Dictionary term
Constellation
Direct answer
Constellation: A Constellation is one of 88 officially defined regions covering the entire celestial sphere; in everyday speech the word can also mean the star figure associated with that region.
A Constellation is an official bounded region of the sky, often associated with a traditional star figure.
A Constellation is an official bounded region of the sky, often associated with a traditional star figure.
A symbolic locator, not a substitute for an observational chart at a specific place and time.Quick reference
- Use when
- Use Constellation for an IAU sky region and identify the culture or historical source when discussing a figure, name, or story.
- Do not use it for
- Do not imply that stars in one constellation form a nearby physical group or that one culture's story is universal.
- Reference category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Related terms
- Asterism, Zodiac Constellation, Orion, Big Dipper
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The story behind Constellation
Many constellation figures are ancient, but the International Astronomical Union standardized 88 names and formal boundaries for modern astronomical use in the twentieth century.
Constellation in spiritual tradition
Constellations show how precise maps and inherited stories can share the same sky without becoming the same kind of knowledge.
Constellation: fact and faith, kept distinct
This is a factual astronomy, calendar, Earth-science, cultural, or historical reference. It can support wonder at the created order without becoming a claim of fate, worship, or private revelation.
Constellation in numerology
Constellation is not a numerology claim. Any numbers attached to it should retain their ordinary scientific, calendrical, navigational, or historical meaning unless a separate symbolic interpretation is clearly labeled.
Why Constellation matters
Constellations give astronomers a shared sky geography while their figures preserve many layers of cultural storytelling and navigation.
Constellation at work: an example
A faint galaxy can be described as lying in the constellation Orion even though it is not part of Orion's familiar stick figure.
Where interpretation stops
Constellation is presented as sourced astronomy, calendrical, Earth-science, cultural, or instrument-history reference. Definitions should distinguish measured phenomena from civil convention and historical interpretation, preserve location and time dependencies, and avoid turning factual sky data into a deterministic personal claim.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- International Astronomical Union: The Constellations - Official constellation names, abbreviations, boundaries, and distinction between regions and figures.
- NASA Space Place: What Are Constellations? - NASA introduction to constellation patterns, seasonal visibility, and the 88 official constellations.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Also appears in
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Aliases
- None listed
- Last updated
- 2026-07-15
Explore the 88 sky regions
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More in Constellations & Star Lore
Common questions
What is Constellation?
A Constellation is one of 88 officially defined regions covering the entire celestial sphere; in everyday speech the word can also mean the star figure associated with that region.
How is Constellation used in an almanac?
Use Constellation for an IAU sky region and identify the culture or historical source when discussing a figure, name, or story.
What should I avoid when interpreting Constellation?
Do not imply that stars in one constellation form a nearby physical group or that one culture's story is universal.
