constellation that represents a river possibly that which Phaethon fell into after losing control of the chariot owned by his father the sun god Helios in Greek mythology.

Name:  Fornax
Origin: Introduced by Lacaille in the 18th century.
Location:Southern
Details: Representing a furnace

Name:  Gemini
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern zodiac
Details: Representing the mythical twins sons of Queen Leda of Sparta, Castor and Pollux

Name:  Grus
Origin: Introduced by Keyser and de Houtman at the end of the 16th century.
Location: Southern
Details: Representing a crane.

Name:  Hercules
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern
Details: This constellation represents the Greek strong man who undertook the twelve labours.

Name:  Horologium
Origin: Introduced by Lacaile in the 18th century.
Location: Southern
Details: It represents a pendulum clock.

Name:  Hydra
Origin: Greek
Location: Celestial equator into the southern hemisphere.
Details: This is the largest of the 88 constellations. Hydra represents the many headed water-snake killed by Hercules.

Name:  Hydrus
Origin: Introduced by Keyser and de Houtman at the end of the 16th century.
Location: Southern
Details: Represents a small water snake.

Name:  Indus
Origin: Introduced by Keyser and de Houtman at the end of the 16th century.
Location: Southern
Details: It represents a Native American.

Name:  Leo
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern
Details: It represents the Nemean lion killed by Hercules as the first of his twelve labours in Greek mythology.

Name:  Leo Minor
Origin: Introduced by Hevelius in 1687.
Location: Northern
Details: It represents a small lion.

Name:  Lepus
Origin: Greek
Location:Southern
Details: Representing a hare

Name:  Libra
Origin: Greek (though thought to have been introduced by romans in the 1st century).
Location: Southern zodiac
Details: Representing a pair of scales.

Name:  Lepus
Origin: Greek
Location: Southern
Details: Represnting a wolf.

Name:  Lynx
Origin: Introduced by Hevelius in 1687.
Location: Northern
Details: Representing a lynx

Name:  Lyra
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern
Details: Representing the lyre invented by Hermes and given by Apollo to Orpheus in Greek mythology.

Name: Mensa
Origin: Introduced by Lacille in the 18th century.
Location: Southern
Details: This constellation was originally named Mons Mensae (Table Mountain) because the the southern part of the Large Magellanic Cloud in the northern part of the constellation reminded him of cloud overlying Table Mountain in South Africa.

Name:  Microscopium
Origin: Introduced by Lacaille in the 18th century.
Location: Southern
Details: Representing a microscope.

Name:  Monoceros
Origin: Introduced by Petrus Plancius in 1613.
Location: Equatorial
Details: Representing a unicorn.

Name:  Musca
Origin: Introduced by Keyser and de Houtman at the end of the 16th century.
Location: Southern
Details: Representing a fly.

Name:  Norma
Origin: Introduced by Lacaille in the 18th century.
Location: Southern
Details: Representing a surveyor's level.

Name: Octans
Origin: Created in 18th century by Lacaille
Location: Southern
Details: Created to commemorate the octant, the navigational instrument that was the forerunner of the sextant.

Name:  Ophiuchus
Origin: Greek
Location: Equatorial
Details: Representing Aesculapius, a son of Apollo and a mythical healer, holding a huge snake, the symbol of regeneration (the snake is represnted by the constellation Serpens).

Name:  Orion
Origin: Greek
Location: Lies directly on the celestial equator
Details: In Greek mythology Orion was a great hunter, the son of Poseidon and was stung to death by a scorpion.

Name:  Pavo
Origin: Introduced at the end of the 16th century by Keyser and de Houtman.
Location: Southern
Details: Representing a peacock.

Name:  Pegasus
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern
Details: Representing the winged horse of Greek mythology born from the blood of Medusa after she was decapitated by Perseus.

Name:  Perseus
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern
Details: Representing the Greek mythical hero who saved princess Andromeda from the sea monster (Cetus).

Name:  Phoenix
Origin: Introduced at the end of 16th century by Keyser and de Houtman.
Location: Southern
Details: Representing the mythical bird that was reborn from its own ashes.

Name:  Pictor
Origin: Introduced by Lacaille in the 18th Century.
Location: Southern
Details: Representing a painters easel.

Name:  Pisces
Origin: Greek
Location: Zodiacal
Details: Represents two fish tied together by their tails. A Greek legend identifies the fish as Aphrodite and her son Eros.

Name:  Piscis Austrinus
Origin: Greek
Location: Southern
Details: Representing a large fish at the southern end of the steam of water flowing from the urn of Aquarius.

Name: Puppis
Origin: Introduced by Lacaille
Location: Southern
Details: Originally part of the old Greek figure of Argo Navis, the ship of the Argonauts. Puppis represents the poop, or stern of the ship.
or stern of the ship.

Name:  Pyxis
Origin: Introduced by Lacaille in the 18th century.
Location: Southern
Details: Represents a magnetic compass used aboard ships.

Name:  Reticulum
Origin: Introduced by Lacaille in the 18th century.
Location: Southern
Details: Commemorating the reticle, a grid like device in Lacaille's telescope's eyepiece used for measureing star positions.

Name:  Sagitta
Origin:Greek
Location: North of the equator.
Details: Representing an arrow.

Name:  Sagittarius
Origin: Greek
Location: Southern zodiac
Details:The archer is usually depicted as a centaur aiming an arrow a the heart of neighbouring Scorpius.

Name:  Scorpius
Origin: Greek
Location: Southern zodiac
Details: Represents the mythical scorpian that killed Orion the hunter.

Name:  Sculpter
Origin: Introduced by Lacaille in the 18th century.
Location: Southern
Details: Named after Apparatus Sculptoris (the Sculpters Workshop).

Name:  Scutum
Origin: Introduced by Hohannes Hevelius in 1684.
Location: Southern
Details: Named after Scutum Sobiescianum (Sobieski's Shield), to honour in Jan Sobieski III of Poland.

Name:  Serpens
Origin: Greek
Location: Equitorial
Details: The constellation consists of two separate parts Serpens Caput (the Serpents Head) and Serpens Cauda (the Serpents Tail)

Name:  Sextans
Origin: Introduced by Johannes Hevelius in 1687 .
Location: Equatorial
Details: Representing a sextant. It was originall name Sextans Uraniae (Urania's Sextant) to commemorate the astronomical instrument.

Name:  Taurus
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern zodiacal
Details: Representing the bull that Zeus disguised himself as when he carried away princess Europa in Greek mythology.

Name:  Telescopium
Origin: Introduced by Lacaille in the 18th century.
Location: Southern
Details: Representing a telescope.

Name:  Triangulum
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern
Details: A narrow isosceles traingle.

Name:  Triangulum Australe
Origin: Introduced by Keyser and de Houtman at the end of 16th century.
Location: Suthern
Details: Equilateral triangle.

Name:  Tucana
Origin: Introduced by Keyser and de Houtman at the end of 16th century.
Location: Southern
Details: Representing a toucan.

Name:  Ursa Major
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern
Details: The 'Great Bear' is one of the best known constellations. Representing a bear, thought to be either Callisto, who fell victim to Zeus' passion and was turned int a bear and put in the sky for safety. Or Adrastea, a Cretan nymph who raised Zeus and was put in the stars out of grattitude.

Name:  Ursa Minor
Origin: Greek
Location: Northern circumpolar
Details: Refered to as the 'Little Bear'. In Greek mythology it represents Ida, a Cretan nymph who helped her sister Adrastea raise teh infant Zeus and whom he place among the stars.

Name:  Vela
Origin: Introduced by Lacille in the 18th century.
Location: Southern
Details:Part of the old Greek figure Argo Navis (the ship of the Argonauts). Represents the ships sails.

Name:  Virgo
Origin: Greek
Location: Zodiacal
Details: Represents the goddess of justice, and has been associated with a succession of female deities since Babylonian times.

Name:  Volans
Origin: Introduced by Keyser and de Houtman at the end of the 16th century.
Location: Southern
Details:  Representing a flying fish.

Name:  Vulpecula
Origin: Introduced by Johannes Hevelius in 1687
Location: Northern
Details: Representing a fox, originally named Vulpecula cum Ansere (the Fox and the Goose)